2019 Asian American Literature Festival
https://smithsonianapa.org/lit/lit2019/
August 2-4, 2019
at Eaton DC, Library of Congress, and Smithsonian Freer/Sackler Galleries
free to the public

Kaya Press will host 2 awesome panels:

Kaya Healing Circle on Toxic Masculinity on Saturday, August 3, at 5:30 PM-6:30 PM

Transnational Narratives, featuring Mimi Lok, Max Yeh + Alice Stephens, moderated by Swati Khurana on Sunday, August 4, at 10.00AM-11.30AM

Also visit our awesome booth on Friday and Sunday, 10AM-5PM, for tiger drawing, collage poetry with Hari
Alluri, calligraphy with Faisal Mohyuddin + portraits by Mimi Lok!

For the complete festival schedule http://smithsonianapa.org/lit/lit2019/schedule/

 

The 2019 Asian American Literature Festival is a new model for encountering literature: a community-generated cooperative space for sharing and growing Asian American literature, with dynamic, interactive programming and a commitment to arts solidarity. Featuring readings, lectures, panel talks, workshops, book discussions, salons, immersive spaces, interactive stations, skillsharing, mentoring, and bookswaps.

Co-presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Library of Congress, and the Poetry Foundation, with support from Kundiman, Kaya Press, the Freer and Sackler Galleries, and Eaton DC.

Community partners: Vs Podcast, Association for Asian American Studies, Georgia Review, AAWW, CAALS, AALR, Massachusetts Review, Kuya Ja’s, Gaudy Boy, Bamboo Ridge Press, Lantern Review, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Refugee Poetry Collective, UMD MFA Program, Carlos Rosario School, Scholastic, 18MR, and Quebec Government Office in Washington, DC.

Featuring: Ocean Vuong · Arthur Sze · Monique Truong · Franny Choi · Danez Smith · Kaveh Akbar · Ilya Kaminsky · Carolina Ebeid · Mai Der Vang · Jennifer Chang · Ching-In Chen · Kazim Ali · Cathy Park Hong · Sally Wen Mao · Cathy Linh Che · Sarah Gambito · Prageeta Sharma · Dorothy Wang · Alicia Upano · Bryan Thao Worra · Cathy J. Schlund-Vials · Caroline Kyungah Hong · Mai-Linh Hong · Jennifer Hayashida · Joseph Legaspi · Yanyi · Wo Chan · Ellen Oh · Sona Charaipotra · Misa Sugiura · Caroline Tung · Sarah Park Dahlen · Christina Soontornvat · Minh Le · Rashin Kheiriyeh · David Mura · Ed Lin · Samina Najmi · Kaysone Syonesa · Scott Kikkawa · Elmer Omar Bascos Pizo · Ann Inoshita · Lisa Linn Kanae · Gail Harada · J. Mae Barizo · T Kira Madden · Bushra Rehman · Kyle Lucia Wu · Dan Lau · Soham Patel · Gerald Maa · Regie Cabico · Madeleine Thien · Wing Tek Lum · Juliet S. Kono · Brenda Kwon · Christy Passion · Jean Yamasaki Toyama · Sunu Chandy · Purvi Shah · Krittika Ghosh · Mimi Khúc · Julie Ae Kim · Ananya Kanai Shah · June Daowen Lei · Paul Aster Stone-Tsao · Kimarlee Nguyen · Shrima Pandey · Divya Nair · Danielle Batalion Ola · Pik-Shuen Fung · Will Giles · Rajiv Mohabir · Hari Alluri · Tanzila Ahmed · Mimi Lok · Faisal Mohyuddin · Sushmita Mazumdar · Mimi Mondal · p0stb1nary · Lauren Bullock · Aria Pahari · Gowri K · Kat Evasco · Lauren Bullock · jenny c. lares · Soo-Jin Lee · M Marbella · Pamela K. Santos

Featured programs:
INTIMATE LECTURES
Poet Arthur Sze and novelist Monique Truong give inside, loving tours of Asian American literature.

QUEER LITERAOKE
A mashup of literary readings and karaoke–each performer reads their work and sings a verse from their favorite karaoke song.

FUN ENGLISH CLASS
Like English class, but fun! Read Ocean Vuong’s debut novel *On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous*, come to “class” discussions led by poet Sally Wen Mao, poet Rajiv Mohabir, or the Circle for Asian American Literary Studies, and top it off with a live reading by Ocean.

SILENT HISTORIES: RECOVERING LOST VOICES
Jennifer Chang, Ching-In Chen, Kazim Ali, and Cathy Park Hong uncover the work of lesser-known senior poets who have importantly shaped Asian American literary culture.

POETS’ PEACE BREAKFAST
A welcome peace breakfast by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and Poetry Foundation to kick off the Festival.

*LOVES YOU* x KUYA JA’S
Sarah Gambito and local restaurant Kuya Ja’s collaborate on a food and poetry experience inspired by her new book *Loves You*.

VS PODCAST
Franny Choi and Danez Smith host a live session of their award-winning Poetry Foundation podcast, with Kundiman guests Sarah Gambito, Joseph Legaspi, and Cathy Linh Che

REFUGEE POETRY COLLECTIVE
Readings and discussion about a new Refugee Poetry Collective by Ilya Kaminsky, Ocean Vuong, Kaveh Akbar, Mai Der Vang, and Carolina Ebeid.

(RE)CENTERING SENSITIVITY: An MFAoC
A new approach to the graduate creative writing workshop model, founded on sensitivity, trust, autonomy, equality, and anti-racist education, designed by students of color from the UMD MFA Program.

LITERARY LOUNGE
Bookfair reimagined as an immersive installation space for staging new kinds of encounters with Asian American lit.

ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE PANEL
Join acclaimed children’s book creators Christina Soontornvat, Rashin Kheiriyeh, and Minh Le in conversation with scholar Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen.

QUEER/TRANS GHOST STORIES
What is the ghost story to the queer soul? Explore with gender diverse artist collective p0stb1nary and writer Mimi Mondal in a spooky, queer space.