Welcome! I’m Jordan Alam, a queer Bangladeshi American writer, performer, and social change educator currently based out of Seattle. My writing engages with moments of rupture and transformation in the lives of people on the margins. I think about writing as both a disciplined practice and a form of play – I am inspired by people for whom the act of creating is more important than the end product. If you come to a performance or workshop with me, you’ll find that we move between silly and serious throughout: we move, we talk to each other, and most importantly we make a lot of engaging and wonderful art. Check out my Appearances page to learn more about my offerings.
My short stories and articles have been published in The Atlantic, CultureStrike Magazine, The Rumpus, and AAWW’s The Margins among others. I am a Kundiman fellow, Inside/Out artist with Town Hall Seattle, and 4Culture grant recipient. I am currently writing my debut novel which explores intergenerational trauma, Bengali folklore, and borders – both literal and metaphorical. See more at my Publications page.
While I have moved away from active birth doula work during graduate school, I am available for consultation and training to other birthworkers advocating for families who experience medical discrimination. In 2019, I developed curriculum and facilitated a 4-day intensive training with QTPOC Birthwerq Project for trans birthworkers of color. I pair one-on-one support skills and systems-level change to make high quality care more accessible for all.
I am currently training to become a therapist through the Smith College School of Social Work, where I focus on how trauma and resiliency live in the body. I am developing my skills to better serve clients as they begin to open up about their stories – whether in a therapy session or in a private notebook.