Kundiman Booth at AWP 2018

Kundiman is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing generations of writers and readers of Asian American literature.[1] The organization offers an annual writing retreat, readings, workshops, a mentorship program,[2] and a poetry prize, and aims to provide "a safe yet rigorous space where Asian American poets can explore, through art, the unique challenges that face the new and ever changing diaspora."[3] Kundiman was co-founded in 2004[4] by Asian American poets Sarah Gambito and Joseph O. Legaspi,[5] and has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Poetry Foundation, the New York Community Trust, Philippine American Writers, PAWA, and individuals.[6][7]

Kundiman and Fordham University have formed an affiliation in which Kundiman will "enhance the outreach of Fordham’s English Department," and Fordham hosts the annual Kundiman Poetry Retreat on Fordham's Rose Hill campus beginning in 2010, and host Kundiman-sponsored readings and events at the Lincoln Center Campus. Fordham also provided a total of $60,000 over three years in financial support for Kundiman's programs.[8][9]

The organization’s name refers to a style of Filipino love song that served as veiled patriotism during colonial times.[10] Kundiman Fellows have published in The Virginia Quarterly Review,The Colorado Review, Pleiades, Black Warrior Review and Crab Orchard Review."[11] There have been over 302 books published by Kundiman fellows.[12]

Honors given by Kundiman include The Kundiman Poetry Prize, for a book by an Asian American poet at any stage in their career.[13] The winning manuscript is published by Tupelo Press,[14] and according to Kundiman, "is the only poetry prize dedicated to Asian American poets in the country."[15][16][17]

In light of "systemic bias"[18] within the Wikipedia community, Kundiman hosts Wikipedia Edit-A-Thons in order to address the lack of visibility of Asian American writers and accuracy about their work. Kyle Lucia Wu, the programs and communications manager at Kundiman, said the idea of creating a Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon came to her when she saw that there were, at the time, only 240 names listed on Wikipedia's page for Asian American writers.[19]

Kundiman Retreat

The Kundiman Retreat was started in 2004 by Sarah Gambito and Joseph O. Legaspi. The inaugural Retreat was hosted at the University of Virginia in 2004.[20] It now takes place at Fordham University.[21] Poet Duy Doan said of the Kundiman Retreat: "I would never be able to overemphasize the positive impact that the Kundiman retreats have had on me—writing, musing, connecting with other Asian–Pacific Islander American writers, being taken in by a richly talented and generous community."[22] Poet Chen Chen said that the Kundiman Retreat was "really magical and opened up my eyes to what was possible in the Asian American literary community."[23]

The Kundiman Retreat has received support from the National Endowment of the Arts.[24] Starting in 2015, the retreat was opened up to fiction writers as well as poets.[25]

Kundiman fellows include:

Kundiman Faculty includes:


See also

References

  1. ↑ "What is Kundiman?". Kundiman. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  2. ↑ "Mentorship Lab". Kundiman. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
  3. ↑ "Kundiman > Mission". Archived from the original on 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  4. ↑ "What is Kundiman?". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  5. ↑ Kundiman > Recent News > Press Release > Kundiman, Inc & Fordham University announce Partnership Agreement >
  6. ↑ "Kundiman > Sponsors". Archived from the original on 2009-04-21. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  7. ↑ "2020–2021 Donors". Kundiman. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  8. ↑ Kundiman > Recent News > Press Release > Kundiman, Inc & Fordham University announce Partnership Agreement >
  9. ↑ Sassi, Janet (16 June 2010). "Fordham Joins Kundiman to Bring Renowned Poets to Campus". Fordham Newsroom.
  10. ↑ "University of Virginia > News > July 30, 2004 > First National Retreat For Asian-American Poets To Be Held At U.Va. Aug. 4-8". Archived from the original on August 6, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  11. ↑ Asian-American Poetry > Saturday, March 28, 2009 > Kundiman - Letter from Executive Director Sarah Gambito
  12. ↑ "fellowpublicationslist". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  13. ↑ "Prize". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  14. ↑ "Prize". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  15. ↑ Kundiman > Recent News Archived 2009-05-07 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Poets & Writers > G&A: The Contest Blog > Alice James Books and Kundiman Present Book Prize for Asian American Poets > July 14, 2009
  17. ↑ Kundiman > Recent News > Press Release > Kundiman, Inc & Fordham University announce Partnership Agreement >
  18. ↑ Ho, Karen K. "If an Asian American author doesn't have a Wikipedia page, do they exist?". The Outline. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  19. ↑ Ho, Karen K. "If an Asian American author doesn't have a Wikipedia page, do they exist?". The Outline. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  20. ↑ "What is Kundiman?". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  21. ↑ "Retreat". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  22. ↑ "Where Big Books Are Born: Duy Doan on the Kundiman Retreat". Poets & Writers. 2018-02-14. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  23. ↑ "Writing the Families We Want: An Interview with Chen Chen". Asian American Writers' Workshop. 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  24. ↑ "2018 N.E.A Grants recipients" (PDF).
  25. ↑ Wong, Ryan Lee (10 February 2015). "Kundiman Expands to Fiction". Poets & Writers. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "Fellows". Kundiman. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
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