Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/bryan-thao-worra/page/4/)
A Laotian American writer, Bryan Thao Worra works actively to support Laotian, Hmong and Southeast Asian American artists and writers across the US. His books include On The Other Side Of The Eye, Touching Detonations, Winter Ink, Barrow and The Tuk Tuk Diaries: My Dinner With Cluster Bombs. He is the first Laotian American to receive a Fellowship in Literature from the United States government's National Endowment for the Arts. He has also received the Asian Pacific Leadership Award from the State Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans for Leadership in the Arts. In 2012 he was selected to be a Cultural Olympian serving as the delegate for Laos during the London Summer Games.
As I prepare for the release of my next book, DEMONSTRA, this year, some ask why much of my poetic work is centered on horror, compared to other writers who escaped the Southeast Asian civ Continue Reading
In the aftermath of my exhibit and presentations during the Beyond the Other Side of the Eye Exhibit in February in Minneapolis, one concept that has been lingering with me that I haven’t Continue Reading
Back in 2003, I took my first trip back to Laos in 30 years.
When we have three Minnesotans missing overseas for three months, you would think that would be the sort of thing that makes the news here. Continue Reading
Ezra Pound famously opined that poetry is “News that stays news.” For many publications, poets are interviewed in a journalistic, narrative fashion, even when being interviewed by anoth Continue Reading
It’s been such a busy year already, I haven’t had time to take us all on a look back at the year that was for Lao Minnesotan artists and our friends and family in 20 Continue Reading
As we wind down the Year of the Nak, and approach the Year of the Snake, 2556, Little Laos on the Prairie wanted to take a moment to put it into perspective. Continue Reading
The news feeds are buzzing right before the holidays about the nomination of John Kerry as Secretary of State Hilary Clinton prepares to step down. The one-time presidential candidate will most likely face many questions from both the Democrat and Republican parties. Continue Reading
One of my big projects this season has been crowdfunding the deluxe edition of my new book, DEMONSTRA, a book of Lao American speculative poetry. I wanted to work with the acclaimed Lao American artist Vongduane Manivong to help our community gain a renewed appreciation for the classic Lao myths, and to celebrate and rekindle Lao imagination. Continue Reading
As reported on Voice of America, “President Barack Obama is set to visit Burma this month, as part of a four-day trip to Southeast Asia. The president will also stop in Thailand and Cambodia. Obama will be the first U.S. president to visit Burma and Cambodia. The trip is scheduled for November 17-20.” Will he make a side trip to Laos? Continue Reading