In 1973, in a living room in the East Village, a collection of Latino poets, playwrights and musicians founded an iconic New York institution. More than 40 years later, the Nuyorican Poets Café is still one of the hottest venues in the city."This is the soul of New York City," says open mic host Caridad de la Luz. "This is where the truth gets told."This award-winning venue is a coveted stage for storytellers, emcees, musicians and competitive poetry slam competitions. Though initially founded for unsung Puerto Rican artists in the city, the scope of the art it showcases has expanded.