In this season finale of Bee Balm Presents, producer Micah Poor sits down with Julia Paganelli Marín to explore her poem “Dear USCIS Officer,” which explores the emotional and bureaucratic labyrinth of a U.S. green card process through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Julia offers a personal window into her and her partner's strenuous journey of love, identity, and struggle for familial recognition–and the difference between living through something and telling the story of an experience.

This episode delves into the power of writing poetry to confront and navigate bureaucratic indifference and systemic barriers. Join us for a discussion on the transformative potential of poetry in the face of adversity.

Bee Balm Presents is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bee Balm Arkansas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ project in partnership with the ⁠Listening Lab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at KUAF National Public Radio.

Bee Balm Presents Host: Julia Paganelli Marín

Bee Balm Presents Producer: Micah Poor

Listening Lab Coordinator: Emerson Alexander

KUAF Executive Director: Leigh Wood

Special thanks to Avery Martin for permission to use their song “Peach Pretender”. It's a sneak peek from their unreleased EP by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Avery Lee and The Sweeties⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dropping in Spring 2024.

Learn more about Bee Balm Arkansas at our ⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or by following us on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.