Roy Akira Miki was born October 10, 1942 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Manitoba in 1964, a Master of Arts at Simon Fraser University in 1969, and a Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia in 1980. In the intervening years Miki married Slavia Knysh, the couple had two children, and Miki worked as a high school teacher and as a teaching assistant and sessional instructor at SFU. Miki was hired as an Assistant Professor at SFU in 1980, was promoted to Associate Professor in 1992, and became a full professor in 1993.
A prolific poet, essayist, and editor, Miki founded the literary journal West Coast Line. He has received many awards, grants, and honours for his literary achievements, including the 1991 Gabrielle Roy Prize for Canadian Criticism for his work as editor of A Record of Writing: An Annotated and Illustrated Bibliography of George Bowering; the 1997 Association of Asian American Studies Poetry Award for his work as editor of Pacific Windows: The Collected Poetry of Roy K. Kiyooka; and the 2002 Governor Generals Award for Poetry for Surrender.
Throughout the 1980s Miki was involved in the Japanese Canadian redress movement. Miki served as Chair of the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens Association Redress Committee. He also sat on the Council of the National Association of Japanese Canadians, and worked for that organization as National Redress Coordinator. Miki was additionally involved in the redress movement as a researcher, writer, and activist.
