Zell Visiting Writers Series: Distinguished Writer in Residence Jaswinder Bolina – Reading and Q&A
Join us in welcoming writer Jaswinder Bolina for a reading and Q&A as part of the Zell Visiting Writers Series, presented by the Helen Zell Writers’ Program in partnership with UMMA, with support from the Department of English Language & Literature.
Jaswinder Bolina is an American poet and essayist whose work frequently explores the intersections of language, race, and the South Asian immigrant experience. 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.
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.
More About
Jaswinder Bolina
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.
SUPPORT
The Zell Visiting Writers Series is a reading series presented by the Helen Zell Writers’ Program in partnership with the University of Michigan Museum of Art, with support from the Department of English Language & Literature, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and Janey Lack.