My Name

Hey friends! I have something I’d like to share with you all.

In the last 12 months, I’ve found myself the lucky recipient of quite a few writing and poetry opportunities, not least of which is the After Australia anthology that will be out next month (!!). I’ve been sort of doing this poetry thing for a few years now, and after actually committing to it in 2019, it looks like this writing thing is actually going to go somewhere (??!!). 

You may know that much of my work revolves around cultural identity and belonging. Writing about my experiences has helped me make sense of who I am and how to stay connected to my roots, even while living on stolen land in a colonised country, and while married to a white man. Nathan has always been supportive of this journey, and in fact he was the one who brought up the question of my name, or more specifically, the name I took when we got married.

My parents taught me that names can shape who we are; for me, my name is a link to home and to my roots, not unlike the poetry that signifies the journey I’ve been on. As a writer, my name is also attached to everything I put out into the world. As a writer, I’m lucky to also get to decide what name my work is published under. 

So, after thinking it over for a couple of months, and with support from Nathan and both our families, I’ve decided to adopt Kaya Ortiz as my pen name. I’m not changing my name back legally, and everything previously published under Kaya Lattimore will remain that way, but I’m really excited to start publishing new work with a name that honours who I am and where I’ve come from. 

Thank you for your support!