Houston Arte Público Press founder Nicolás Kanellos steps down
For nearly half a century, Nicolás Kanellos has made it his mission to ensure Latino writers have a place in American literature. At 80, the founding director of Houston’s Arte Público Press, the country’s oldest and largest Latino-focused publisher, is stepping down after 45 years.
Kanellos’ departure at the beginning of this month marks a generational handoff at the University of Houston-based press, which has published more than 700 titles and helped launch the careers of authors like Sandra Cisneros (“The House on Mango Street”) and Victor Villaseñor (“Rain of Gold”).