Representation Matters! New Books in the Collection from Publishers of Color, by Authors of Color, for Everyone to Read

"Kaya Press is a group of dedicated writers, artists, readers, and lovers of books working together to publish the most challenging, thoughtful, and provocative literature being produced throughout the Asian and Pacific Island diasporas. We believe that people’s lives can be changed by literature that pushes us past expectations and out of our comfort zone. We believe in the contagious potential of creativity combined with the means of production.

Founded in 1994, Kaya Press has established itself as the premier publisher of cutting-edge Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic writers in the United States. Our diverse list of titles includes experimental poetry, noir fiction, film memoir, avant-garde art, performance pieces, “lost” novels, and everything in between. Kaya and its authors have been the recipients of numerous awards, including the Gregory Kolovakas Prize for Outstanding New Literary Press, the American Book Award, the Association for Asian American Studies Book Award, the PEN Beyond Margins Open Book Prize, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop Award, and the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Prize. Our books have become cornerstone texts in American Studies and Asian American Studies curricula at major universities throughout the country.

Originally based in New York, Kaya Press is currently housed in the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California."

About the Logo: ""When tigers used to smoke…” is a traditional Korean phrase used at the beginning of folk tales, similar to “Once upon a time.” Korean folk paintings often feature images of tigers smoking long, bamboo pipes, often accompanied by helpful rabbits. The Kaya logo replaces the Asian-style pipe with a stogie or cigar to show the meeting of traditional and contemporary sensibilities."

Publisher & Editor: Sunyoung Lee
National Endowment for the Arts did a recent (2020) interview about Kaya Press with Lee. Read it here.
 

See the full list of board members and staff here.

Genres: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Performance, Poetry, Film

Contact/Location:
Twitter: @kayapress
Instagram: @kayapress
Phone: 213-740-2285
Location/Address:

Kaya Press
c/o USC ASE
3620 S. Vermont Ave KAP 462
Los Angeles, CA 90089