"Voices that dare to say the unsaid and hear the unheard… voices that break down barriers… voices that dare to be South Asian, American and simply human…"
Mission
Matwaala, South Asian Diaspora Poets’ Collective, is a community of poets whose origins go back to South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan). Our mission is to promote South Asian poetry in the American literary landscape, and collaborate with other arts in North America through a festival, publications and mutual support.
Over 80 poets have read & participated in Matwaala readings, projects & programs.
Matwaala has been featured in important journals such as the pan-European journal Versopolis's digital festival- Poetry Expo 2023 (www,versopolis.com)
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Read about Matwaala at Poets and Writers:
https://www.pw.org/content/building_solidarity_through_poetry
https://www.pw.org/content/matwaala_poets_and_the_new_york_city_polyphony
MATWAALA POETRY FEST
2021-2024
Poets of Color: The Series
African American, Native American, Mexican, East & Southeast Asian, Caribbean & Dalit
In 2020, George Floyd 's inhumane murder was not the first time African Americans and people of color have been victims of police brutality. Thousands took to the streets to protest the cold-blooded killing by police of Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and so many more.
Poets at Matwaala state our solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters.
We support this brave struggle and fervently hope that every voice crying out for justice in this movement is heard. We join all people of color in creating change and paving the way for our institutions to treat all people in our democracy with respect, dignity, and non-violence.
Our 2021-'23 festival features poets of color. African American, Mexican, Native American, Caribbean, Dalit & Asian American poets.
2021-2024
Poets of Color: The Series
African American, Native American, Mexican, East & Southeast Asian, Caribbean & Dalit
In 2020, George Floyd 's inhumane murder was not the first time African Americans and people of color have been victims of police brutality. Thousands took to the streets to protest the cold-blooded killing by police of Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and so many more.
Poets at Matwaala state our solidarity with our African-American brothers and sisters.
We support this brave struggle and fervently hope that every voice crying out for justice in this movement is heard. We join all people of color in creating change and paving the way for our institutions to treat all people in our democracy with respect, dignity, and non-violence.
Our 2021-'23 festival features poets of color. African American, Mexican, Native American, Caribbean, Dalit & Asian American poets.
2024 Highlights
1. Feb 10, 2024: Launch of Out of Sri Lanka: Anthology of Sri Lankan poets (Tamil, Sinhala & English) published by Bloodaxe Books & Penguin/Random House, India.
2. Jan 26, 2024: Memorial Reading for Rajeevan Thachampoyil
Poets of Color series 2023
East and Southeast Asian Poets Dalit Poets
Poster Design by Saanvi Nagaraju |
Poster Design by Saanvi Nagaraju |
Sept 28, 2023, 7 PM Eastern https://youtu.be/vBOYKWRBWOU Poets: Allison Albino, Pichchendra Bao, Joshua Nguyen, Miho Nonaka, Sun Yung Shin, Deedle Tomlinson, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang & Bryan Thao Worra |
Dec 02, 2023, 9 PM Eastern https://youtu.be/1T38pHp618w https://indiacurrents.com/matwaala-centers-dalit-voices-in-latest-virtual-reading/ Poets: Sukirtharani, Arangamallika, Chandramohan Satyanathan, Umesh Solanki Translators: Geetha Sukumaran, V. Iswarya, and Gopika Jadeja |
Poets of Color series 2021-'22
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Poster design: Anannya Akella
JULY 8, 2022, 7 PM Eastern Zoom link: https://ncc-zoom.zoom.us/j/93486825536?pwd=L2JHNTNWTHdvT0JZcVdKa1ZyVXh3UT09 Poets: Marianela Medrano, Danielle Legros Georges. Keisha-Gaye Anderson, and Bessy Reyna 
Poster design: Anannya Akella
JULY 8, 2021, 8 PM Eastern View the recording: https://ncc-zoom.zoom.us/rec/share/_QYNpVYj1fVWHgOLKQXkQjS8jH06ijjiRF5drE8xjMqKrnEZbJ2Vr7wA_tV9TSJC.4_3UiqpT_gQWClbH Poets: María Baranda, Ana Belen, Mariana Bernárdez, Fernando Carrera, Elsa Cross, Manuel Iris, Luis Armenta-Malpica, Jorge Ortega, and Natalia Toledo |
Poster design: Anannya Akella
MARCH 3, 2022, 8 PM Eastern Zoom link: https://ncc-zoom.zoom.us/j/93878918727?pwd=N2pBZjY4MU9BSXY0YmRGZEw3Vjc4QT09 Introduction by Kamala Platt Poets: Lyla June, Lucille Long Day & Andrina Smith. Art by Jeremy Dennis 
