about the poet

Hatefas Yop, also known as Hati, is a spoken word artist born and raised in the city of Santa Ana, CA. She uses writing as a way to find herself. It is through her poetry and writings, she tells the past, present, and future of the community around her. She was raised by parents who escaped Cambodia’s killing fields and arrived in the United States in 1979. Hati’s writing expresses her experiences growing up first generation Cham American, while still learning to embrace her Cham identity. She first began spoken word poetry in high school after being introduced to Brave New Voices. In 2012, she represented the city of Long Beach along with her six person slam team ¡Duende! at the Brave New Voices competition in Oakland, including 400 other poets. Hati has also featured at spaces such as Common Ground open mic and Tuesday Night Cafe. She believes that everyone has a story to share and many are awaiting to hear it. By creating this physical compilation, Hati is able to share her work with those who do not have access to things like the internet or transportation to an open mic. Limited access and lack of transportation are some struggles she experienced as an upcoming poet and performer. Hatefas (Hati) Yop is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Riverside.