PEN America Emerging Voices Podcast

2018 Emerging Voices Fellow Jubi Arriola-Headley talks about the lack of equity in creative writing, the importance of essential truth over fact, and accepting the new virtual norm as it relates to community, claiming connections can be made through a screen. It's all just a matter of intention. * Jubi Arriola-Headley is a blacqueer poet, storyteller, & first-generation United Statesian born to Bajan (Barbadian) parents. His first collection of poems, original kink, is forthcoming (October 2020) from Sibling Rivalry Press. A 2018 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow & an alumnx of the VONA & Lambda Literary writing communities, Jubi recently graduated from the University of Miami with his MFA in poetry. You can find him at justjubi.com

Pulled from the vault for your listening enjoyment, it is the 2017 Emerging Voices Final Reading, live from the Skirball Cultural Center. The 2017 Fellows Soleil Davíd, Peter H.Z. Hsu, Kirin Khan, Chinyere Nwodim, and Jessica Shoemaker read their poetry and fiction, with introductions written by their mentors Jade Chang, Amelia Gray, Ashaki M. Jackson (read by Douglas Kearney), Dana Johnson, and J. Ryan Stradal.

1999 Emerging Voices Fellow Dr. Stephanie Han talks to us about polyculturalism, protests, and the pandemic; our increased ability to conceptualize a narrative after the internet; and delivers an inspirational rant on why we write that's worthy of a Ted Talk. Listen and then sign up for one of her creative writing classes this summer. Visit stephaniehan.com for details. * Stephanie Han is an author, speaker, and educator. Her debut short story collection “Swimming in Hong Kong” (Willow Springs Books/distributed by University of Washington Press) won the Paterson Fiction Prize and was the sole finalist for both the AWP Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction and the Spokane Prize, in addition to making the shortlist for the Asian Books Blog Award. Individual stories won awards from Nimrod International Literary Journal, Santa Fe Writer’s Project, and the South China Morning Post. Han is City University of Hong Kong’s first English literature PhD. She resides and teaches in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Normally, this is the time for the EV Spring Reading. Friends, loved ones, and the local literary community all gather to meet the fellows and to hear them perform. With the shelter in place orders in effect, we aren't able to host the 2020 EVs in public, so they're reading on the podcast instead! In addition, Amanda talks to Megan, Damien, Claire, Shannon, and M. about the uncertain times we are living in, a Tongva arts journal, who should play you in your movie, unusual superpowers, roommates, and writing sex, proving that even virtual connections can be life-affirming, and that stories are powerful beyond measure. To learn more about the 2020 Fellows, visit pen.org

1999 Emerging Voices Fellow Shonda Buchanan talks about nurturing communities that reach beyond the page, writing your life into existence, and the importance of language. Listen to hear her explain to fellowship manager Amanda Fletcher why you should never call her a performer. ** Shonda Buchanan is an award-winning poet, author, journalist and educator at The College of William & Mary, Hampton University, Loyola Marymount University, among other places. Her recently published memoir BLACK INDIAN explores her mixed-race identity. She also is the author of WHO’S AFRAID OF BLACK INDIANS? and EQUIPOISE: POEMS FROM GODDESS COUNTRY, and editor of two anthologies, VOICES FROM LEIMERT PARK and VOICES FROM LEIMERT PARK REDUX. She is the literary editor of Harriet Tubman Press and a member of the advisory board of Beyond Baroque Literary Arts and Angels Flight • literary west. To learn more, visit shondabuchanan.com.