Bio
Short Bio | Official Bio | Misc. | Reviews | Awards | Workshops | Interviews | Places Published | Places Performed | Media | Benefits & Charity Events | Press Kit | Press
Short BioIshle is a Korean American woman who is the former Poet Laureate of Queens, New York. She has performed her unique blend of poetry & song across the United States, Cuba, New Zealand, Singapore, and Korea. Her first book, The Temperature of This Water, is the winner of three literary awards including the PEN America Beyond Margins Award for Outstanding Writers of Color. Ishle has opened for artists such as KRS-One, Ben Harper, De La Soul, and Saul Williams. The New York Times wrote, "Ms. Park has an angelic face and the soul of a rock star."
Official Bio
Ishle Park is a Korean American woman who is a world-traveling poet, singer, and the first woman to be named the Poet Laureate of Queens ~ the largest and most diverse borough in New York. Dubbed "the Queen of Queens" by her fans, the Borough President declared Park’s birthday as "Ishle Yi Park" day in her hometown.
Park’s first book, The Temperature of This Water, (Kaya Press, 1994), is the winner of three literary awards, including a Pen America Award for Outstanding Writers of Color and the Member’s Choice Award of the Asian American Literary Awards. Her poetry has been published in literary magazines such as Ploughshares, Wasafiri, The Best American Poetry of 2003, and Century of the Tiger: One Hundred Years of Korean Culture in America.
Her poetry CD, Work is Love, includes tracks with Korean traditional drums, Spanish guitar, beatboxing, and music produced by Japan's critically acclaimed DJ Honda. Park has opened for artists such as KRS-One, Ben Harper, and Saul Williams, and has been featured at literary and music festivals, performing her unique blend of poetry and song at over three hundred venues around the world, including Cuba, Jamaica, Singapore, Korea, and New Zealand.
She is a regular on HBO's "Russell Simmons Presents: Def Poetry Jam" and was a touring cast member of the Tony-Award winning production of "Def Poetry Jam." Park is currently working on her first album.
Misc.
Ishle Yi Park is a left-handed gemini who likes singing at Karaoke bars. She also enjoys rollerblading, salsa, Thai iced tea, the Antiques Roadshow, and books/movies that make her cry. She is addicted to Tabasco sauce. She has two parents, a bro, and friends who love her, and considers herself extremely blessed.
Reviews
Reviews
"Ms. Park has an angelic face and the soul of a rock star."
— The New York Times
To read the New York Times article about Ishle, click here.
"Ishle Yi Park was hilarious from the moment she took the stage, introducing herself as "Ishle Yi Park. I'm not Ms Chin, I'm Ms Park", to laughter. A Korean/American with the stature and features to match, she was an impassioned ball of energy onstage, not only reciting her poetry but singing — a cappella, as well as with the aid of a guitar and rapping with the audience.
The ribald P—-y followed to general hilarity before she took up her guitar and closed with entertaining renditions of Bob Marley's Mellow Mood, Beres Hammond's Tempted To Touch and Tracy Chapman's Baby Can I Hold You [Sorry], the audience singing along and clapping in time all the way."
— The Jamaica Observer
"Park, 28, recently named the poet laureate of Queens, is a writer and spoken-word performer known for her literary flair and powerful theatricality. " — San Franciso Chronicle
"Dramatic reactions to Park's readings aren't uncommon, and she's been known to move the audience to tears."
— San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Ishle writes poems that...fearlessly attack social issues like racism and violence in her community."
— The Valley Advocate, MA
"Bluntly spoken with a sharp edge"
— Queens Chronicle, NY
"With revealing, emotionally- charged and sometimes controversial works..." — University Chronicle
"Ishle Yi Park is a brilliant young poet: fiery, intelligent, raw, funny, brave."
— Martin Espada, Author of Alabanza: New and Selected Poems
"A searingly honest and compelling writer, Park is both deeply political and full of heart."
