F2K Ep. 38 - Poet Maryan Nagy Captan

Fun 2 Know Podcast

On today's show: a conversation with poet and author Maryan Nagy Captan Maryan is a poet, writer and performer currently centered in Philadelphia. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Mayan's parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s where they earned a somewhat hard-scrabble living and raised two girls. With English as a second language, Maryan approached language with a linguistic curiosity that helped fuel her early creativity. In recent years, Maryan has indulged her love of travel, visiting and sometimes teaching writing to young people in Vietnam, Portugal, San Francisco and as we discuss, The Lakota Native reservation in Pine Ridge South Dakota. Maryan also has unleashed her first chapbook this year, a beautiful volume entitled COPY/BODY, published by Empty Set Press. Across the interview we discuss the immigrant experience, small town America, Maryan's love of hip-hop, the 2008 Bonnaroo Festival, soul great Solomon Burke, author Gwendolyn Brooks, performing for audiences, living well beneath the poverty line, feminism, teaching Lakota youth, where to sit in a sweat lodge, Maryan's emo phase and more, as well as hear Maryan performing her own work.