The Reason Behind My Voice

As 2022 ends, I greet it with nothing but sheer gratitude. This year was not without its challenges, but there was also the moments of joy.                                                                       Photo captured in September 2022 I am grateful for the good, the bad and everything in between. I am also grateful for this space where I get to show up as my authentic self and where my writing doesn't have to be perfect.  There are a few things I will remember most about 2022 - Surviving Covid-19. My family and friends surviving Covid-19. Fighting acne.  Loving and losing.  Finding a skincare routine that works.  Learning to let go of what wasn't mine.  Shedding dead weight. I took my meditation practice seriously.  I took my healing seriously...

  My book baby #2 is out! Of Rivers and Oceans is truly a labour of love.  I spent the last two years working tirelessly on this body of work. It was indeed a tumultuous two years. Between the pandemic, family issues, heart breaks, a toxic work environment, love, joy, therapy, and breakthroughs, it was imperative that I found time to write and compile this beauty. In the end, I must say I am pleased with this collection.  My editor, Steinberg Henry, and I went back and forth with the collection for about six months selecting the pieces and arranging them. Mr. Henry is an esteemed Dominican writer. He is the author of several books, including Calypso Drift and Calypso Drift On Water.   A lot of work and thought went into each poem. That was the vision I had for ORAO. I wanted it to be intentional from cover to cover.  Of Rivers and Oceans can be described as a celebration of heritage, history, healing, and home. Every poem in the collection tells a story of its ...

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...

Photo credit: Cash Macanaya on Unsplash Do you write people off or do you take them as they? While on my much-needed hiatus, I was able to do some introspection about life, people, and the spaces I occupy presently.  Photo by Dom Aguiar on Unsplash Earlier this year, I experienced a great betrayal (at one point or another, most of us have experienced this or will - it is part of life). I won't go into much detail, but it was from someone I held very dear and in high esteem. In the end, I realized that not everyone sees you as you see them.  People are complex - not complicated but dynamic.  Photo by Jeffery Erhunse on Unsplash If we are honest, we will admit that the people in our lives hold different roles for different folks. Someone we may deem as a hero in our story may very well be a villain in someone else's. I am sure that you have played a villainous role in someone's life. And that is perfectly fine because people are complex - multifaceted.   Take a ...

  The Adinkra symbol  Sankofa has   been heavy on my mind lately.  The symbol is a bird that flies forward but looks backward. It means "Reach back and fetch it." Photo credit: Adinkra Corner How many times were we told that we should not look back, only forward?  Poets like Lucille Clifton were always "reaching back and fetch it" for great wisdom resides in the past. When Hurricane Maria struck on 18th September 2017, life as I knew it was over. Instead of celebrating my 25th birthday that year, I was salvaging my belongings. I concentrated on all that was lost. I held grief around my neck and, my waist and I carried it with me for years. When my birthday comes around, so does a great sadness. Photo credit: Melchior Damu     A few days before my birthday this year, I subconsciously began noticing things that had survived the floodwaters. Like my family, my guitar (which I haven't touched in years), my hot wheels cars, my favorite fountain pen, and my ...

 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...