It’s April! I’m 26 and a half (plus 28 or so days). I have half an MFA. And I’m finally starting a real blog.
While I’ve been on tumblr since 2010, I’ve never used it as a regular outlet for my writing or thoughts. I mostly reblog photos of beautiful black people and enraging news articles about systematic oppression. Some of my poetry and thoughts are up at black & bendy(catch it before it’s gone!), but I have a lot more to say than I’ve been allowing myself to share. I’m too used to keeping things to myself, especially my feelings, life updates, and thoughts that are anything other than my usual rage at the system.
I started writing as a little black girl with glasses growing up in South Jersey. In elementary school, I loved the Amelia’s Notebook series–probably the main reason I started journaling. There are boxes in my closet full of journals dating back to when I was 8. I write to process, to reflect, to create stories, and to tell the truth. In high school and college, research papers and AP tests took over my life and I stopped writing for myself. Lately, I remembered that I need to write, that writing has always been essential to my survival. So, I return to writing–poems, plays, prose, essays, rants, and lots and lots of lists (#virgolife).
I’m creating this blog for myself and for y’all. Too much of my work lives only on my computer, on my phone, or in the cloud. My Google Photos is home to hundreds of photos from trips and events I’ve never posted online. As a former student, I presented a lot of my writing in class and at conferences, read to audiences of mainly white people. This blog is for me to free some of these pieces from my personal archives and to share more experiences and thoughts with the world.
I hope my sharing can open doors for all of us. Doors to new ideas, thoughts, and possibilities. Closing doors in the past few months (mainly leaving grad school halfway through my program) pushed me toward finally truly living my best life–the one I’ve always wanted. I’m writing, starting The Starfruit Project, performing (catch me in this cabaret in May), and growing into my best artist self.
Here’s to halves and to new beginnings.
peace, love, and blackhistoryforever ♥