education
California Institute of the Arts (2018-2020)
Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing
University of Southern California (2013-2017)
Bachelor of Arts, Narrative Studies
University of Arizona (2021)
Center for English as a Second Language, 120-hour TEFL/TESOL Certificate
selected teaching experience
2020-2023 Special Faculty, ELL, California Institute of the Arts
2019-2021 Lead Instructor, CAPSA: Creative Summer Labs Program
6/2021 National Hispanic Cultural Center, VOCES Institute Instructor
11/2020 826LA Weekday Workshop Leader, Poetry
9-11/2020 Essay Coach, CollegeWise
2019 – 2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant, CalArts School of Critical Studies
2018 – 2020 Tutor, CalArts Writing Center
selected editorial experience
2024-2025 Reviews Editor, Full Stop
2023-2025 Founding Editor, Lola Goes By Tom
2022-2023 Creative Opportunities Newsletter Manager, Study Hall
2020-2024 Managing Editor, TQR
2023-2024 Poetry Editor, The Dry River
2020-2022 Editorial Assistant, FUTURE / PRESENT (Duke University Press)
2019-2020 Editorial & Development Fellow, Arts in a Changing America
2019 Editorial Assistant, Semiotext(e)
2018-2019 Editor, Sublevel Magazine Issue 3
1 – 5/2019 Reader, CLMP Firecracker Awards for Independent & Self-Published Literature
honors & awards
2026 Writer-in-Residence, nina Idyllwild
2026 Semi-Finalist, Philip Levine Prize for Poetry
2025 Scholar, Tin House Summer Workshop
2025 Quick Grant Recipient, Center for Cultural Innovation
2024 Winner (LA Representative), Paris-LA Cultural Olympics
2024 Finalist, Kelsey Street Press QTBIPOC Book Prize
2024 Honorable Mention, Penrose Poetry Prize
2023 Letras Latinas Scholarship Recipient, Community of Writers
2023 Finalist, Glendale Poet Laureate
2022 Finalist, Letras Latinas Andres Montoya Poetry Prize
2021 Finalist, Hayden’s Ferry Review Inaugural Poetry Prize
2021 Finalist, Poetry Online Launch Prize
2020-2021 Artist-in-Residence, CalArts REEF Residency
2020 Finalist, BOMB Magazine Poetry Contest
2018-2020 Recipient, Lillian Disney Scholarship, California Institute of the Arts
2017 Finalist, Atlantic Media Editorial Fellowship
2015-2017 Dean’s List, University of Southern California
readings & presentations
04/2025 Getty Research Institute x Dublab Poetry in the Garden
The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA
04/2025 nina Field Notes Salon
nina Atwater Village, CA
01/2026 Unreliable Narrators Reading Series
Nico’s, Los Angeles, CA
12/2025 Los Angeles Review of Books Security (no. 47) Launch
The Earl, Los Angeles, CA
08/2025 Discount Guillotine
Vermicult House, Echo Park, CA
08/2025 SEEDS: a reading for Gaza
South Willard, Los Angeles, CA
08/2025 Exit Interviews
Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA
05/2025 WITCH Anthology Launch
Philosophical Research Society, Los Angeles, CA
05/2025 On Soft Protopias and Analog Temporalities
Cultural Studies Association Conference, CalArts, Valencia, CA
04/2025 Clockshop Presents: Reading by Moonrise
Los Angeles State Historic Park, Los Angeles, CA
03/2025 Spit in the Ocean #30
Lower Grant Radio
11/2024 Poetry in Making: Mizna Staff & Contributors on Chapbooks & Publishing
Southern California Poetry Festival, Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA
11/2024 LITLIT/Los Angeles Review of Books Poetry Hour
The Pit, Los Angeles, CA
10/2024 Armand Paul ‘Wind’ EP Release Show
Heavy Manners Library, Echo Park, CA
09/2024 art of nothing press presents PASS IT ON
Non Plus Ultra, Los Angeles, CA
09/2024 Paris Poetry Olympiad
Theatre dé la Ville, Paris, France
07/2024 Club Wonder
Mood Ring, Brooklyn, NY
07/2024 HARD CRUSH Chapbook Launch (NYC)
Powerhouse Arena, Brooklyn, NY
06/2024 Language Garden
David Horvitz’s 7th Ave. Garden, Los Angeles, CA
06/2024 The Center for Short-Lived Phenomena
Melrose Botanical Garden, Los Angeles, CA
06/2024 HARD CRUSH Chapbook Launch
Stories Books & Cafe, Echo Park, CA
04/2024 Lavinia Special Program Reading
Hannah Hoffman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
03/2024 Saffron Cowboy Coffee x Lola Goes By Tom
North Figueroa Bookshop, Highland Park, CA
02/2024 Verse 4 Verse
The Ruby Fruit, Los Angeles, CA
09/2023 Ewa Stapa: constellating_body_(files) Poetry Reading
Phase Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
07/2023 Exiled Joy: Reading and Conversation with Randa Jarrar, Ghayath Almadhoun, and Sarah Yanni
Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA
08/2023 Queerful Summer Poetry Reading
Stories Books & Cafe, Echo Park, CA
02/2024 Mizna Presents: Artists for Gaza
2220 Arts + Archives, Los Angeles, CA
08/2023 for the sake of dancing in the street
OXY Arts, Los Angeles, CA
06/2023 persistence&rupture
HASTAC Conference, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
4/2023 an evening of poetry and performance
Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
4/2023 Ana Carrete Blush & Blink Book Launch
Stories Books & Cafe, Echo Park, CA
4/2023 Crybaby Press’ The Dry River Issue 2 Launch
Cafe Triste Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
3/2023 A Night of Spoken Word
Noto Botanics, Los Angeles, CA
1/2023 TQR PRESENTS
Poetic Research Bureau @ 2220 Arts, Echo Park, CA
12/2022 Together: A Reading, Presented by Rivulet Press & Nova Community Arts
Zoom
12/2022 peace on earth: a night of readings & performances
Glendale, CA
10/2022 NDA Autofiction Anthology Launch Reading
Stories Books & Cafe, Echo Park, CA
11/2022 IT’S A SIGN! ONLINE Reading
Brooklyn Rail (via Zoom)
09/2022 Museum Metamorphosis
Brooklyn Rail (via Zoom)
07/2022 I Remember Touch Poetry Night
Glendale, CA
01/2022 mellow drama radio show
Dublab
09/2021 persistence&rupture chapbook launch
The REEF DTLA, Los Angeles, CA
08/2021 Sumou Mag Three-Year Anniversary Reading
Zoom
06/2021 cry cry tear tear cry cry: unofficial MFA Thesis Reading
Glendale, CA
10/2020 mellow drama radio show
KCIA
5/2020 Slipping Through: MFA Thesis Reading
California Institute of the Arts (via Zoom)
05/2020 Discrepant Engagement: A Symposium of Interdisciplinary Writing
California Institute of the Arts (via Zoom)
2/2020 Dissonance Press and influx collectiv Anthology Launch
Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA
8/2019 Emotional.Store Reading and Performance Night
West Adams, CA
5/2019 DUM DUM Zine Issue 6 Release
The Echo, Echo Park, CA
4/2019 El Cid Marathon Reading
Silver Lake, CA
sarah sophia yanni 