Marinna Benzon Knows America

interviewed by Sydney Ling

I know America.

She is loose-lipped,

foul mouth,

heavy breathing,

barely sleeping, America.

-Marinna Benzon, Millenial Dogeater

“Sincerely, an American,” Marinna Benzon pens in her chapbook, Millenial Dogeater. She uncovers what the country means to her through intimate, purple-lipped, 2 AM night lines, weaving together a letter to herself, and America.

Marinna Benzon is a poet, actor, and filmmaker. She hails from the Bay Area where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts, with emphasis in screenwriting and video production, and a minor in theatre performance from San Francisco State University. She became the 2013’s recipient of the Pinay in the Arts Scholarship, enabling her to pursue performance arts and creative writing. Now published in several literary magazines, Marinna produces unapologetic, eclectic work to further her personal narrative as a first-generation queer American woman. Rice & Spice spoke with Marinna on her chapbook, Millenial Dogeater, and her journey as a creative.

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Marinna Benzon, I am a poet, actor and filmmaker based in Los Angeles but I am born and bred from a Filipino immigrant family in the Bay Area, California.

What are you currently reading right now? 

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado.

What first got you into creative arts - poetry, filmmaking, and acting ? How did you get started? 

I can’t say there was a particular instance where the moon and stars aligned and some higher being called out to me to pursue the arts. But I will say it was a gradual and defining amalgamation of several formative experiences of being a queer woman of color living in America that gently ushered me into creative writing, performance and film.

Where do you get inspiration from? 

Displaced emotions, which sounds like such an idealistic manner of approaching inspiration, but I find myself muddling through certain experiences and having a lack of a healthy and private outlet.  

What is your creative process like? 

I don’t think I actually have one.  When I feel deeply or passionately, I start typing away lines and ideas onto my phone on scribble it on scrap paper and saving them for later so I can sit with it.

What gets you in the zone? 

Usually after reading or watching poetry and consuming content that challenges me or moves me.

What is your favorite poem that you’ve written? 

Small Distractions - it has been the most evergreen poem that has been published and I believe it displays my growth on an introspective level.

What is your favorite part about being in the creative industry? 

My favorite part about being in the creative industry is that I have the space to build stories and construct honest and eclectic content.

If you could change anything about the creative industry, what would it be? 

The creative industry, much like any industry, has the capacity to be deeply flawed and to overcorrect; with that said, I would like to change the amount of closed doors experienced by people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

What advice would you give young, female POC creatives? 

Sharpen your gut.  Keep yourself informed and hold awareness of what your gut is telling you.

Where did the inspiration for Millennial Dogeater come from? 

It came together from understanding that at this point in time, it is a fantastically furiously, exciting and strange time to be an American so I took those feelings and ran in a direction.

What is the story behind the title of Millennial Dogeater? 

I feel that our society views each other by the labels we place on each other so in that regard, I am a Millennial because I grew up with the internet culture and I am a dogeater because that was the slur that was given to me when they couldn’t pronounce Filipino.  I look at this title as a reclamation of the term and to pay homage to Jessica Hagadorn’s Novel, “Dogeaters”.

What do you hope readers take away from Millennial Dogeater? 

I hope readers take away a new perspective and I hope it opens up a dialogue.

What have you done or accomplished that you never thought you would?

I never thought I was going to be able to be a published poet and I am entirely grateful I have the space and the support from family, friends and my publishers, Perennial Press.

What’s next for you?

I am continuing to pursue everything at this point.  I am currently going up for auditions, working on a new manuscript of poems and I am in pre production for a short film, which I hope we will be able to produce once the world safely opens back up.

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