Poster design: Anannya Akella
APRIL 22, 2021. 8 PM Eastern To read poems at lucywritersplatform by the poets click here View the recording Passcode: ^lr06CR# Poets: Dorothy Randall Gray, Anastasia Tomkin, Cynthia Manick, Marsha Nelson, and Loretta Diane Walker |
2023 Highlights
1. Featuring poets from: They Rise Like a Wave; Anthology of Asian American Women Poets. Edt. by Christine Kitano & Alycia Pirmohamad - April 27, 2023
https://youtu.be/lc0kKBAoLhI
2. Memorial Reading for Saleem Peeradina - Poets from India & USA-April 28, 2023
https://youtu.be/CFLwd_gRT9c
3. Hum Aiseich Bolte, This is just how we say it, Celebrating Hyderabad with poetry - Akila Gopalkrishnan, Shikhandin, Kashiana Singh, Viswaprasad & Usha Akella -May 12, 2023. Art feature: Viswaprasad. Anchored by Kashiana Singh.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qK9EX0z6dLfzOQ22Hi9L7NKQ3RWd1NOj/view?usp=share_link
https://youtu.be/U95-oLBABiA
4. New-book reading - Megha Sood, Sophia Naz, Pramila Venkateswaran, Usha Akella, Indran Amirhanayagam, Anita Nahal, Zilka Joseph, Kashiana Singh, Afsar Mohammad, & Sara Garg (youth poet) - July 16, 2023
(poster design by Kashiana Singh)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OI5gruCPTU
Poets of color series, 2023
1. Asian American poets: Sep 28th, 2023. Allison Albino (Philippines), Deedle Tomlinson (Philippines), Miho Nonaka: (Japan), Sun Young Shin (Korea), Joshua Nguyen (Vietnam), Frances Kai-Hwa Wang (China), & Bryan Thao Worra (Laos)
2. Dalit poets: Dec 2nd, 2023. Sukirtharani, Arangamallika, Gopika Jadeja, Chandramohan Satyanathan, & Geetha Sukumaran.
Projects: Diaspora Poetry library at Delhi University
Matwaala is thrilled to initiate the building of a diaspora poetry collection of books (hard & soft copy) at Delhi University's English department to facilitate dialogue between both Indian and diaspora academic and creative communities. Interested poets are welcome to email us at [email protected] to learn more and send your work to DU.
Essays/Critical Work
Read Pramila Venkateswaran's critical essay on Saleem Peeradina's work:
https://indianwritinginenglish.uohyd.ac.in/saleem-peeradina-pramila-venkateswaran/
Highlights
Poetry Wall of 24 South Asian Diaspora Poets at Irving Museum and Archives, Dallas, 2021
Curated by Matwaala and ThinkIndia Foundation for the Smithsonian project Beyond Bollywood:
Highlights
Poetry Wall of 24 South Asian Diaspora Poets at Irving Museum and Archives, Dallas, 2021
Curated by Matwaala and ThinkIndia Foundation for the Smithsonian project Beyond Bollywood:
Articles on Matwaala
LucyWritersPlatform by Usha Akella
The Birth of South Asian Diaspora Festival by Pramila Venkateswaran
Matwaala; Birth of a South Asian Diaspora Poetry Festival and Collective- Journal of comparative literature- http://jcla.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/JCLA-44.2_Summer-2021_Usha-Akella.pdf
University of Cambridge
India Currents
The Birth of South Asian Diaspora Festival by Pramila Venkateswaran
Matwaala; Birth of a South Asian Diaspora Poetry Festival and Collective- Journal of comparative literature- http://jcla.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/JCLA-44.2_Summer-2021_Usha-Akella.pdf
University of Cambridge
India Currents
Matwaala Readings Hosted By:
Murray Edwards College at Cambridge University, UK
New York University
Stony Brook University
Hunter College
Nassau Community College
Austin Community College
AAWW, NYC
New York Writers Workshop, NYC
New York University
Stony Brook University
Hunter College
Nassau Community College
Austin Community College
AAWW, NYC
New York Writers Workshop, NYC
"Voices that dare to say the unsaid and hear the unheard… voices that break down barriers… voices that dare to be South Asian, American and simply human…"
MAPS: Matwaala Anthology
Click to view
Mugs
The Matwaala commemorative mug is our quirky salute to the poet of honor at each festival.
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Intoxicated by Poetry
Photo by Nomita Verma Pfaff
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Made possible by USCommunity brought together by poetry
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Photo by Nomita Verma Pfaff
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Thank you to the collective's poets who made the website possible, website designer Francisca, posters’ designer Anannya, and all our sponsors and partners.