Michelle Peñaloza is the author of Former Possessions of the Spanish Empire, winner of the 2018 Hillary Gravendyk National Poetry Prize (Inlandia Books, 2019), and landscape/heartbreak (Two Sylvias, 2015). The recipient of fellowships and awards from the University of Oregon and Kundiman, Michelle has also received support from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Loghaven, Willapa Bay AIR, Caldera, 4Culture, Artist Trust, PAWA (Philippine American Writers and Artists), VONA/Voices, and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, among others. You can find her work in Poetry, Honey Literary, Bellingham Review, New England Review, Lantern Review, and featured in American Life in Poetry. The proud daughter of Filipino immigrants, Michelle was born in the suburbs of Detroit, MI and raised in Nashville, TN. She lives in rural Northern California, in Covelo, on the land of the Round Valley Indian Tribes.
- MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry, University of Oregon. June 2011.
- BA in English and Secondary Education, summa cum laude, Vanderbilt University. 2005.
Poetry:
- “All The Words I Can Remember Are Poems” and “Utang Na Loob,” POETRY, July/August, 2023.
- “Stereograph: School Girl In Native Dress, Upper Garment Made of Hemp Gauze, Philippine Islands, 1907” and “The Captions Are Handwritten,” New England Review, Vol. 43, Issue 4, Winter 2022.
- “How Not to Forget” and “Inside My Lola’s Handbag,” Lantern Review, Issue 10, October 2022.
- “I Tell My Mother I Don’t Think Trying to Get Pregnant During a Pandemic Is a Good Idea,” Frontier Poetry Prize 2nd Place, Feb 23, 2022.
- “Dopplegänger,” featured in American Life in Poetry, November 1, 2021.
- “Why Not End This Experiment?” Memorious, Issue 31, Winter 2020.
Prose:
- “On Collage: What We Can Do with Our Hands,” Bellingham Review, Issue 86, June 2022. https://bhreview.org/articles/on-collage/
Visual Art:
- “Haw Flake Lola,” “Skyflake Lola,” “Lola Werthers,” and “I Quit Lola,” Collages, Honey Literary https://www.honeyliterary.com/issue-6-/hybrid-four-pieces-by-michelle-penaloza
- “What We Can Do With Our Hands, Collages & Poems: ‘Hanggang Sa Muli,’ ‘Little One,’ ‘Stereograph: After Typhoon, Wherever the Roof Lands There the Filipino Makes His Home,’” Bellingham Review, Issue 86, June 2022. https://bhreview.org/articles/hangang-sa-muli-little-one-and-stereograph-after-the-typhoon/
- Hilary Gravendyk National Book Award, Inlandia Books, 2019.
- Scotti Merrill Emerging Writer Award, Key West Literary Seminar, 2019.
- Artist Trust Fellowship, Seattle, WA, 2016
- Writing From the Margins Fellowship, Bloomfield College, 2016.
- Work-Study Scholarships, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. 2013, 2014, 2015.
- 4Culture Art Projects Award, 4Culture, Seattle, WA, 2015.
- Jack Straw Writer, Jack Straw Cultural Center, Seattle, WA 2013-14.
- Made at Hugo House Fellowship, Hugo House, Seattle, WA. 2013-2014.
- Manuel G. Flores Scholarship, Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc. 2012.
- Kundiman Fellowship, 2012, 2023.
- Women Writers Fellowship, Oregon Literary Fellowships, Literary Arts. 2011.
- Starlin Poetry Award, Creative Writing Program, University of Oregon. 2009.
- Board Member, Mendocino Coast Writers Conference
- Faculty, Hugo House