selected writing
Lillian Allen's Mighty OCADU Writers
Jo SiMalaya Alcampo's love for creative writing was nurtured by Mary Lou Soutar-Hynes, a Jamaican-Canadian, former nun and Ontario poet/educator who engaged her Scarborough students in lively discussions about social power, civic responsibility, and the political rhythms of dub poetry. Jo studied creative writing at OCAD University with Lillian Allen, an internationally acclaimed Jamaican-Canadian dub poet, who inspires students with her passion and commitment to advocacy on world issues.
Jo's writing and multimedia art have been published in TOK 6: Writing the New Toronto, INCITE! Journal of Experimental Media & Radical Aesthetics, Fireweed Women’s Literary & Cultural Journal, and Pinoy Sa Canada. She has performed at the Toronto Women's Bookstore, Ellington's Cafe, Trane Studio, Kapisanan Centre (Araw ng mga Patay/Day of The Dead Festival), and the Junction Arts Festival (Poetry Village).
In 2010, Jo participated in the Diaspora Dialogues Mentoring Program and worked with critically-acclaimed Canadian author Rabindranath Maharaj. Jo's short story, "the inviolable heart" was selected for publication in the Diaspora Dialogues anthology, TOK 6: Writing the New Toronto (2011). Jo performed the first public reading of her story at the 2011 Word on the Street Festival (Toronto).
In 2011-2012, Jo worked with a group of emerging professional Filipino-Canadian playwrights, led by Director of Play Creation, Marjorie Chan. The group produced new work for Carlos Bulosan Theatre. The first public reading of Jo's play, "Hilot means Healer" was presented at Tales from the Flipside 2012.
Projects for 2013-2014 include Kwentong Bayan: Labour of Love - a community-based comic book project created by Althea Balmes (Illustrator) and Jo SiMalaya Alcampo (Writer) in close collaboration with Filipina migrant workers in the Live-in Caregiver Program.
These are the stories that you don't see in mainstream media. These are the stories that you won't find in most academic papers or research studies. These are real-life stories of community and friendship, love and struggle, and women's empowerment. In the Filipino language, "kwentong bayan" is the literal translation of "community stories" and our comic book project is rooted in love. Please visit our website to learn more: www.lcpcomicbook.com
For 2014-2015, Jo will be the new Playwright-in-Residence at Cahoots Theatre supported by Diaspora Dialogues.
Jo's writing and multimedia art have been published in TOK 6: Writing the New Toronto, INCITE! Journal of Experimental Media & Radical Aesthetics, Fireweed Women’s Literary & Cultural Journal, and Pinoy Sa Canada. She has performed at the Toronto Women's Bookstore, Ellington's Cafe, Trane Studio, Kapisanan Centre (Araw ng mga Patay/Day of The Dead Festival), and the Junction Arts Festival (Poetry Village).
In 2010, Jo participated in the Diaspora Dialogues Mentoring Program and worked with critically-acclaimed Canadian author Rabindranath Maharaj. Jo's short story, "the inviolable heart" was selected for publication in the Diaspora Dialogues anthology, TOK 6: Writing the New Toronto (2011). Jo performed the first public reading of her story at the 2011 Word on the Street Festival (Toronto).
In 2011-2012, Jo worked with a group of emerging professional Filipino-Canadian playwrights, led by Director of Play Creation, Marjorie Chan. The group produced new work for Carlos Bulosan Theatre. The first public reading of Jo's play, "Hilot means Healer" was presented at Tales from the Flipside 2012.
Projects for 2013-2014 include Kwentong Bayan: Labour of Love - a community-based comic book project created by Althea Balmes (Illustrator) and Jo SiMalaya Alcampo (Writer) in close collaboration with Filipina migrant workers in the Live-in Caregiver Program.
These are the stories that you don't see in mainstream media. These are the stories that you won't find in most academic papers or research studies. These are real-life stories of community and friendship, love and struggle, and women's empowerment. In the Filipino language, "kwentong bayan" is the literal translation of "community stories" and our comic book project is rooted in love. Please visit our website to learn more: www.lcpcomicbook.com
For 2014-2015, Jo will be the new Playwright-in-Residence at Cahoots Theatre supported by Diaspora Dialogues.
migratory flywaysIt is my fifth birthday and I become aware. A canary is trapped inside my chest cavity. Its claws cannot grip the slippery bones of my rib cage. It flies in circles searching for a safe place to rest. It finally perches on the conical pouch that forms the left ventricle of my heart. Its feathers are fluffed, eyes half-shut, wings droopy with exhaustion. The unfamiliar stillness scares me more than the constant fluttering. Breathing becomes difficult. My lungs spasm and squeeze the bird between sinew and flesh. Its beak lacerates muscle tissue. A tiny stream of blood spreads over its yellow crown of feathers. My wounds heal but the bird never moves again. excerpt from short story, "the inviolable heart" © 2010 Jo SiMalaya Alcampo home
in canada
the syrup flows slowly from tapped trees with buckets like baby bird mouths waiting for crystallized candy drops shaped into maple leaves poured into bottles dressed in mountie red country of my growth in the philippines the coconut tree absorbs the heat of the sun takes it in lovingly pressure transforming sweet viscous flow into juices that taste sweeter to the tongue that is south of asia east of india country of my birth © 2009 Jo SiMalaya Alcampo this time-release poem was written in response to Robert Priest’s two-line poem: “The hotter the sun the quicker the honey” my next bio
the jester
contemplates leaving behind her fool’s cap pestering bells and mock scepter to walk into the world naked in vulnerable majesty with only her open heart as a crown © 2013 Jo SiMalaya Alcampo |
On Becoming A Writer (Inspired by Jamaica Kincaid’s ‘On Becoming A Girl’)hold pen to paper before dreams recede this is how to glide face the page when moonlight draws its veil this is no praise no blame this is how to simply start this is how to break language apart this is how to let your toes breathe this is how to swing like an eight-year old this is how to make friends with cranky librarians this how to get to the Toronto Women’s Bookstore this is how to cancel the cable mute messenger and unplug the pod this is how to be still and silent then scream in high park ay nako, what if I don’t have a single word to say? do you really believe that anyway? this is how to write yourself an affirmation “i will avoid high drama mamas” this is a love note packed in your lunch “do not give away your best things” this how to commune with Plato, Plath, and Poseidon but what if I am the only one that thinks this way? you and the universe is enough i say this is how to remember how small you once were this is staying in your body this is how to breathe this is the first plant you did not kill this is how to thread a needle with your authentic voice this is how to sew this is how to ski cross-country with alice munro this is how to belly laugh this is how to fully cry this is how to how to say it in tagalog but Até, what if I fall? ay minamahal… this is how to have it all © 2008 Jo SiMalaya Alcampo notes: Até - big sister; minamahal - my beloved i've been thinking of ancestors
in the long count
i name each story i know in the silent beats i weave together frayed edges i want words to describe the threads not dyed in my blood yet whose love constitutes warp and weft i want words to describe you © 2013 Jo SiMalaya Alcampo |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License
