SHAILJA PATEL was born and raised in Kenya, has lived in London and San Francisco, and now divides her time between Nairobi and Berkeley. Trained as a political economist, accountant and yoga teacher, she honed her poetic skills in performances that have received standing ovations on three continents.
Shailja Patel (born 1970) [1] is an Indian-Kenyan poet, playwright, theatre artist, and political activist. She is most known for her book Migritude, [2] based on her one-woman show of the same name, which was funded by the Ford Foundation.
Shailja is a Hindu female name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "Daughter of the Mountain," which is a direct epithet for the Hindu goddess Parvati, who is the daughter of the mountain king Himavat.
In the realm of poetry, performance art, and political activism, few names resonate as profoundly as Shailja Patel. An Indian-Kenyan poet, playwright, theatre artist, and tireless advocate for social justice, Patel has carved a niche for herself that transcends borders and cultures.
Shailja is a feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, most common in India and Nepal, meaning “daughter of the mountains” or “goddess of the mountains.” It derives from śaila (mountain) + jā or jāta (born of), and is traditionally associated with Parvati, the Himalayan-born consort of Shiva.
CNN calls Shailja Patel “the people-centered face of globalization”. An internationally acclaimed Kenyan poet, playwright, activist, and public intellectual, her performances have received standing ovations on four continents.
Shailja Patel represented Kenya at the London Olympics Poetry Parnassus. Her book Migritude (Kaya Press, 2010) was based on her one-woman show.
Shailja Patel is a queer Kenyan poet and the author of Migritude (Kaya Press, 2010), which was short-listed for the 2009 Camaiore Literary Prize. She is also a recipient of the VONA and FannyAnn Eddy Poetry Awards,