Being part of a panel discussion with celebrated writers of world literature is both embarrassing and exciting. I was on a panel with Cristina Rivera Garza and Eduardo Halfon at the Brooklyn Lit Fest, held in Brooklyn, New York, on September 27, 2026. I felt embarrassed because the occasion was somewhat disturbing to my creative ego. I consider myself one of the major writers working in world literature today, yet I am relatively unknown to Western audiences. The other writers have the advantage of belonging to cultures that are much closer to America and Europe. As a writer from a South Indian language, my subjects, their cultural background, and even the images I use are often unfamiliar to them. So I have to make a greater effort to reach them, while they have to move beyond their preconceptions and approach my work with greater attention.

Presenting CJ Davis, a Mexican American acrylic portrait artist, public health scholar, and community advocate whose work centers on memory, identity, and care.

The tenth anniversary of the Cheuse Center is ongoing and we are excited to bring you our Fall programs. The anniversary year coincides with the 250th Anniversary of America’s independence. To mark this landmark year, the Cheuse Center has developed a program on seeing America from the outside in and the inside out.