Earthly Gods, Survival Songs: Jessica Nirvana Ram on Queer Diasporic Poetics

On this episode of Characters Like Us, I speak with poet Jessica Nirvana Ram about finding voice, navigating the margins, and writing the poems that won’t let you go. Jessica shares her path to poetry, what it was like pursuing an MFA, and how writing from a place of layered identity—queer, Indo-Guyanese, South Asian—shapes both her creative work and her experience in the literary world. We talk about claiming space in a landscape that doesn’t always feel like it was made for us, building community, and writing through the feeling of not having “permission,” but knowing you have something to say. From survival songs to earthly gods, Jessica’s work is a testament to the power of naming what hurts—and what heals. 🎙️ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on inclusive storytelling. Follow Jess on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rewritingdestiny/ and check out her debut poetry collection EARTHLY GODS on our Bookshop Page! https://tinyurl.com/earthlygods ⏳ TIMESTAMPS ⌛️ 00:00 - Introduction 03:46 - Numbered Narratives 04:35 - Queerness and Bisexuality 10:46 - Jessica's Writing Journey 16:36 - Queer Media and Representation 19:37 - Queerness, Family, and Cultural Context 24:49 - Jessica's Writing Process 36:44 - Spoken Word Poetry 38:03 - Indo-Caribbean Identity 43:09 - MFA Programs 50:14 - Finding Writing Community on Social Media 53:25 - Closing Thoughts and Conclusion This video comes with captions and a transcript. Characters Like Us is a podcast dedicated to exploring the craft of diverse and inclusive writing in the books that we read and write. 💫 Enjoyed this episode? 💫 Join our Patreon / https://patreon.com/CharactersLikeUs Buy Jessica's book on our bookshop / https://bookshop.org/shop/clu 🌻 Follow Geetanshi 🌻: Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/gee.tan.shi/ YouTube / https://www.youtube.com/@Geetanshi-Sharma 📚 Follow Characters Like Us 📚: Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/characterslikeuspod/ Business Email: [email protected] Music by Hafijur Rahman from Pixabay. Sound Effects from Pixabay.