Đỗ Nguyên Mai - Wikipedia

Vietnamese American poet and activist

Đỗ Nguyên Mai
Native name	Đỗ Nguyên Mai
Born	Mai Nguyen DoSanta Clarita, California
Occupation	Researcher, AAPI Data
Language	English; Vietnamese
Nationality	American
Citizenship	United States
Alma mater	College of the Canyons, Washington College
Genre	Poetry
Notable works	Ghosts Still Walking, Battlefield Blooming
Website
donguyenmai.com

Mai Nguyen Do, also known as Đỗ Nguyên Mai, is a Vietnamese American poet and activist from Santa Clarita, California. They attended College of the Canyons from where they received their associate degrees in history and the liberal arts and sciences.

Their 2016 debut poetry collection Ghosts Still Walking was nominated by the members of the international Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association for an Elgin Award for Book of the Year in 2017.[1] They are the winner of the 2019 Locked Horn Press Publication Prize.[2]

Writing

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Đỗ's poetry is influenced by their Vietnamese American identity and by their deep spiritual faith. When asked about influences on their writing, they have responded with several different sources of inspiration, including the words of ancient Vietnamese female writers and political figures like the Trưng sisters and writers such as Lady Murasaki and Frances Hodgson Burnett.[3][4]

Their debut poetry collection, Ghosts Still Walking, was published by Platypus Press in 2016.[5] Their second poetry collection, Battlefield Blooming, is scheduled to be released in spring of 2019 by Sahtu Press.[6] The release of Ghosts Still Walking was noted by Vietnamese language newspaper Viet Bao for its timely release on the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.[7]

Political involvement

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Aside from being a poet, Đỗ has been an ardent advocate for the arts and for Vietnamese American political and cultural development.[8] They often combine these lines of advocacy not only through community organizing and writing poetry, but also by being vocal on how issues such as immigration policy and police brutality have impacted the Southeast Asian American community.[9][10]

References

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1. ^ 2017 Elgin Awards Elgin Award Winners of the SFPA
2. ^ "Contest Winners". Locked Horn Press. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
3. ^ "Ghosts Still Writing: An Interview with Do Nguyen Mai". SPECPO Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association. 17 November 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
4. ^ Pascual, Jam (March 30, 2017). "Poet and 'Rambutan Literary' editor Do Nguyen Mai navigates culture for a living". Philippine Star Young Star.
5. ^ "Ghosts Still Walking". Platypus Press.
6. ^ "Battlefield Blooming Arriving in 2019". Sahtu Press. December 14, 2018.
7. ^ "Nhà Thơ Nữ Gốc Việt 16 Tuổi Ra Mắt, Đọc Thơ ngày 30 tháng Tư 2016". Viet Bao. April 30, 2016.
8. ^ Christiansen, Paul (March 5, 2018). "In Rambutan Literary, a Home for Southeast Asian Voices From Around the Globe". Saigoneer. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
9. ^ Do, Mai (May 10, 2018). "Mai Nguyen Do: My fears affirmed". The Signal Santa Clarita Valley. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
10. ^ Do, Mai (October 30, 2017). "From Beneath the Shroud of Silence: How Tommy Le's Death Shifts the Focus for Vietnamese American Political Involvement". diaCRITICS. Retrieved May 18, 2018.

External links

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• In Rambutan Literary, a Home for Southeast Asian Voices from Around the Globe — Paul Christiansen for Saigoneer, March 2018
• Official website of Do Nguyen Mai
• Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, 'Groundbreaking' Asian-American Poets to Read With Immigrant, Refugee Roots, NBC Asian America, May 2017
• Poet and ‘Rambutan Literary’ editor Do Nguyen Mai navigates culture for a living -- Jam Pascual for Philippine Star, Young Star, March 2017
• Nhà Thơ Nữ Gốc Việt 16 Tuổi Ra Mắt, Đọc Thơ ngày 30 tháng Tư 2016 — Việt Báo, April 2016
• Ghosts Sill Writing: An Interview with Do Nguyen Mai, SPECPO

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States