“This poem is about a moment I shared with my lola (grandma) that changed the meaning of ‘morena’ for me. She didn’t remember this conversation when I asked her about it years later, but this specific interaction was the start of self-acceptance for me.”

“‘Commercial Idolatry’ presents a world that always appeared rather dystopian to me whilst growing up. Despite being half-Kuwaiti, I did not experience many of the societal norms that permeated the ultra-rich lifestyle of many I knew. From an early age, I knew that my middle-class roots left me at a disadvantage in terms of social and cultural capital that transcended any intellect or meritocratic ability.”

“My parents moved to Canada as teenagers fleeing the Vietnam war in the 70s for a better life without a single dollar in hand. I grew up in a predominantly white suburban town in Ontario, which shaped a lot of my complex relationship about being Asian.”