Janae Lu, 17, initially dreamed of becoming a doctor, inspired by her Filipino heritage and the TV show Grey’s Anatomy. However, as she navigated high school at Tesla STEM School in Redmond, Lu discovered her true passion lay in the literary arts, particularly poetry.
Lu, born to immigrant parents from Japan and the Philippines, grew up with a deep cultural influence from her father’s Filipino background. She applied to Tesla STEM to pursue the sciences, but it was her English classes that truly captivated her.
“I’ve been really fortunate to take great English classes and form great relationships with my teachers,” Lu shared.
Her journey into poetry began unexpectedly during her freshman year. While attending office hours for a computer science class, Lu was inspired by a classmate who was reciting a poem about generational injustice. Until then, Lu had only thought of poetry as something that had to rhyme or be about nature and love. This poem, however, broadened her understanding of the art form.
At that time, Lu was struggling emotionally as her mother, who had been clean for years, relapsed. Lu was facing a lot of unresolved feelings with no outlet. Writing became her way of processing those emotions.
“It was like grieving someone who’s still alive,” she said. “Writing it down was very healing for me.”
Lu’s journey as a poet continued when a friend invited her to her first open mic. Initially nervous, she spoke quietly until someone in the back of the room encouraged her to speak louder. “I found so much community in that,” she reflected. “It became my space where I could share my story without burdening anyone—just through art.”
Lu’s poetry often addresses social justice issues, including the controversial Dobbs v. Jackson case. She also wrote Too Good, a poem examining how women are conditioned to be “good” even in unsafe situations. She had the opportunity to perform Too Good at Benaroya Hall in November when she opened for Abraham Verghese.
“It was a dream come true,” Lu said, recalling the standing ovation she received. “It was genuinely one of the best moments of my life. Being able to speak at a place like that, I felt a responsibility to share something meaningful.”
Lu writes in a diaristic style, exploring themes of grief, self-reflection, and her relationship with her mother. She also reflects on the generational trauma and post-colonial issues within her immigrant household.
Her freshman English teacher, Annie Fort, played a pivotal role in nurturing Lu’s interest in poetry. Lu would stay after school to study classical poems, learning about poetry mechanics like rhyme schemes and iambic pentameter. Fort’s support continued through tough times, including when Lu was hospitalized for an eating disorder.
“She’s someone who really believed in me,” Lu said of Fort. “She encouraged me to get published, helped me practice before readings, and always gave me feedback.”
Lu’s favorite poets include Ada Limón, Jane Hirshfield, and Mary Oliver.
Through a friend, Lu learned about the Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) fellowship program. Despite initial hesitation, she applied and was named the 2024/2025 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate. The program is designed to recognize young poets who are committed to community engagement, poetry, and leadership.
As part of the fellowship, Lu has enjoyed connecting with other young poets, something she hadn’t experienced before, as many of the open mics she attended were mostly for adults. She also expressed excitement about the opportunity to publish her first collection with Poetry Northwest.
“When they told me I’d been selected, I honestly thought they had the wrong person,” Lu admitted. “It’s been one of the wildest experiences of my life. I’m so grateful for the opportunities to speak and publish my work.”
Lu’s mentor, Adhi Kona, praised her growth, stating, “She is a source of profound light and strength, and I’ve had the honor of witnessing her development on every stage, in every poem.”
This June, Lu’s chapbook In Our Spaces Liminal, a collection of 24 poems, will be published by Poetry Northwest.
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