Alexia Arthurs via Matrix

Alexia Arthurs I CURATE

Network Node

Name: Alexia Arthurs
City/Place: New York City
Country: United States
Hometown: Mandeville, Jamaica

CURATION

from this node by: Matrix+

Life & Work

Bio: I was born in Mandeville, Jamaica. We moved to New York when I was twelve—my mother, like many immigrant mothers, believed that she could better provide for her three children in the States, where three of her sisters lived. As a child, moving to the United States was a fulfilled dream because I had observed that everyone believed that the U.S. was superior to any other place in the world. The realities were different, painful—I was navigating the distance from the country of my childhood, and the fact that my family wanted so badly to build a future in a country that was unwelcome to foreigners. As I grew, in some ways I recognized myself as an American and in other ways I was Jamaican. Over time, I started to explore this tension of belonging and distance through my writing. I started writing “How to Love a Jamaican” when I was twenty-four and finished when I was twenty-eight, but in a way it feels that I was writing those stories for even longer than that because I’ve been asking certain questions since I was a kid.

I’ve always loved storytelling. Growing up, my parents in the Jamaican tradition were good storytellers. As a teenager, I would read under my sheets with a flashlight. I read YA novels about white suburban teenagers, girls who were unlike me in most ways, which intrigued me. The first book that inspired me as both a reader and writer was “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros. It was the first time I read a book that reflected my urban, immigrant life, and the kinds of people I knew.

MORE

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was twelve. I tried for a long time to be something else, something more practical. I didn’t have the kind of economic upbringing where I could forsake everything to become a writer. I considered law school, or becoming a vet, which I might actually enjoy because I love animals. I really struggled emotionally after graduate school, when I was still living in Iowa City, working awful part-time jobs. I knew that if I moved back to New York to reunite with family and friends I would give up too much writing time in a job to make the high price of rent. There isn’t a roadmap for a creative life, and I felt especially lost coming from a family like mine, where everyone made more traditional career choices. I’m still figuring out what it means to be a creative, and to live a creative life. I feel so very grateful to share parts of myself, through my writing. If you’ve read anything I’ve written, thank you.

A LITTLE MORE

I teach fiction writing, when the opportunity arises. I’ve taught high school students at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, undergraduates at the University of Iowa, and I facilitated a graduate workshop at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop during fall 2018.

FUN FACT

I live with two Persian cats, Cous Cous, who is twelve years old, and Fable, who is a few months old. They make me smile every day.

Contact Information

Email: [email protected]
Contact by Webpage: http://www.alexiaarthurs.com/contact
Management/Booking: AGENT
Jin Auh (Wylie agency)
[email protected]

US publicist
Michelle Jasmine (Ballantine)
[email protected]

UK publicist
Alice Dewing (Picador)
[email protected]

Media | Markets

▶ Book Purchases: http://www.alexiaarthurs.com/books
▶ Twitter: alexiaarthurs
▶ Instagram: alexiaarthurs
▶ Website: http://www.alexiaarthurs.com
▶ Articles: http://www.alexiaarthurs.com/press
▶ Stories: http://www.alexiaarthurs.com/other-writing

My Writing

Publications: How to Love a Jamaican

Tenderness and cruelty, loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret – Alexia Arthurs navigates these tensions to extraordinary effect in her debut collection about Jamaican immigrants and their families back home. Sweeping from close-knit island communities to the streets of New York City and Midwestern university towns, these eleven stories form a portrait of a nation, a people, and a way of life.

Alexia Arthurs emerges in this vibrant, lyrical, intimate collection as one of fiction’s most dynamic and essential authors.

Clips (more may be added)

0:16:07
Alexia Arthurs Reads From Her Story 'Slack'
By Alexia Arthurs

266 views

Alexia Arthurs Curated

What's Been Happening?

Nana Nkweti → Writer has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
Nana Nkweti → University of Alabama Faculty has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
Nana Nkweti → Short Stories has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
Nana Nkweti → Fiction has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
Nana Nkweti → Cameroon has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
Nana Nkweti → Africa has been recommended via Alexia Arthurs.
- July 11, 2021
A video was posted re Alexia Arthurs:

Alexia Arthurs Reads From Her Story 'Slack'
Alexia Arthurs, fiction writer, explores life in the Jamaican diaspora, the challenges faced by women, and the legacies of slavery in her short-story collection How to Love a Jamaican (2018) — named a Best Summer Read by Entertainment Weekly and Buzzfeed.
- August 29, 2020
A category was added to Alexia Arthurs:

Iowa Writers' Workshop Faculty
- August 29, 2020
A category was added to Alexia Arthurs:

New York City
- August 29, 2020
A category was added to Alexia Arthurs:

Jamaica
- August 29, 2020
A category was added to Alexia Arthurs:

Short Stories
- August 29, 2020
A category was added to Alexia Arthurs:

Writer
- August 29, 2020
Alexia Arthurs is matrixed!
- August 29, 2020

em português →

ARE YOU MATRIXED?

