In his highly acclaimed book, Living in Spanglish, Ed Morales paints a portrait of America as it both embraces and turns away from an onslaught of Latino influence. His book is the story of groups of Hispanic immigrants struggling to move beyond identity politics into a postmodern melting pot. His most recent book is The Latin Beat: The Rhythm and Roots of Latin Music From Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond.

Ed Morales is a longtime Village Voice contributor and a columnist for New York Newsday. His work has also appeared in a variety of national magazines and newspapers, from The Los Angeles Times to The Miami Herald, from Rolling Stone to The Nation. He is also a poet and fiction writer, whose work has appeared in Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, Iguana Dreams and Boricuas.

In his lectures Ed Morales delves deep into the individual's response to Latino stereotypes and suggests that their ability to hold on to their heritage, while at the same time working to create a culture that is entirely new, is a key component of America's future. He encourages his listeners to think critically and creatively about both the successes and the struggles that Latinos have had in their efforts to forge a unique identity as part of the American fabric - being at once a part of, and separate from, the cultural, social, and political mainstream.