SoundPages Podcast

Josh Griffin’s project for the 2024 Jack Straw Writers Program is a book of poems dedicated to the life and legacy of his mother, Carolyn Jane Griffin, who passed away in 2018. In his conversation with curator Nisi Shawl, he talks about how his mother encouraged him to pursue his art, choosing to write about the joy of life, and how artists can create change. “One of the most important things a mentor told me is I need to be able to sit across people who might not find value in me and for me to be able to see them as human. ’Cause the moment we’ve gotten past that there is no hope.”

Music by EarthtoneSkytone, produced in part through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

Applications are open now for Jack Straw’s 2025 artist residency programs. Visit us on Submittable for more information: https://jackstraw.submittable.com/submit

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Kaitlyn Teer’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a non-fiction book about the love, fears, and contradictions of mothering in a climate crisis and how mothering can be a force for social change. In her conversation with curator Priscilla Long, she talks about how her conversations with her daughter have shaped her thinking, the mentors in her life, and her thoughts on the idea of hope in a time of environmental degradation. “I think that’s the task of writers, in both fiction and in non-fiction. To help shape our imaginations for what could be. And I think if we’re going to do it, we first have to imagine it.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Hope in a Time of Disaster – Kaitlyn Teer appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Nancy Mburu’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a novel titled Sauti, which translates to The Voice. The novel follows a performing poet named Nuru, who loses her voice when she immigrates to the United States from Kenya. In her conversation with curator Priscilla Long, she talks about how she first started writing fiction, how being trilingual enhances her writing, and where she sees her work in 5 years. “Sometimes I bring it up in my own writing . . . I saw this really nice way this writer did, but it was in a Swahili book, and I haven’t seen it in an English book. So I do think it does bring a lot.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Sauti – Nancy Mburu appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Julene Tripp Weaver‘s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a memoir titled 365/24/7 that delves into Julene’s experience working in AIDS service while keeping her own AIDS status private. In her conversation with curator Priscilla Long, she talks about the strategies she used to prevent burnout while working in AIDS social services, her daily writing practices, and writing projects she’s planning on publishing. “Hike to the top of a mountain, friends enjoy the view . . . but you wonder, how many jumped off this cliff?”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post 365/24/7 – Julene Tripp Weaver appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Jim Cantú’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Program is a collection of poems that cover the ignored historical stories of People of Color, Indigenous People, and Latinos. In his conversation with curator Priscilla Long, they talk about how Jim first got interested in studying his indigenous heritage, the way his wife encouraged him to keep writing, and the importance of sharing one’s writing with other people. “My great great grandfather was the County clerk for Cameron County in Texas in the late 1800s, early 1900s. And so we would see ledgers with his hand-writing. And so, it was this sense of a history and a past. And so that really interested me.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Remembering Indigenous and Latino History – Jim Cantú appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Brian Dang’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a collection of poems inspired by Brian’s ability to speak their family’s language (Cantonese) but not being able to read or write it. In their conversation with curator Priscilla Long, they talk about how Cantonese has framed the way they think, how realistic writing can limit their ability to write about their whole self, and about one day having their poems translated in a way their family can understand them. “It wouldn’t work right. And so much of the project is also being like this is where I’m at right now, and I can’t wait any longer.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post I Can’t Wait Any Longer – Brian Dang appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Carla Shafer’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a collection of poems exploring the themes of family, the natural world of the Pacific Northwest, and social justice. In her interview with curator Priscilla Long, she talks about the relationship between political activism and art, the founding of Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater Open Mic in Bellingham, Washington, and the time she’s spent outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. “[My father] would say, ‘Carla, these are really good ideas, but I don’t think people are ready for them yet.’ So I interpreted that to mean it was okay for me to take a stand and to speak out. But then I had to find a way to do that. And poetry seemed like a really good way to do that.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Making a Foothold For Peace – Carla Shafer appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Sumu Tasib’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a collection of short fiction covering on themes of gender, relationships, and psychology that uses characters and narratives to create empathy and understanding. In their conversation with curator Priscilla Long, they talk about their 2023 Jack Straw Program, their earliest artistic influences, and the mentors that opened their eyes. “My path to writing new stories . . . a lot of that came from writing about things that did happen but kind of noticing that by telling and retelling these stories I was editing them. And forming them into something to drive a particular point.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Golden Threads – Sumu Tasib appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Stephen Reed Griggs‘s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is an essay titled “How Long Should Music Last?” In this essay, Stephen muses on the legacy of recorded music in Seattle. In his conversation with curator Priscilla Long, he reflects on the first time he played music, his first time he was truly interested in writing, and his goals as a writer. “I need to invest the time and the love to establish and nurture those relationships. That’s what’s the most important thing.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

The post Time Beautified Is Music – Stephen Reed Griggs appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Hana Choi’s project for the 2023 Jack Straw Writers Program is a piece of short fiction that takes place at an immigrant detention center. The piece focuses on a group of detainees who perform a séance to summon the spirits of their fellow inmates who committed suicide. In her conversation with curator Priscilla Long, she speaks about her decision to start writing, her perspective on who she writes for, and her experience working as a pro bono lawyer for detained asylum seekers. “I’m an immigrant, so I often write about immigrants. And my Jack Straw project about detained immigrants, I think their stories need to be told more. More often. More loudly.”

Music by Bryan Smith, produced through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program.

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