Congrats to Arlene Biala, the 2016-2017 Santa Clara County Poet Laureate!

Image Credit: County of Santa Clara, SCC GOV

Today, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors appointed Arlene Biala to the honorary post of Santa Clara County Poet Laureate.  Biala has been appointed for a two-year term ending Dec. 31, 2017. The Poet Laureate's role is to elevate Santa Clara County residents’ awareness of poetry, and to help celebrate the literary arts. 

Biala is an award winning Filipino American poet and performance artist who has been participating in poetry performances and workshops in the Bay Area for over 20 years. Born in San Francisco and raised in Santa Clara, she is a long-time resident of Santa Clara County.  

“The Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador to the poetic arts in our community,” said President Dave Cortese, County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors.  “Arlene Biala will bring new facets of performance art to her role.” 

Biala was recommended to the Board following the call for applications, and a two-step review process organized by the County of Santa Clara and Silicon Valley Creates.  
 
“Candidates were considered for artistic merit, commitment to the community, and alignment with the Poet Laureate mission,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D. “Arlene emerged as the recommended nominee for appointment by the Board of Supervisors.” 
At the ceremonial presentation, Biala was joined by former Santa Clara County Poet Laureates David Perez (2014-2015), Sally Ashon (2012-2013), Nil Peterson (2009-2011).

Read more here.

Member Spotlight on Pinay Authors M. Evelina Galang (U.S. FWN100™ '07, Global FWN100™ '14) and Vangie Buell (U.S. FWN100™ '07)

Photo credit: M. Evelina Galang

M. Evelina Galang is the author of HER WILD AMERICAN SELF (Coffee House Press, ’96); the novel ONE TRIBE (New Issues Press, ’06); and ANGEL DE LA LUNA AND THE 5TH GLORIOUS MYSTERY (Coffee House Press 2013). She has edited the anthology, SCREAMING MONKEYS: Critiques of Asian American Images (Coffee House Press, ‘03). She is currently writing LOLAS’ HOUSE: WOMEN LIVING WITH WAR, stories of surviving Filipina WWII “Comfort Women” and is at work on a new novel, BEAUTIFUL SORROW, BEAUTIFUL SKY. Galang teaches in and directs the Creative Writing Program at the University of Miami, is core faculty for VONA/Voices: Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation and has been named one of the 100 most influential Filipinas in the United States by Filipina Women’s Network.

Galang is the recipient of numerous awards, among them, the 2004 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Awards Advancing Human Rights, the 2004 AWP Prize in the Novel and the 2007 Global Filipino Award in Literature for ONE TRIBE.

Photo credit: Amaze Studios

Vangie Buell is a living historical gem: She's the granddaughter of a Buffalo Soldier—the nickname given by American Indians in the 19th century to black American soldiers. Even rarer: Her grandfather Ernest Stokes was one of the 6,000 Buffalo Soldiers sent to the Philippines to fight during the Spanish-American War during the 1890s. He was one of the few who stayed, married a Filipina (Buell's grandmother) and had children. 

In her memoir "Twenty-Five Chickens and a Pig for a Bride: Growing Up in a Filipino Immigrant Family" (T'Boli Publishing, 2006), Buell recounts her grandfather's experience, and her own, as one of the few Filipinos growing up in West Oakland during the 1930s and '40s.

She remembers seeing "No Filipinos or dogs allowed" signs posted at restaurants and having to wear a button that said "I am a loyal Filipino" during World War II, because even though she didn't look Japanese, she was still Asian -- and vulnerable to harassment. " —Michelle Devera Louie, SF Chronicle

A Filipino-American activist, Vangie was born in San Pedro, California, grew up in West Oakland and devoted her life to social justice, human dignity, multicultural understanding and equality.