The Last Supper Party is a spoken word and performance series inspired by Fe Bongolan’s landmark painting of the same name; a 200 sq. ft. canvas that defines our Sutter Street office and live arts venue.
The Last Supper Party presents the voices of diverse artists and writers who call out the myriad injustices and impacts of corruption, unchecked power and greed.
We invite our audience to share ideas and bread and find inspiration in the thoughts and words of artists whose perspectives are drawn from a kaleidoscope of cultures. But who are united by compassion and a common desire to seek justice, equity and truth. Tonight’s features are Ryan Nakano, Lia Le-Nguyen, Katherine Park.
The Last Supper Party is curated by Kimi Sugioka and is part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival(SFIAF).
Ryan Nakano
Ryan Nakano is an Okinawan/Japanese American poet and journalist living in Huchiun, on the unceded lands of the Lisjan Ohlone (Oakland, CA) with his wonderful partner and cat. His poems have been published in Riksha Magazine as well as Voicemail Poems. His debut chapbook, I Am Minor came out in February 2023 initially published by Nomadic Press. The book is currently available through Black Lawrence Press.
Lia Le-Nguyen
Lia Le-Nguyen is a writer based in Fremont, California. In 2023, Lia was on the shortlist for Youth Poet Laureate of Alameda County. She has been a writer ever since she made homemade hardcovers out of cardboard in the first grade. Lia believes in the power of poetry to enact social change.
Katherine Park
Bi-racial Korean/Scottish/Irish/Welsh/British American singer and actor, Katherine Park grew up near Boston, Massachusetts eating blueberries with chopsticks and drinking hot chocolate for breakfast. She cut her teeth as lead singer of indie bands before releasing her solo EP Sonatine Dream and joining Pandan Leaf Collective. Photo of Katherine by Douglas Despres.
Kimi Sugioka (Curator)
Kimi Sugioka is a poet, songwriter, and educator. She is the current Poet Laureate for the City of Alameda, a post that includes creating platforms for the presentation of a diverse variety of poets and spoken-word artists. Kimi also performs her own work frequently throughout the Bay Area. Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and raised in Berkeley, California, Kimi has worked in public education for decades, and earned her BA from San Francisco State University and MFA from the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado.