chris hoshnic

Chris Hoshnic is a Diné poet, playwright, and filmmaker from Sweetwater, Arizona. He is born to kinlichii'nii, born for tachinii, his maternal grandmother are bitaanii and his and paternal grandmother is áshįįhi.

His practice centers on migratory poetics, a deeply connective way of writing that explores how migration, both literal and metaphorical, reshapes language, identity, and belonging. By treating translation and cultural exchange as core poetic strategies, Hoshnic’s work probes how movement across borders gives rise to new forms of expression. In doing so, his writing reimagines language as a site of dialogue, memory, and collective transformation.

Hoshnic is the recipient of the Poetry Northwest 2025 James Welch Prize. His work has received support from Indigenous Nations Poets, Playwrights Realm, Tin House, Juniper Institute, and more. His work has been published in POETRY, Kenyon Review, and elsewhere.

He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Chapter House Journal, an online indigenous-centered literary magazine. Hoshnic currently directs Diné Kids Film Club, an Indigenous youth project dedicated to giving resources and networking opportunities for young Native filmmakers.

He is also currently an MFA candidate at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

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