— Elaine Kim, University of California, Berkeley
"Ishle Yi Park writes with a passionate and distinctive voice"
— Kim Addonizio, Author of What Is This Thing Called Love
"Gifted with a strong lyrical quality, Ishle laces all of her work with a sense of realistic love." — Kearny Street Review
"Ishle Yi Park is a woman of depth and breadth."
— Yuri Kochiyama
**************
ISHLE PARK IN DEF POETRY JAM
"Ishle Yi Park...offered some of the most mesmerizing and sobering moments of the evening...Park held the audience in thrall, and tears as she shared a poem about the Korean shopkeepers whose stores were burned during the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. You could hear her "why?" drop like that pin in the Sprint commercial." — Star Tribune, MN
"This show has the potential to break down so many cultural walls. It's the only place you'll find a 'thugged-out' black male and an old white woman moved to tears by the words of a young Asian girl." — Gainesville Sun, FL
"Ishle Park was glitter and glamour, still tiny in her spike heels, her tongue like a stiletto." — Santa Barbara Independent
"While the in-your-face provocative poems packed a punch, there were a number of introspective, personal narratives that were equally powerful. Ishle Park, the daughter of Korean immigrants, talked about "drowning in the land to which she swam . . . Who is here to teach us how to swim?"
– Des Moines Register
"Ishle Park, a Korean-American blew everyone away with her theatrical recounting of how the Rodney King riots victimised Korean shopowners." – New Zealand Herald
Awards
Pen America Beyond Margins Award for Outstanding Writers of Color for The Temperature of This Water
2005
Asian American Writers' Workshop Member's Choice Award
for the Temperature of This Water
2005
Association of Asian American Studies Poetry Finalist for The Temperature of This Water
2005
Queens Borough President Helen Marshall declares May 24th "Ishle Yi Park Day" in Queens
May 24, 2004
Poet Laureate of Queens, New York
April 23, 2004
Korea Central Daily "Dream Tree" Award
Literature
2003
YouthSpeaks Literary Arts Center
Writer-in-Residence
2002-2003
Hedgebrook Artist Residency
2002
Serpent Source Foundation
Writing Grant
2002
Grand Slam Champion, Bar 13
2001
LoudPoet of the Year, Bar 13
2001
The New York Foundation for the Arts
Fiction Grant Recipient
2000
Gregory Millard Fellow
2000
University of Salamanca
Spanish Mastery Certification
1997
NYU Stern School of Business
Racoosin Scholar
1995-1997
NYC Teachers' Award for Excellence in Creative Writing
1995
Louis P. Gappelberg Award for Creative Writing
1995
Workshops
Writing Workshops for Women @ Valhalla Correctional Facility (NY)
CreateNow @ The Asian American Writers' Workshop (NY)
Teachers' Workshop (1 day) @ NYU for APIA Youth Conference (NY)
Teen Essay Writing Workshop @ The Korea Society (NY)
Teen Poetry Workshop (1 day) @ Bushwick High School (NY)
Teen Poetry Workshop (1 day) @ School for Environmental Studies(NY)
Poetry Presentation (1 day) @ Rikers Correctional Facility (NY)
Poetry Workshop (1 day) @ Duke University (NC)
Poetry Workshop (1day) @ ECASU (East Coast Asian Student Union)
Teen Poetry Workshop (1 day)@ PUEBLO :
People United for a Better Oakland (CA)
ACE for the Youth Leadership Project @ CAAAV:
Organizing Asian Communities (NY)
Newcomer High School (CA),
San Francisco Community School w/ WritersCorps (CA)
Newcomer High School (NY), PS. 369 K w/Poets & Writers (NY)
Sister Sojourn — Journey into Womanhood Workshops
@ Black Box w/Youth Speaks (CA)
Spoken Word & Heart — Performance Poetry Workshop
@ The Asian American Writers' Workshop (NY)
Advanced Poetry Workshop @ Youth Speaks (CA)
Body as Text Workshop @ Youth Speaks (CA)
Writing & Resistance Workshop (1 day) @ AAWW (NY)
Korean Womens' Writing Workshop @ KCCEB (co-sponsored by Shimtuh and the Asian Womens' Center)
Interviews
Shades Magazine, June 2007 **brand new interview about life in New Zealand & beyond.
