On the ten-year anniversary of September 11th, experts of every camp and affiliation will compete to dictate its legacies for our collective memory. The danger isn't simply that the loudest voices will dominate—it's that only a limited range of voices will make it into the conversation at all. So many of our communities have borne witness to so much over the past 10 years; it behooves us to critically consider the moment and its aftermath—the various political, legal, and civil rights repercussions, particularly for the communities most directly affected, South Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim American. But how can we do so, when so many of the voices of affected communities remain unheard? How do we remember and reflect on this moment as Asian Americans when the public conversation is so circumscribed?
Read more about The Asian American Literary Review's special issue.
The Writer’s Word: Bao Phi
Each month AALR asks one of its contributors to reflect on a work from a recent issue. This month, we feature writer Bao Phi, who reflects on his performance of the poem, "No Question," which appears on the DVD in our Special Issue Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of Sept. 11.
Dear John Okada
Every month, on our website only, AALR features an open letter to John Okada, Carlos Bulosan, Siu Sin Far—the shades of Asian American literature past—regarding the state of Asian American literature today. The letter might be broad or focused on a single place, a single text, a single moment; might be thematic or otherwise taxonomic; might be a profile or a polemic, a manifesto or an homage. We welcome contributions from all corners of the world, from writers and readers, teachers and students. Length: 200-1,000 words. We apologize in advance that we will not be able to post or respond to all submissions. Please send to dearjohn@aalrmag.org.
