I was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan and I spent much of my adolescence curled up in libraries, bathtubs, trees and on my front porch, reading. What a luxury I wish I had back! I don’t think my idea of writing has changed since I first started writing poetry at 8 or 9. When I was younger, I used words to express myself in a world and a family that didn’t want to hear how a little Black Mixed girl felt. As an adult, I still use language to express myself in a world that sometimes doesn’t want to hear what a Black woman or Indian woman, or a Mixed blood feels. That has not changed for me, and unfortunately, society. This is where I begin. I’m always writing towards the thought of how can I use my craft to explore, explain, testify, investigate, celebrate the things happening around me. Currently I live, write and teach in Los Angeles, celebrating the power of language with my friends, students and colleagues. Cheers!
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