RECITING THE STORY INSIDE: Interview with Ishle Yi Park
Fresno Famous, June 11, 2006
(one of my more honest interviews)
We continue our series on the writers for Calabash 2006 with a chat with poet Ishle Park
Jamaica Observer, May 12, 2006
(a very cheeky interview I did over e-mail. A great reminder to think twice before typing..."my body responds to his call..." ugh!! can I be more shameless?)
Word of Mouth
Diamond City * Electric City, PA, Feb 22, 2006
(an interview done before a poetry workshop for 80 students in a Masonic temple!)
Daughter of Korean immigrants speaks her mind, and poetry, to stay afloat
San Francisco Chronicle, April 8, 2005
(excerpts from my first book, The Temperature of This Water)
Singing a Song of Queens (Actually, Belting it Out)
New York Times, April 29, 2004
(an interview shortly after being appointed Poet Laureate)
The New People's Poet
New York Daily News, April 26, 2004
(an interview about the Poet Laureateship & Rev. Run from RUN-DMC. When I was first appointed, reporters tried to get me to discredit hip-hop as a form of poetry, and dis the Reverend. no way.)
Places Published
Asian Pacific American Journal, Asian Voices, Barrow Street, Beacon Best of 2001, Best American Poetry of 2003, Blue Collar Review, CAAAV Voice!, Century of the Tiger, The Cream City Review, Dark Phrases, DisOrient, Echoes Upon Echoes: New Writings by Korean Americans, Han, Hanah Journal, Icarus, Koream, Manoa, Monolid, New American Writing, The Northridge Review, NuyorAsian Anthology, Ploughshares, Roots and Culture, Sarah Lawrence Review, SLAM, Soulspeak, Struggle, Tea Party, Watchword, and more...
Places Performed
13 Bar/Lounge (NY), Asian American Writers' Workshop (NY), Asian Arts Initiative (PA), Auckland Festival (New Zealand), Binghamton University (NY), Black Box Theatre (CA), Bluestockings Womens' Bookstore (NY), BMCC — CUNY (NY), Bodacia's Bookstore (CA), Borders Books (NY, CA), Bowdoin College (ME), Bowling Green College (OH), Café 1428 (CA), Cafe du Nord (CA), Cafe Royal (CA), Columbia University (NY), Cornelia St. Cafe (NY), Cornell University (NY), Dixon Place (NY), Duke University (NC), ECASU (East Coast Asian Student Conference) (NC), F.I.T. Graduation 2001 (NY), Gathering of the Tribes (NY), Hallwalls (NY), Hope College (MI), Hudson Valley (NY), House of Tribes (NY), Hunter College (NY), Joe's Pub (NY), KASCON — University of Colorado (CO), Laney Community College (CA), La Peña Cultural Center (CA), LA UNEAC (La Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas Cubanas) (CUBA) Langston Hughes Library (NY), Locus Asian Art Space (CA), Louisiana State University — Baton Rouge (LA), Mahogany Café (CA), Marquette University (WI), Mama Bears Bookstore (CA), National Poetry Slam (WA, MN), New York University (NY), Nuyorican Poets' Cafe, (NY), OKSA (Ohio Korean Students Association) (OH), Ohio State University (OH), Penumbra Theatre (MN), Princeton University (NJ), Sarah Lawrence College (NY), SOMArts Center (CA), Smith College (MA), Sol in the Heights (NY), Supper Club (NY), St. Marks Poetry Project (NY), Stanford University (CA), Starry Plough (CA), Stony Brook University (NY), Syracuse University (NY), Tararua College (New Zealand), The Public Theater (NY), University of Cincinnati (OH), UC — Berkeley (CA), UC- Riverside (CA), University of Southern California (CA), UMASS at Amherst (MA), UMASS at Boston (MA), University of Arkansas (AK), University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill (NC), University of Tampa (FL), University of Utah (UT), Vassar College (NY), WAPAC (Wisconsin Asian Pacific American Conference) (WA), Wheaton College (IL), Wellesley College (MA), Williams College (MA), Women of Color Resource Center (CA), Yale University (CT), and many more...
