Kaya Conversations: John Eklof

It takes courage and passion to take action on issues you care about. See how this Fil-Am poet uses words to challenge stereotypes and promote social justice.

John Eklof is a poet, community organizer, and public speaker. He has dedicated his life to social justice and doing everything that he can to change the world for the better. As someone who is Filipino, Swedish and Polynesian, he believes being mixed has shaped his perspective on the world and his place within it.

Our next Kaya Conversation is with our very own MC for Kalinawan, Arts + Open Mic, John Eklof! Whether he is performing a spoken word piece or giving a keynote speech, John is known for carrying a voice that exudes passion and truth as well as bringing light and liberation to his audience. He often references historical events and people of the past, so we thought we would ask him about his own personal history. Read on to learn the roots of John’s work and what Kalinawan means to him.

What is your diaspora story?

My mother, brother and sister came to the United States in 1981. They moved to Ohio because her husband (my siblings’ father) was in the Air Force and got stationed out there. Originally they lived on Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga.

How did you get started in spoken word?

I started performing spoken word around the fall of 2008. At the time, my friends and I from Lakewood started a local record label, to better promote our music. My initial foray into the poetry scene stemmed from my travels to different open mics in Seattle to promote our record label. I would perform a verse in acapella and call it a poem. Instantly, I received positive feedback on my performance. Fueled by this encouragement, my drive for spoken word began to emerge. I would attend monthly open mics all throughout the city. It was an exhilarating time.

What influences your art?

Social justice, changing the world, and channeling divine inspiration fuels my artwork.

John recites his spoken word piece about Asian American Stereotypes.

Many people believe art is a form of community work or activism, do you feel that way about your own work?

I feel that many of the topics that I cover in my poetry is rooted in resistance to oppression and the liberation of our people from the psychological shackles implanted by almost 400 years of colonialism. So in that regard, my art can be interpreted as a form of activism.

The theme of our showcase is “Kalinawan”, a Filipino word that means clarity, peace, sense of vision. It can also symbolize a newfound perspective that arises from a deeper sense of self found through exploration of his or her own history or culture. What creates a sense of “Kalinawan” for you?

My sense of Kalinawan is knowing that we are living in a special moment in our history on this planet and we have the beautiful opportunity to witness the turbulent seas of change occurring everywhere on both a local and global level.

Read John’s article Gaining a Knowledge of Self is The First Step to Liberation on The International Examiner, or watch his speeches and spoken word performances on his Youtube page.

Kalinawan, Arts + Open Mic will be hosted by Kaya Co. Seattle on November 20th at Hillman City Collaboratory.

For more details on this event, visit our event page.

Interview by Kristen Navaluna, Kaya Co. Seattle.

Kristen, a graduate of the University of Washington , is the Marketing Communications Manager of Kaya Co. Seattle. She loves watching Project Runway, listening to alternative music, and exploring nature landscapes and creative spaces in her travels.