In this episode of Mindworks in Conversation, Filipino American poet and educator Sarah Gambito, Director of Creative Writing and Professor at Fordham University, reflects on how language, identity, and culture shape the way we understand one another.
Drawing on her work as a poet and teacher, Gambito explores how poetry can help us engage ambiguity, navigate cultural difference, and remain open to multiple interpretations in a time of technological disruption, political polarization, and rapidly changing language.
The conversation centers on her poem “Charlottesville Curriculum,” written in response to the 2017 Charlottesville rally, and examines how poetry can create space for reflection, complexity, and shared vulnerability rather than easy answers.
What You’ll Learn in This Conversation
• How growing up between cultures shapes awareness of language and identity
• Why poetry embraces ambiguity rather than simple explanations
• How literature can respond to political violence and cultural conflict
• The role of poetry in teaching empathy, interpretation, and critical thinking
• Why meaning in literature emerges through community and dialogue
• How art can help us navigate polarization and reconnect with shared humanity
