The Kundiman Oral History Project is an archive that reflects upon the legacy of Kundiman and preserves the narratives and life histories of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) literary community that our organization serves. 

Since its founding in 2004, Kundiman has been dedicated to nurturing writers and readers of Asian American literature through workshops, readings, online classes, and its annual Retreat, and has since grown to serve writers and readers of Pacific Islander literature as well. This project documents various experiences of Kundiman Fellows, Faculty Members, and community members across the organization’s history. These interviews recall personal encounters with Kundiman programs, such as its Retreat and Regional Groups; contain reflections on the importance of community, generosity, and solidarity among writers; describe changes to the AAPI literary landscape; discuss the organization’s just transition process; and express hopes for the future of Kundiman and its community. Through these narrative interviews, we aim to showcase the evolution and impact of the AAPI literary landscape and Kundiman’s role within it.

Oral storytelling remains a vital tool for creating collective memory. The Kundiman Oral History Project is a living collection of our AAPI histories that will continually evolve alongside the ever-changing diaspora. This digital exhibition contains excerpted clips that are curated and designed to serve as a resource for future generations of writers and arts workers as we continue to work towards building new models of liberation within the literary arts.

This project was completed with funding from the Mellon Foundation Institutional Memory Grant and with guidance from Vanguard Archives Consulting. We are grateful to them and to the community members who contributed their stories to this Oral History archive.

ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW ARCHIVE

Interview excerpts are added to the Kundiman Oral History Project archive on an ongoing basis.

• Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

• Purvi Shah

• Matthew Olzmann

ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE SEMINAR SYLLABUS

As part of the Oral History Project Archive, and to further expand access to knowledge of the Asian American literary canon, we have developed a syllabus using resources and information from past Asian American Literature Seminars held at Kundiman Retreats. Learn more here.