Ariana Brown

Ariana Brown is an American spoken word poet from Texas.[1] In 2014, she was part of a winning team at the national collegiate poetry slam. Ariana Brown has won the “Best Poet” award twice at the same event.[2][3] She is also a two-time recipient of the Academy of American Poets Prize.[3] She published her debut poetry chapbook, Sana Sana, with Game Over Books in early 2020.[4]

Early life and education

Brown was born in San Antonio, Texas. Her father was a Black American and her mother is Mexican-American. Brown identifies as a Black Mexican American person.[5] Growing up, Brown struggled to find representations of herself in literature, so she decided to write poetry for young women who struggle to feel represented.[6] She was also inspired by Black movement leaders, including Malcolm X.[7] In 2011, she was a part of her first poetry slam team and performed at Brave New Voices.[6]

Brown received her Bachelor's of Arts degree in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.[2] She also received a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at the University of Pittsburgh and is working on a poetry manuscript about her life, the formation of a racial identity, cultural politics, and authenticity among other themes.[1][3]

Brown has continued to participate in poetry slams, has performed her poetry across the United States, and often holds poetry workshops focused on writing poetry that heals.[7][8]

Brown writes poetry to uplift Black people and pay homage to her ancestors and the history of her people.[5] She wants to inspire and uplift disempowered communities through her poetry.[7] She also uses her poetry to validate Black girl rage.[8] Brown has been dubbed a "part-time curandera" because her poetry deals with healing issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexual orientation.[7] She weaves contemporary issues and tensions into her poetry.[3] Her work has been featured in PBS, Huffington Post, Blavity, For Harriet, and Remezcla among others.[1]

Personal life

Brown is queer.[9]

Works

  • Sana Sana (debut poetry chapbook), Game Over Books, January 2020[10]
  • LET US BE ENOUGH (debut poetry EP), February 22, 2019[11]
  • “quaker blake” Barrelhouse Magazine, December 9, 2018[12]
  • “Alternate Memory, or Love Dances Barefoot After the Men Have Disappeared” Barrelhouse Magazine, December 9, 2018[12]
  • “Introductions” Scalawag Magazine, October 1, 2018[13]
  • “In Defense of Santana’s ‘Maria Maria,’ Featuring Wyclef & the Product G&B” Rattle, January 29, 2018[14]
  • “Minute Fathers” Sidekick Lit, Issue Four[15]
  • “A Division of Gods” Winter Tangerine, 2017[16]
  • “Abuela, de Carrizo Springs” As/Us, September 17, 2017[17]
  • “Supremacy” Muzzle, June 2017[18]
  • “Nylon, Black, ‘72” BOAAT[19]
  • “At the End of the Sword” Neptantla, Issue 3[20]
  • “Always, There is Music” African Voices, July 8, 2016[21]
  • “Don’t Know Nobody from Ellis Island” Bird’s Thumb, June 2016[22]
  • “Invocation” & “Sunday Morning” HEArt Online, April 4, 2016[23]
  • “Ossuary” Rattle: Poets Respond, October 25, 2015[24]

References

  1. King, Jack Preston (2017-04-11). "Meet Ariana Brown — National Poetry Month Featured Poet for April 11th". Medium. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  2. Frank, Priscilla (2017-02-28). "34 Poets Of Color Summarize 2017 In Verse". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  3. Van de Kamp, Alexandra (2017-05-05). "'The Writers Desk' with Spoken Word Poet Ariana Brown". Rivard Report. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  4. "Sana Sana". GAME OVER BOOKS. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  5. "Bio - Ariana Brown". Arianabrown.com. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  6. Segal, Corrine (2016-02-08). "How poet Ariana Brown became the Afro-Latina role model she needed". PBS. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  7. Reichard, Raquel (2017-10-31). "Ariana Brown Wants Her Poems About Depression to Heal and Empower Black Women". Remezcla. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  8. "Kick-off! Latinx Poetry Series at Harvard in Celebration of AfroLatinx History". emr.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  9. Isaad, Virginia (2020-03-04). "Ariana Brown's Poetry Collection Explores Anti-Blackness in Latinx Culture". HipLatina. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  10. "Sana Sana". GAME OVER BOOKS. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  11. Brown, Ariana (2019-02-22). "LET US BE ENOUGH, by Ariana Brown". Band Camp. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  12. Brown, Ariana (2018-12-09). "Two Poems by Ariana Brown". BARRELHOUSE. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  13. Brown, Ariana (2018-10-01). "'This Work Will Take Dancing': Poems by Maria Lucas and Ariana Brown". Scalawag. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  14. Brown, Ariana (2018-01-29). ""In Defense of Santana's 'Maria Maria' ft. Wyclef & The Product G&B" by Ariana Brown | Rattle: Poetry". Rattle. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  15. Brown, Ariana. "Minute Fathers". SIDEKICK LIT. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  16. Brown, Ariana (2017). "A Division of Gods". Winter Tangerine. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  17. Brown, Ariana (2017-09-17). "Abuela de Carrizo Springs". As Us. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  18. Brown, Ariana (June 2017). "Supremacy". MUZZLE MAGAZINE. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  19. Brown, Ariana. "Nylon, Black, '72". BOAAT PRESS. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  20. Brown, Ariana. "At the End of the Sword" (PDF). Nepantla.
  21. Brown, Ariana (2016-07-08). "Always, There is Music". African Voices. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  22. Brown, Ariana (June 2016). "Don't Know Nobody from Ellis Island". Bird's Thumb. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  23. Brown, Ariana (2016-04-04). "Invocation & Sunday Morning". HEArt Online. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  24. Brown, Ariana (2015-10-25). "Ossuary". Rattle. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
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