Words as a Weapon and a Whisper: Challenging Narratives and Redefining My Story
TL;dr: From a straight-A academic who thought every word must be laden with profound meaning, to discovering the true power of writing as liberation and healing — I’ve navigated the expectations of excellence as a Black girl in America to find my voice. Through embracing my prismatic identity and shedding the weight of oppressive narratives, I’ve journeyed from writing as a survival tool to expressing myself with unapologetic softness and joy. This is a tale of transformation, from believing writing must always be important, to finding importance in simply being true to oneself.
You’re an…Okay Writer
It’s true. I’m an okay writer. Actually, I’m a great writer. Well, I’m an okay writer who thinks they’re a great writer. And that’s good enough. For now.
But on the path to this discovery, I learned that writing, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. As a child, I don’t think I knew that. I read, voraciously. But I also wrote, passionately. If I read something, my brain immediately wanted to recreate it. And usually, with the aplomb of a child, I could figure out the structure and copy it. We’re talking elementary, middle grade stuff here, folks: Mildred D. Taylor, R.L. Stine, Lois Duncan, Roald Dahl, and the like. Not that I was penning…
