How do uninvited life challenges like chronic illness or loss change us? Psychotherapist Lauren Selfridge hosts “This is Not What I Ordered,” a podcast showcasing compassionate, humorous conversations with people who have been there. I was a guest on the March 13th episode, discussing intergenerational impact of trauma and the healing power of storytelling.
"Poetry Behind Bars" in The Davis Vanguard
“Poetry Behind Bars: CSU Fresno English Professor Brynn Saito Conducts MFA-Style Poetry Workshop with Valley State Prison College Students” in the Davis Vanguard. With thanks to Dr. Jesse Scaccia at Fresno State for the invitation to visit with his amazing students.
Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, CA
ABC Channel 30 Interview
On December 28th, I had the opportunity to sit down with Vanessa Vasconcelos from ABC Channel 30 News to talk about Under a Future Sky.
“A local author and Creative Writing professor at Fresno State shares her family history through poetry and written word.”
"Brynn Saito's Future" by Mike Sonksen in Alta
Many thanks to Mike Sonksen for this recent piece in Alta Journal.
New poem in Good River Review
“You Don’t Believe” published in the Good River Review — thank you to the editors!
Under a Future Sky reviewed by Poetry Foundation's Harriet Books
“Saito deftly posits memory as a tool for survival while simultaneously working to acknowledge the life and creations stolen from those imprisoned” writes Rebecca Morgan Frank for The Poetry Foundation’s Harriet Books.
CAC Individual Artist Fellow
I am thrilled to announce that I’ve been selected as a 2023 Individual Artist Fellow for the Central California Region. Thank you to the @calartscouncil and the administering organization @svcreates for recognizing me as an Established Artist.
Visit SVCREATES’ website to learn about this year’s Fellows.
Launching Under a Future Sky
On August 30th, 2023 (under a super blue moon), we launched Under a Future Sky. Many thanks to poets Lee Herrick, Amber Flame and Jason Bayani for sharing their work! Gratitude to UJCC and Pastor Akiko Miyake-Stoner, Nathan Nakamura, Arlene Eberly, Samina Najmi, Venita Blackburn, Kogetsu-Do (for the manju!), and Gregg and Janelle Saito for helping to make it a wonderful night. Thank you to Brian Garcia for the photos!
"The Messenger" on The Slowdown
“Today’s poem renders visible the change that needs to happen — the vows we make to ourselves in order to grow, to become the person we were meant to be; however painful, however triumphant,” shares poet Major Jackson in today’s episode.
Deadline extended until May 15! Japanese American poetry anthology from Haymarket Books
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for an anthology of poetry on Nikkei – Japanese American – Canadian – Latin American incarceration, written by descendants of the WWII prisons and camps, edited by Brandon Shimoda and myself, forthcoming from Haymarket Books in 2025. Deadline: May 15, 2023. Info/submit: http://bit.ly/40oApTV
The Esaki family at the Turlock, CA detention center in 1942 by Dorothea Lange courtesy of Densho
Two New Poems in The Rumpus
Thanks to the poetry editors at The Rumpus for including these two new prose poems as part of their National Poetry Month series.
Call for Submissions! Closes 4/30
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for an anthology of poetry on Nikkei – Japanese American – Canadian – Latin American incarceration, written by descendants of the WWII prisons and camps, edited by Brandon Shimoda and myself, forthcoming from Haymarket Books in 2025. Deadline 4/30. Info/submit: http://bit.ly/40oApTV
The Esaki family in the Turlock detention center: https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-13
"On Trying to Have a Child": New Poem, Gulf Coast
Thank you to Gulf Coast for including a new poem in their Online Exclusives.
Two poems in Discover Nikkei
Two new poems in “Nikkei Uncovered,” a poetry column in Discover Nikkei. With a lovely preface from traci kato-kiriyama: “Brynn brings writing that is at turns spare and present, expansive and lush—all the things I crave in poetry at this time of year, when the chill of this season tends to bring us to a quiet space earlier each evening.”
Logo image for Discover Nikkei: Japanese Migrants and Their Descendants
"First Loves, Remembered" for Poetry Society of America
A reflection on Adrienne RIch’s poem “XI. One night on Monterey Bay the death-freeze of the century” for Poetry Society of America’s “First Loves, Remembered” series. “Rich’s poem awakened the deepest questions churning through the body politic at the turn of the 21st century—questions that feel as alive and unanswerable now as they did twenty years ago.”
New writing for Densho
In response to Densho’s Women’s History Month call for writers to respond to photos of women in Densho’s archives or their own collections, Brynn reflects on the stories told and untold within the archives asks “what exists outside the frame,” and follows “the bright red threads” of those unanswered questions into the future.
A reading honoring The Volta's final issue
A contribution to “Interiors,” readings celebrating The Volta’s final issue.
Poetry Printed on Levi's Jacket
My sister, Leigh Saito, helped to design a special trucker jacket for Levi’s in collaboration artist, Bria Cheng. She was able to print phrases from my people’s inauguration blessing on the jacket. More about the Levi’s initiative, honoring AAPI heritage month, here.
From Leigh: “My jacket honors our Asian American family and history. The Manzanita tree on the back represents the growth and strong roots that my family has grown despite all the struggles they faced. It also represents the ten incarceration camps the Japanese Americans were forced into, places like Gila River (where my grandparents were imprisoned), Tule Lake and Manzanar, a camp whose name is closely connected to the manzanita. The two hands represent the solidarity amongst people of color, and the grapes are an homage to our grandparents, who worked in the fields in the Central Valley. The phrases are excerpts from poems written by my sister, Brynn Saito. And the poem by the hands is an excerpt from a poem she wrote for The People’s Inauguration, a movement inspiring collective action. There’s also a secret message written on the inside of the jacket, an excerpt from her book, The Palace of Contemplating Departure.”
Poem in The Atlantic Daily's "7 poems to read this spring"
“Stone in the Desert Camp, 1942“ featured in The Atlantic’s daily newsletter. Thank you to the editors!
New poem in Northwest Review
“Self-Portrait Disguised as Stones” in Northwest Review Vol. 50.02, Winter 2021.
