Filipino Writers on Diasporic Subjectivity & Postcolonial Prosodies: 10:35 AM, Room 407, Level Two, LA Convention Center

Panel discussion exploring the Filipino diasporic subject’s relationship to/with the English language, our distinct positionalities, and how these inform our writing practice. What does the journey of understanding our colonial history, alongside embracing our creative vocation, look like? In what ways do our stories, characters, and poetics contend with the legacy of US imperialism? What accents our grief, curiosity, and joy? How do we think and write about tahanan or “home”?

Crowned with Laurels: The Role of the Poet Laureate in a Contemporary Age: 12:10PM, Concourse Hall 153 ABC, Level One, LA Convention Center

The first poet laureate was named to office in 1315. But what does it mean to be a poet laureate in 2024, amid a digital age marked by political unrest, widespread threats to the arts, and a continually evolving poetic landscape? How do laureates build and sustain literary community? Address access and representation? What is the state of poetry in their jurisdictions? Five poets representing various states, cities, and counties will discuss what it takes to champion this enigmatic genre.