Jeda Pearl (she/her) is a Scottish Jamaican writer and artist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her work often traverses/reflects the ‘in between’ and explores the intersections of be/longing, (intergenerational) memory, illness and disability, secrecy and survival. Her work examines the histories, cultures, folklores and languages of her ancestral islands, at times exploring grief and nature writing, often creating magical realist or science-fictional worlds. In 2022, she was shortlisted for the Sky Arts RSL Award and longlisted for the Women Poets’ Prize. Jeda is published/commissioned by Collective, Rhubaba, New Writing Scotland, Shoreline of Infinity, Aesthetica, and most recently in Glimpse – Peepal Tree Press’ first anthology of speculative fiction by Black British writers. Find her online @JedaPearl or jedapearl.com.
Awards
- Shortlisted for Sky Arts RSL Awards!
Utterly thrilled to be shortlisted for the Sky Arts RSL Writers Award 2022 (poetry)! - Longlisted for the Women Poets’ Prize!
I’m over the moon to be longlisted for the Rebecca Swift Foundation Women Poets’ Prize 2022!!
Selected Works
For upcoming readings, events and activities go to the Events page.
Short fiction
- The Rust, published in Glimpse anthology
The Rust, published in Glimpse, a new anthology of Black British speculative fiction from Peepal Tree Press. - The Apple Inspector and other stories
Here are some notes on early submissions (short stories) that were successful and encouraged me to keep going… - In Search of Patience published in Open Book Unbound
My speculative short story, ‘In Search of Patience,’ is published in Open Book Unbound, issue December 2021. - When Cocoa Ripe, It Must Bust
Delighted to have my short story, ‘When Cocoa Ripe, It Must Bust’ published in the anthology Make A Wish, Keep the Wish Secret and shortlisted for the 2018 Cambridge Short Story Prize!
Poetry readings and anthologies
- PASSIONS – responses to Maud Sulter’s archive
PASSIONS is publication published by Rhubaba bringing together contributions from nine Black artists, curators and makers responding to Maud Sulter’s archive. - Edinburgh International Book Festival 2022
Notes on the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2022 plus links to captioned recordings available to watch. - Figures of Speech – Future
Caledonian Forest, 3033 – new work presented at Figures of Speech – Future, on 22nd July 2022 at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. - When all that’s left is… published in 2021 Mixtape: Writers of Colour Audio Anthology
I’m excited to announce the 2021 Mixtape: Writers of Colour Audio Anthology! ‘When all that’s left is…’ now published in the Scottish BPOC Writers Network’s Writers of Colour anthology. - ‘I was born’ – in two anthologies
‘I was born‘ is part of the 2020 Mixtape: Writers of Colour Audio Anthology, curated by Hannah Lavery and published by the Scottish BPOC Writers Network. It was also shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award. - Acts of Observation exhibition
A poetic audio installation, pamphlet and an online captioned film of a series of five linked poems that weave themes involving the disabled BPOC body with archeoastronomy and the sublime, commissioned by Collective gallery. - BBC Scotland Big Scottish Book Club
In October 2021, I had the honour of sharing a poem with Damian Barr’s Big Scottish Book Club. I read ‘inheritance reverb‘ which is one of three poems, written as a response to Maud Sulter‘s body of work, commissioned by Rhubaba, forthcoming 2022. - An Ocean of Patience
An Ocean of Patience is a film-poem and dance performance, and a creative response to the provocation “How can organisations and institutions integrate more inclusive practices to benefit communities through platforming disabled* artists?” - 15 Ways of Looking at a Tuareg Pendant – New Writing Scotland
My poem, ’15 Ways of Looking at a Tuareg Pendant’, after Raman Mundair’s ’15 Ways of Looking at a Silk Sari’ is published in The Last Good Year: New Writing Scotland 38. - Beloved Black – Black Lives Matter Mural Trail Scotland
In 2020, I was invite to create work for the Black Lives Matter Mural Trail Scotland. The trail was developed by producer Wezi Mhura in response to the rise in awareness in Scotland (and across the world) of the Black Lives Matter movement. - Chronic Fail
‘Chronic Fail‘ is a poem I wrote during 2020 as a response to experiencing the pandemic as a disabled person. It is part of Not Going Back to Normal – A Disabled Artists Manifesto: a digital collection of 49 artworks and texts responding to a call for ideas for a radically accessible arts world, curated by Sasha Saben Callaghan and Harry Josephine Giles - ‘A Wake: On mourning, marking, and moving forward together with joy’
In September 2020, I was invited read my work at a community mourning and healing event for Scottish disabled artists, curated by San Alland. I read 4 poems, ‘Void’, ‘Citadel of Truth’, ‘The Finished Den’ and ‘Beloved Black’. Video is captioned and BSL interpreted. - Poems in Shoreline of Infinity 18
I’m thrilled to have five poems published in Shoreline of Infinity 18! Shoreline of Infinity is a sci-fi magazine and indie publisher based in Scotland. - Two poems in Ceremony
I have two poems in Ceremony is the first anthology from the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, formerly the Scottish BAME Writers Network. Curated and edited by award-winning poet, Alycia Pirmohamed. - Published in Multiverse – a new science fiction poetry anthology
I’m thrilled to announce that I have two poems, The Thaw and Tempest to be published in Multiverse – New International Science Fiction Poetry published by Shoreline of Infinity, co-edited by Russell Jones and Rachel Plummer.
Want to collaborate?
Jeda has experience as an arts programmer, event chair and panellist, and workshop facilitator. She has sat on art projects selection panels and may be available for consultations.