Presented By: Zell Visiting Writers Series
Reading, Q&A, and Book Signing with Jaswinder Bolina
Login here (no pre-registration needed): http://tinyurl.com/ZellWriters26
Zell Visiting Writers Series readings and Q&As are free and open to the public and will be offered both virtually (via Zoom) and in person (in UMMA's Stern Auditorium). Seats are offered on a first come, first served basis; please arrive early to secure a spot.
Jaswinder Bolina is an American poet and essayist whose work frequently explores the intersections of language, race, and the South Asian immigrant experience. Born in Chicago to Punjabi immigrant parents, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in English from Ohio University. Bolina currently resides in Florida, where he serves as Chair of the Department of English and Creative Writing and teaches in the M.F.A. program at the University of Miami.
Often blending personal narrative with politics and metaphysics, Bolina’s poetry is noted for its investigation of the “perceptual and sonic ground” of modern life. He is the author of four full-length poetry collections, including his debut Carrier Wave (2007)—adapted from his M.F.A. thesis at the University of Michigan—Phantom Camera (2013), and The 44th of July (2019). His most recent collection, English as a Second Language and Other Poems (2023), which was awarded the 2025 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award from Claremont Graduate University, continues his deep dive into cultural identity. Beyond poetry, Bolina gained significant recognition for his 2020 essay collection, Of Color, which provides a poignant examination of racial perception and the complexities of the American dream.
Bolina’s writing has been recognized with numerous awards. His accolades include the Green Rose Prize for Phantom Camera, the Colorado Prize for Poetry for Carrier Wave, and a long-listing for the PEN America Open Book Award for The 44th of July. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Paris Review, and other journals.
For any questions about the event or to share accommodation needs, please email [email protected] are eager to help ensure this event is inclusive to you. The building, event space, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Diaper changing tables are available in nearby restrooms. Gender-inclusive restrooms are available on the second floor of the Museum, accessible via the stairs, or in nearby Hatcher Graduate Library (Floors 3, 4, 5, and 6). The Hatcher Library also offers a reflection room (4th Floor South Stacks), and a lactation room (Room 13W, an anteroom to the basement women's staff restroom, or Room 108B, an anteroom of the first floor women's restroom). ASL interpreters and CART services at in-person events are available upon request; please email [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the event, whenever possible, to allow time to arrange services.
U-M employees with a U-M parking permit may use the Church Street Parking Structure (525 Church St., Ann Arbor) or the Thompson Parking Structure (500 Thompson St., Ann Arbor). For Public Parking: The Maynard Street Public Parking Structure (324 Maynard St., Ann Arbor) or The Forest Avenue Public Parking Structure (650 South Forest Ave., Ann Arbor) . All of these options include parking spots for individuals with disabilities.
Zell Visiting Writers Series readings and Q&As are free and open to the public and will be offered both virtually (via Zoom) and in person (in UMMA's Stern Auditorium). Seats are offered on a first come, first served basis; please arrive early to secure a spot.
Jaswinder Bolina is an American poet and essayist whose work frequently explores the intersections of language, race, and the South Asian immigrant experience. Born in Chicago to Punjabi immigrant parents, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in English from Ohio University. Bolina currently resides in Florida, where he serves as Chair of the Department of English and Creative Writing and teaches in the M.F.A. program at the University of Miami.
Often blending personal narrative with politics and metaphysics, Bolina’s poetry is noted for its investigation of the “perceptual and sonic ground” of modern life. He is the author of four full-length poetry collections, including his debut Carrier Wave (2007)—adapted from his M.F.A. thesis at the University of Michigan—Phantom Camera (2013), and The 44th of July (2019). His most recent collection, English as a Second Language and Other Poems (2023), which was awarded the 2025 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award from Claremont Graduate University, continues his deep dive into cultural identity. Beyond poetry, Bolina gained significant recognition for his 2020 essay collection, Of Color, which provides a poignant examination of racial perception and the complexities of the American dream.
Bolina’s writing has been recognized with numerous awards. His accolades include the Green Rose Prize for Phantom Camera, the Colorado Prize for Poetry for Carrier Wave, and a long-listing for the PEN America Open Book Award for The 44th of July. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Paris Review, and other journals.
For any questions about the event or to share accommodation needs, please email [email protected] are eager to help ensure this event is inclusive to you. The building, event space, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Diaper changing tables are available in nearby restrooms. Gender-inclusive restrooms are available on the second floor of the Museum, accessible via the stairs, or in nearby Hatcher Graduate Library (Floors 3, 4, 5, and 6). The Hatcher Library also offers a reflection room (4th Floor South Stacks), and a lactation room (Room 13W, an anteroom to the basement women's staff restroom, or Room 108B, an anteroom of the first floor women's restroom). ASL interpreters and CART services at in-person events are available upon request; please email [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the event, whenever possible, to allow time to arrange services.
U-M employees with a U-M parking permit may use the Church Street Parking Structure (525 Church St., Ann Arbor) or the Thompson Parking Structure (500 Thompson St., Ann Arbor). For Public Parking: The Maynard Street Public Parking Structure (324 Maynard St., Ann Arbor) or The Forest Avenue Public Parking Structure (650 South Forest Ave., Ann Arbor) . All of these options include parking spots for individuals with disabilities.
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