"Many thanks for this – I am touched!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
We're touched too Mr Webber! (cello & Brazilian music fan)

"Matrixado!"
✅—Founding Member Darius Mans (economist, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); president-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"I'm truly thankful ... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, Blue Note recording artist)

"Thanks, this is a brilliant idea!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (klezmer fiddle; founder of The Klezmatics)

"This is super impressive work ! Congratulations ! Thanks for including me :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (composer & piano; compositions recorded by Yo Yo Ma and played by orchestras around the world)

This is a matrix in the original sense of "source" ("matrix" derives from "mater", Latin for "mother"). The platform was built in Bahia, Brazil in order to provide a means by which Bahian artists could be reached from around the world. But there's a beautiful catch: To work for these people the platform must work for ALL in the global creative economy. The matrix must engender an INTEGRATED GLOBAL CREATIVE ECONOMY.
How a) Inside this matrix you have a node (a page) — a calling card to the universe — from which you can curate (recommend) other people in the network, and by which they can recommend you.
How b) In mathematics there is something called "the small world phenomenon". Human society is "small world" (which is how most of the 8 billion of us of are within some 6 or so steps of each other). Neurons in the human brain are "small world". The internet is "small world".
How c) This matrix is "small world". Nodes tend to be a small number of steps apart. You can potentially step from any node to any other. You can get to João do Boi from Quincy Jones in 4 steps. And from Quincy Jones to you.
Participation is free to people. Businesses outside of Bahia, Brazil will be levied a nominal fee.
Artificial intelligence not necessary. Real intelligence, yes. The matrix is a real mother for ya! Odoyá!

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, mgr)
✅—Kamasi Washington

← in english

VOCÊ ESTÁ NO MATRIX?

"Muito obrigado por isso - estou tocado!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
Estamos tocados também Sr. Webber! (violoncelo & fã da música brasileira)

"Matrixado!"
✅—Membro Fundador Darius Mans (economista, doutorado, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); presidente eleito do Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"Estou realmente agradecido... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, artista da Blue Note)

"Obrigada, esta é uma ideia brilhante!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (violino klezmer; fundadora da The Klezmatics)

"Este é um trabalho super impressionante! Parabéns! Obrigada por me incluir :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (compositora & piano; composições gravadas por Yo Yo Ma e tocadas por orquestras ao redor do mundo)

Este é uma matrix no sentido original de "fonte" ("matrix" deriva de "mater", latim para "mãe"). A plataforma foi construída na Bahia, Brasil, a fim de fornecer um meio pelo qual artistas baianos pudessem ser alcançados de ao redor do mundo. Mas existe um porém lindo: Para funcionar para essas pessoas a plataforma deve funcionar para TODOS na economia criativa global. O matrix deve gerar uma ECONOMIA CRIATIVA GLOBAL INTEGRADA.
Como a) O matrix é uma rede de pessoas/entidades na economia criativa global. Você tem um nó (uma página) — um cartão de visita para o universo numa lista de informações do século 21 que circula o mundo — de onde pode selecionar (recomendar) outras pessoas na rede, e elas podem recomendar você.
Como b) Na matemática existe algo chamado "o fenômeno do mundo pequeno". A sociedade humana é um "mundo pequeno" (que é como a maioria dos 8 bilhões de nós estão dentro de mais ou menos 6 passos de um ao outro). Os neurônios no cérebro humano são um "mundo pequeno". A internet é um "mundo pequeno".
Como c) Este matrix é "pequeno mundo". Os nós tendem a estar separados por um pequeno número de etapas. Você pode potencialmente passar de qualquer nó para qualquer outro. Você pode chegar ao João do Boi de Quincy Jones em 4 etapas. E de Quincy Jones a você.
A participação é gratuita para pessoas. As empresas fora da Bahia, Brasil serão cobradas uma taxa nominal.
Inteligência artificial não necessária. Inteligência real, sim. O matrix é uma verdadeira mãe! Odoyá!

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, empresário)
✅—Kamasi Washington

FAQ

Q: Why an Aleph on matrix node headers?
A: One of several inspirations for the matrix was the Aleph in Jorge Luis Borges' story of that name, itself certainly inspired in the Kabbalah.