Lerah Barcenilla

Lerah Mae Barcenilla grew up in Cuartero, Capiz in the Philippines full of magic, superstition and tradition before moving to the UK. Her work touches on topics of the diaspora, memory, mythology, folklore and the state of duality. Her writing has appeared in Harana Poetry, with Verve Poetry Press, was Highly Commended in The Literary Consultancy’s PEN Factor Award–Novel (2021) and won the Creative Future Writers Award–Platinum Poetry (2022). When she is not writing, she works as a marketing officer for the charity responsible for two of Birmingham’s iconic concert halls and as a researcher for Maniwala Movement, an Instagram account sharing resources on the cultures, customs and beliefs of pre-colonial Philippines.