Jeevika Verma
Jeevika Verma joined NPR's Morning Edition and Up First as a producer in February 2020. During her time there, she's produced a variety of stories ranging from Afghanistan peace talks, COVID surges in India and local & state elections. Verma also contributes to arts and poetry coverage for NPR's culture desk, and is always trying to get more poets on air. She leads the Morning Edition diversity council and works on DEI efforts across the network to help NPR live up to its mission.
Verma came to Morning Edition from WNYC's The Takeaway where she produced national segments in addition to supporting the daily live show. Originally from India, she got her master's degree in journalism from Columbia University, where she spent months producing long-form works of narrative journalism on the opioid crisis, power struggles within the South Asian community and the mental health of couples struggling with addiction. Prior to that, she worked in marketing, public relations and publishing. Her first stint at NPR was actually a corporate communications and media relations internship in 2017. Verma is a part-time tarot reader and full-time poet. She also spent the last few years as a freelance writer for several publications and created some independent zines.
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In India, a generation of new doctors enters the field at a time of crisis. One new doctor in New Delhi is haunted by a woman who begged for a hospital bed — but they were all full. -
In her latest book of poems, artist Kate Durbin looks at modern consumerism and the way people process trauma and loss through the objects they hoard. Durbin was inspired by the A&E show Hoarders. -
Partition split India and Pakistan in 1947 and affected millions of lives across decades. Journalist Anjali Enjeti's new novel explores the way people who don't process their trauma can pass it on. -
National Poetry month is almost over, but poetry can provide consolation all year round, especially in times of pandemic and political upheaval. -
The Afghan politician has survived two assassination attempts and is one of four Afghan women negotiating with the Taliban. "The power of words is stronger than the power of bullets," she tells NPR. -
In her third collection of poems, Natalie Shapero takes a blunt, funny look at the uncomfortable realities of life under capitalism. She says her work engages with the things people don't talk about. -
Poet Jackie Wang's collection is a surrealist expression of how social processes and traumas show up in our dreams and how we can better understand ourselves by tuning in to them. -
With 1,800 pieces submitted by the public, volunteers are putting together a kolam, a traditional South Indian art form used as a sign of welcome. -
The multidisciplinary artist has brought new visibility to Canada's trans community. Her new book, The Subtweet, chronicles a friendship between two musicians that implodes under online pressures. -
Akbar, a poet himself, waves his pom poms for the form at DiveDapper, a site dedicated to in-depth interviews with his favorite poets. He says he wants to live his life "in joyful service" to poetry.
