So I just found out that a poem I had written about one of my crazier cousins won 3rd place in a University of Hawaii writing contest called the Ian MacMillan Writing Award. The writing contest is sponsored by the English Department and it’s open to the public, not just students. You can find out more info about the award here: http://www.kaleo.org/hawaii_review/ian_macmillan/ I… Read More
Birthing a Manuscript, Birthing for Real
This past week I took my first few tentative steps towards putting together my manuscript – a pretty big deal considering how long I’ve wanted to publish my own book of poetry. It’s taken me a while to reflect on all of this, though, because besides preparing to give birth to my first manuscript, I’m also preparing to give birth… Read More
Video Interview on Olelo TV
So this is a bit late but I was interviewed this past summer by my friend Joachim “Jojo” Peter and filmed by another friend, Leonard “Leni” Leon, for their show “Micronesian Connections.” This is a really awesome show that generally features thoughtful interviews facilitated by Jojo with a focus on Micronesian leaders and Micronesian issues. I have a lot of respect for… Read More
Diabetes, World War II, and a new poem
This week, I’ll be spotlighting a poem I wrote a few weeks back that centers around two topics: World War II and diabetes. So how are these two topics linked exactly? First, let me describe my relationship to diabetes. Like many Micronesians, if I was told to think of my cultural foods, the comfort food that I grew up with, I… Read More
The Micronesian Question
On Tuesday my class, “Contemporary Pacific Poetry and Poetics” (with my instructor Craig Santos Perez, Chamorro poet activist and scholar) finally got to the section on Micronesian Poetry. Our assignments to prepare for that section was to Read Pohnpeian poet Emelihter Kihleng’s book “My Urohs” http://www.amazon.com/My-Urohs-Emelihter-Kihleng/dp/0979378834, Read her poem “The Micronesian Question” http://tinfishpress.com/?page_id=512 Watch this video: [vimeo http://vimeo.com/42044060] which is called “Micronesians Abroad,”… Read More
Capturing Waves of Change at the Palolo Ohana Learning Center (a workshop reflection)
Yesterday wrapped up the end of a weeklong workshop on photography and poetry at the Palolo Ohana Learning Center – a center which caters to the Palolo Housing community here in Honolulu – entitled “Capturing Waves of Change” (pretty cliche of a title but hey, I was cramming during the application). The workshop was funded by a grant from the… Read More