KUNDIMAN INC
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Mission Statement
Kundiman is dedicated to the creation and cultivation of Asian American literature. Kundiman offers a comprehensive spectrum of arts programming that gives writers opportunities to inscribe their own stories, transforming and enriching the American literary landscape. Kundiman sees literature not only as vehicle for cultural expression but also as an instrument for political dialogue and self-empowerment.
About This Cause
HISTORY In August 2004, Kundiman presented its inaugural Workshop Retreat at The University of Virginia. This annual retreat was created by poets Sarah Gambito and Joseph O. Legaspi. Through their own experiences as writing students and writers, both recognized the need for a nurturing and yet rigorous environment for emerging Asian American writers: such a space would facilitate creation of new work, create mentoring relationships, and address challenges that uniquely affect Asian American writers. WHAT DOES KUNDIMAN MEAN? Kundiman is the classic form of Filipino love song—or so it seemed to colonialist forces in the Philippines. In fact, in Kundiman, the singer who expresses undying love for his beloved is actually singing for love of country. As an organization dedicated to providing a nurturing space for Asian American writers, we find in this name inspiration to create and support artistic expression. IMPACT More than 250 writers have attended the Kundiman Retreat now held at Fordham University. Fellows report first-time publication in national literary journals, finalist distinction in literary awards and a greater sense of confidence in their pursuit of literary excellence. Kundiman fellows have published work in The New Yorker, The Best American Poetry, Best New Poets, Poetry, Denver Quarterly, Virginia Quarterly Review, Fence, Guernica, The Colorado Review, Pleides, The New England Review, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Beloit Poetry Journal, Women Studies Quarterly, Crab Orchard Review, The Best of the Net, The Cortland Review, Third Coast, Spoon River Poetry Review, Nimrod International Journal, The Drunken Boat, MiPOesias. They are attending MFA and doctoral programs at The Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Brown University, New York University, Stanford University, The University of Houston, The University of California, Riverside, and The University of California, Berkeley. Since our the first retreat, fellows have produced over 300 books and chapbooks spanning all genres and ranging from chapbooks, to full-length collections and anthologies. Book by book, Kundiman is changing the American literary landscape for a more inclusive future. WHO WE SERVE Today’s literary community needs an organization with national reach to nurture and champion Asian American voices. Kundiman is dedicated to promoting Asian American writers in events that span every major region of the country, while welcoming new fellows into our community each year through our signature retreat for Asian American writers. Our alumni network allows us to connect to literary hubs in major cities, as well as many smaller communities that may not have easy access to diverse speakers. It is our mission to empower Asian American writers of all genres, and to showcase the wide range of subject matter and styles in which they write. Kundiman ensures the contributions of Asian American writers are heard by the public; we connect with over 76,000 audience members annually, in person and online through our website and social media channels. In 2018, the National Endowment for the Arts survey revealed that since Kundiman was founded in 2004, the American poetry readership has doubled to nearly 29 million readers, with Black & Asian American readers comprising the highest readership, a shift we are proud to have contributed to. Our community also includes audiences reached through our partnerships with organizations serving artists of underrepresented communities, such as Lambda Literary, Cave Canem, CantoMundo, Asian American Writers Workshop, Urban Word NYC, PEN America, and Poetry Coalition. Our programs are crafted to not only serve participating poets and prose writers, but also the diverse communities that engage with their work. Through our programming and partnerships, Kundiman connects audiences to stories that reflect the realities of multicultural lives across the country.