Jerome Adds New Program Strategist Staff

Ryan Stopera is a photographer, filmmaker, producer, and consultant based in Minneapolis. A self-taught artist, Ryan began his career working with individuals experiencing homelessness, children and families, and foster care youth, as well as in program development and affordable housing development. He began documenting protests in Minneapolis in the early 2000s, and since then his photos and films have helped elevate narratives not seen in the mainstream media and catalyzed his passion for documentary and narrative storytelling. Ryan is inspired by collaborating with artists to create intentional work, build authentic connections, and hold space for challenging conversations to move hearts and minds towards cultural and social change.

Sun Yung Shin is an award-winning Korean-born poet, writer, educator, and cultural worker based in Minneapolis. She has worked in various sectors as a business analyst, technical writer, news editor, freelance journalist, equity and arts consultant, K-12 educator, and union steward. Her creative writing has been awarded grants, fellowships, and residencies from the Bush Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the MacDowell Foundation, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), and elsewhere.

She is the author of a new memoir and five collections of poetry, and has edited three essay anthologies including A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota and What We Hunger For: Refugee and Immigrant Stories about Food and Family. Her volumes for young readers include the recent picture book Revolutions Are Made of Love: The Story of James Boggs and Grace Lee Boggs, co-authored with Mélina Mangal and illustrated by Leslie Barlow. Her creative and critical work can be found in BOMB Magazine, Frieze Week Seoul, American Composers Forum, Poetry, and many collaborative community spaces.

With Su Hwang she is the co-founder of Poetry Asylum, and she also teaches creative writing with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, the Loft Literary Center, and The Multitudes. As an author and frequent speaker she is represented by Aevitas Creative Management and Blue Flower Arts Literary Speakers Agency. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Coffee House Press, the Board of Directors of Loft Literary Center, the Editorial Board of Black Lawrence Press's Immigrant Writing Prize, and the Advisory Board of More Than a Single Story. In alignment with healing- and disability-justice frameworks, she also maintains a community-based practice as a somatic healing practitioner, facilitator, and biodynamic craniosacral therapist.

She is currently a Distinguished Dayton Hudson Visiting Artist/Writer at Carleton College for 2026-2027. Sun Yung holds a B.A. in English from Macalester College, a Master of Teaching degree from University of St. Thomas, and an M.F.A. Creative Writing and Poetics from Naropa University.