The Reason Behind My Voice

Photo by  Karl Magnuson  on  Unsplash  What makes a woman?  Here is a question I have been asking myself and some around me for years. I have struggled to define womanhood, and to an extent, so have those around me.  If we look back at history and compare it to the present, one thing is for sure, the definition of a woman has changed over time. The definition of a woman is no longer what it used to be. It is safe to say that the nuances of “woman” have evolved, as they should.  The pre-contemporary woman was identified by her temperament and demeanor. A good woman submitted to patriarchy, was docile and fertile. There was no place for a woman to be her person much less to take up space or have a voice.  The modern woman, on the other hand, is nothing short of revolutionary. She is strong-willed and does whatever she puts her mind to. The primitive will call her selfish but the millennials call her admirable. Photo by  Junior REIS  on...

                               Until the lion has learned to write, every story will glorify the hunter.    - An African Proverb Photo showing Manchile at his book launch in Grand Bay  Historian and author Mr. Harian  Manchile  Henry is a true son of the soil. He attended the Grand Bay Boys School and then moved to England, where he furthered his education.  In 1982, he attended a lecture series by Mr. Yosef Benjamin Jochannan and Ivan Van Sertima. Two great men whose findings have had a tremendous impact on Black history. Manchile has made considerable contributions to Dominican history. He has lectured in St. Lucia, St. Thomas, and Dominica. In 2020, he hosted a radio show on Liberty FM in St. Lucia. Mr. Henry firmly believes in passing on the knowledge of our past to younger generations to ensure posterity. Hence the reason he frequently visited schools such as...

 Rest  Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash I recently rang a relative to wish her happy birthday and asked her what she planned to do for the day. She candidly replied, "Work. We are a hard-working family, remember?"  She was telling the truth. I grew up watching my family till the soil with their bare hands, after all "by the sweat our brow" we had to eat. There is nothing wrong with working hard to provide for yourself and others but at what cost? I decided a long time ago that would not be my narrative.  Balance  Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash  I know what it means to work yourself to the ground. I know what it means to grind and hustle. I know what it means to get caught up in the horrors and toxicity of capitalism. I had to watch my mother do it and, for a while, I inherited that culture.  But there is nothing wrong with laying it down and walking away to redefine productivity.  I know what it means to work myself to exhaustion but, I...

 Not Afraid of Winning! Photo by Laurent Perren on Unsplash Like most writers and artists, I struggle with imposter syndrome and anxiety. I almost could not sit down and wield myself to write this blog.  I am learning that the first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem. I own that I am often afraid to pick up a pen and write, take my brush and paint much less to share my creations.  Don't get me wrong, I know greatness is in my bones. I know I can bend words and start a movement if I choose. But deep down, when the accolades are covered in dust, I tend to forget the kind of magic that exists within me. Some parts of me refuse to believe that I deserve to win.  Luckily, I am not alone in this battle and one of the perks of being part of a creative community is that you always have the wisdom of others walking you home. I'll always be grateful for my fellow writers (Edd and Erwin) and friends like Novie and Lisa who always encourage me to "do something...

Photo by eberhard 🖐 grossgasteiger on Unsplas h It took me a while but I am finally woman enough to admit it. I used to be afraid of being happy. I was afraid of experiencing joy.  It might seem silly, I know. But cherophobia is more common than we care to admit.  I think much of my fear stemmed from the false narratives I was fed as a child. "After laughing is crying" I would often hear. Whether it was on the basketball court, at school, or home. It did not take long for me to associate joy and sadness. I came to view happiness as a preamble to mourning. Photo by eberhard 🖐 grossgasteiger on Unsplash After hours of playing basketball or swimming in the river without my mother's permission, I would come home to a waiting belt. No matter how much I enjoyed myself that joy was overshadowed by the punishment.  I had my first and only birthday party at 12 years old. I enjoyed it. But soon after that, I lost most of my friends who came to the party. Part of me wished my mo...

                                                                    Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash I recently listened to the Talisman album by Colton T and it has been on repeat since then.  In all honesty, the compilation has given me fuel to continue creating but it also helped me realize how difficult it is to create when we have been fed false narratives. "It is my story. I will write it." Too many people wanted to write my story for me. Too many hands attempted to spin my narrative. It was and still is my life and I had to be brave enough to live it on my own terms.  Too many times we allow others to project their fears onto us. Too many times we drink the potions we are offered and take it as gospel.  They will try to tell us how our dreams are too big and ...