As do all children, I came to understand the power of the written word through observation. Bearing witness to how the ability to read print in my home, classrooms, and communities provided adults with information. When I think about understanding my power, I point to the gradual, ongoing process of learning to understand and use language. I recognized early that literacy was currency. There was a distinct sense of empowerment when I could finally recognize the words adults would spell out in lieu of saying to keep me out of the conversation.
I remember the transition from seeing letters as symbols to the words they represented. Once I had learned the skill, my love of reading led to a lifetime love affair with words. As an adolescent I wrote scores of songs, stanzas of bad poetry, and too many short stories to count. In early childhood, I excelled in creative arts. I was often praised for my writing talent in school; the same talent that has been the outlet for my love of words for as long as I can remember.
In January 2017, I obtained my MFA in Creative Writing from Pine Manor College. Though I most proud of my honorary PhD in 90s rap lyrics – having spent much of my teen years recording songs on cassette tape and transcribing their lyrics. ( a generation of folks using Rap Genuis to decipher lyrics, in preparation for Trap Karaoke, are impressed by this). Keep your hacks young’ns, I can still recite a song or two word for word if need be!)
Since making the leap from a career in Human Resources, I now manage a full-time writing and consulting career. As a Wordsmith, my work has been featured in Rhema Magazine, Influence Boston Magazine, and the Boston Neighborhood News Inc. periodicals The Dorchester Reporter, The Mattapan Reporter, and the Haitian Reporter. More recently, I have been working as Senior Writer for the RCC Gazette, the official publication for Roxbury Community College; where I also manage the institution’s social media platforms.
Impassioned by the power of a narrative to act as a proponent of freedom, interaction, and organic connection, I am committed to helping others tell their stories. In addition to my own writing projects, I have provided consulting and editing services to aspiring writers for over six years. And recently, I began teaching Creative Writing as an Adjunct Professor. I am always seeking opportunities to lead more writing workshops and consult one on one with new clients seeking help with writing projects.
Visit the services page to learn more about how we can collaborate on your next writing project!
