Jamii is Community.
Our Newest Book – Now Available
Keepers of the Malicgong Rice Terraces
Elbina Batala Rafizadeh
Keepers of the Malickong Rice Terraces by Elbina Batala Rafizadeh is a vibrant collection of unique cultural moments translated into universal wisdom. Elbina’s work really resonates with me both as a Pinoy artist, having recently visited my family homeland, and as a daily lover of those dreamy Salinas fields. Thank you, Poet. Keep it moving. Mabuhay. Peace.–Joseph Jason Santiago LaCour, Artist and Spoken Word Poet, Bay Area
The poems in Elbina Batala Rafizadeh’s Keepers of the Malickong Rice Terraces, emit a palpable longing to connect and know, deep in the bones, the mountainous land and culture of her people, the Bontoc Ifugao Benguet Apayao Kalinga tribal groups of Northern Luzon, in the Philippines. The poet bridges distances–both physical and spiritual–between her ancestors’ lands and the agricultural area in the U.S. that her family migrated to: the Salinas Valley, far from their homeland. But Salinas Valley and nearby Pajaro Valley have their own complicated histories and cultures. Rafizadeh’s poems reveal her ability to imagine, to embrace “deep cavernous generosity” and empathy with concerns for social injustice and spiritual commitment. While there is mourning in her writing, there is also a quiet joy and reverence. These thoughtful and contemplative poems will provide inspiration for your own journey. —Jean Vengua, author of Prau, Aching Vicinities, co-editor of Hay(na)Ku Anthology, Vols I and II
Entering into this volume of poetry is entering into the mind, heart, and world of Elbina Batala Rafizadeh. In this collection, we join Elbina’s ancestors in Philippine rice fields, we journey into her childhood and explore Salina’s lettuce fields on a bike, and we encounter the wonders of nature and God’s grace. As she states, “ I feel stuck between/two worlds, favoring neither,/Igorota Filipina,/Filipina-American.” These are poems of discovery and wonder presented as a gift for the reader to unwrap and savor. ..Adela Navarro, poet and author of Split Geography, Twice Told Over and My Childrens
OUR LATEST BOOKS
Sarankara Collage: A Retrospective (Hardcover)
Madonna Camel
Sarankara Collage: A Retrospective is a broad spectrum collective look at the creative body of work of Madonna Lavon Camel. Inspired by the colors, fabrics, people and culture of the people of the African diaspora, Madonna has created a dynamic series of works that combine image, fabric and passion in a way that powerfully speaks to the soul.
On Being a Teacher and Other Questionable Decisions
Ginger Galloway
In this volume of poetry, Ginger Galloway takes you on a journey of buttons and hummingbirds, grease paint and gray hair, and students who can’t quite make themselves speak although her thoughts are “dancing around her teeth” to show the beauty in the small moments of life. You will miss your own primary school teacher and find in this book and in these words, both memory and joyous imagination as motherhood, teaching, and simple life are given lyrical adoration and rhythmic praise.
– Nikia Chaney, author of Ladybug (Inlandia Institute, 2022).
Spilling the Chai
Poems About Family & Food
Geneffa Jahan
Spilling the Chai: Poems about Family and Food takes us to the most intimate room of the house and the most ritualized moments of a family to explore what goes into the making and unmaking of a life one in which we each must choose which spices to carry with us and which to discard,
For more information, please visit www.geneffajahan.com
To book readings and workshops, email [email protected]
Life’s a Rocky Road
Raquel Bell
First Book by new author Raquel Bell! Raquel says, “This collection of my most inner thoughts and subconscious expressions is a testament to all the souls I’ve crossed paths with thus far. Here’s to us finally resting our minds and hearts, since you will now know mine a bit better”
This is My Body
Madeline Aliah
“Madeline is a dragon spirit who sees what the rest of us cannot see, bringing soft rain and thunderous rage, unbound, fierce, indomitable.” –Bob Gomez, Poet Laureate Watsonville, CA
The Longest Night:
Words from the Winter Solstice
Lydia Theon Ware i
Jamii Publishing is so happy to support Lydia Theon Ware i and her activism. To learn more about her work with poetry and homelessness please read more about her work in the Press Enterprise, “Writing Workshop for Black Women Builds Words, Community”. Lydia’s Theon Ware i’s unfailing advocacy for writing and homeless in the Inland Empire deserves to be celebrated!
“Woe is the day I came into being. Sometimes I wish I was Job. At least he had boils and at least, well he had boils.” Lydia Theon Ware i
In this volume of poetry, Inland Empire writers share poems written in solidarity for homeless individuals during the winter solstice – the longest night of the year. Poets spent time writing through the night each hour sharing stories and creating poems to raise awareness of homelessness.
Proceeds from the sale of The Longest Night are donated to provide support and services to the homeless population in Riverside County, California.
Women Who Submit Anthologies!
Jamii Publishing is so pleased to partner with Women Who Submit!
From the Women Who Submit website:
Women Who Submit seeks to empower women and nonbinary writers by creating physical and virtual spaces for sharing information, supporting and encouraging submissions to literary journals, and clarifying the submission and publication process. Women Who Submit began with the idea of a submission party—the brainchild of founding member Alyss Dixson—as a response to the VIDA count. Other founding members, Ashaki Jackson and Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo, were brought in to help plan the first ever submission party held in Xochitl-Julisa’s mom’s kitchen (thanks, mom!) in July 2011. On that day six women ate quiche, created a sharing library of lit journals, set goals, asked for feedback on cover letters, and sent off submissions. Our Facebook page, Twitter feed, YouTube channel, and blog are tools WWS uses to continue its mission to empower women writers to submit their work to literary magazines for publication. It is completely open to any writers who are seeking online support and information. We also use these outlets to promote future projects and public events.
Our Women Who Submit Anthologies!
Transformations: A Woman Who Submit Anthology
TRANSFORMATION is a collection of poems, essays, stories, and plays by Women Who Submit (WWS) members from New York, South Carolina, Texas, Washington State, Europe, Long Beach, Westside, and Los Angeles chapters. This work represents the way collaborative communities transform the writing lives with support and mentorship. As WWS members share resources, encourage literary submissions, and support one another, we work to promote change in the world.
Community!
Wild Seed Poetry and Arts Collective
Jamii Publishing along with Wild Seed Poetry and Arts Collective is dedicated to bringing more poetry, prose, and art events to our local community. As always Jamii is dedicated to making the literary arts accessible for women, and writers who work within their communities outside of traditional literary communities.
We are so proud to have won a grant from the California Arts Council. We hosted the first annual Wild Seed Black Women’s Writing Retreat in May of 2024.
Submissions Coming This December for Next Year