Media
Signs of God (.mp3)
Work Is Love (.mp3)
Benefits & Charity Events
AfroEurasian Eclipse Event (NY)
Angel Island Benefit (CA)
Asian American Hip Hop Benefit (CA)
Asian Women Against War Reading (NY)
AYPAL Asian Youth Benefit (CA)
CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, 15th Anniversary Benefit (NY)
CAAAV Fundraiser (NY)
Community Word Project Benefit (NY)
Corea is One: Ways to Help Are Many (NY)
ForWord Girls Benefit (CA)
Hip Hop Benefit (CA)
KASCON — Korean American Student Conference (NY, CO)
Korean Liberation Day Nodutdol Benefit (NY)
Mansei: Piece-ing the Peninsula Benefit (NY)
NAPAWF — National Asian Pacific American Women's Benefit (Washington, DC)
Sister Rise Up (CA)
Support for Asian American Political Prisoners Benefit (CA)
We Who Believe in Freedom Benefit (NY)
We the Planet Reading w/ De La Soul & Alanis Morissette (CA)
We Shall Not Be Moved Benefit (CA)
WritersCorps Fundraiser (CA)
Youth Speaks Benefit w/ Ben Harper (CA)
Youth Speaks Friendraiser (CA)
War & Silence Exhibition (CA)
and many more...
Press Kit
Click here to download Ishle's press kit (.PDF)
Press
Singing a Song of Queens (Actually, Belting it Out)
New York Times, April 29, 2004
The New People's Poet
New York Daily News, April 26, 2004
The Queens of Queens
The Valley Advocate, June 10, 2004
"Whitestone Native Named Queens’ First Female Poet Laureate"
Queens Chronicle, April 29, 2004
Tony Winner Def Poetry Jam Gears Up for 51-City U.S. Tour
Playbill, September 8, 2004
Poet connects with Atwood
University Chronicle, April 8, 2004
"Poets Jam at Stony Brook: Q&A with Def Jam Poet Ishle Park"
Asian American E-Zine, November 8, 2002
"Ishle Park's "Work is Love" CD Release & Going Away Party!"
Manja, June 27, 2003
Varied, Visceral Poetry Jam Doesn't Fall on "Def' Ears
Star Tribune, November 19, 2004
Full House at Mount Bruce
Wairapa Times-Age, March 20, 2005
Daughter of Korean immigrants speaks her mind, and poetry, to stay afloat
San Francisco Chronicle, April 8, 2005
It Takes Guts
San Francisco Bay Guardian, April 2005
Straight-talking Park Dazzles Bryn Mawr
The Bi-College News, April 19, 2005
Rap Poets Reveal Their Souls
The New Zealand Herald, March 10, 2005
Word of Mouth
Diamond City * Electric City, PA, Feb 22, 2006
Girls Anything but Bad at Calabash
The Jamaica Observer, June 1, 2006
We continue our series on the writers for Calabash 2006 with a chat with poet Ishle Park
Jamaica Observer, May 12, 2006
Calabash — what a thrash
The Observer, Jamaica, June 18, 2006
Literary Mix Up and Blenda — Calabash '06
RECITING THE STORY INSIDE: Interview with Ishle Yi Park
Fresno Famous, June 11, 2006
Element Eden Interview
http://www.elementskateboards.com/eden/
Queens’ poetic empress, Ishle Yi Park, delivers a soulful blend of kimchi and collard greens
Shades Magazine, June 2007
Sugar & Spice
Awesome article written by fellow Korean sister Eulia. My favorite by far ~ she captures my life & family in words in a very honest & generous light. Bless her!
Ishle LIVE on the Beatlicks Show, George FM, Aotearoa
Ishle performs "Girl" (a.k.a. ZolaKaiMabelHisaeHyunjungChia-TiFeliz), from her book, The Temperature of This Water, LIVE for the first time on GeorgeFM, with Legal Money Mike on the beatbox.