Recipes for Being Seen
A touch of guilt, a sprinkle of confidence, and a whole lotta acceptance
A conversation with myself about how I should start this entry:
What is it that you want out of this? To connect. To share. To be seen.
How much do you want to share? How close do you want to get? I want to be authentic.Â
How can I be authentic? Authentic w/o sharing too much on the internet?Â
Share my work. Start there. Redact what I don’t want others to see, like [r e d a c t e d]. And the [r e d a c t e d].
Is naming [r e d a c t e d] what you want to do? Maybe, but not now. This is about me.Â
Let’s get started:
This is your list.
Accept yourself.
Share my sad girl/boi memes.
Indulge in yourself (use that big beautiful brain of yours)
Then share what you’re up to.Â
Just be you, K <3
The last few weeks have been time. There have been moments of immense joy, and moments I’d rather soon forget (but know I won’t).Â
A dear loved one was in the hospital. Another had issues with a co-parent. People, places, and things from 20 years ago have popped up in the most unexpected, inconvenient, and triggering ways.Â
I’ll fight back the need to minimize and just say that it’s been A TimeTM.Â
Talking it out, journaling it out, writing it out has been helpful to get me out of my head. I’m finally recognizing that my rumination on, well quite frankly everything, can do more harm than good on certain days. Conversations like this with myself is just one way that’s been getting me out of the Spin Cycle of rumination these days. I may never stop spinning, but I can at least ride the wave a lot smoother.
My primary motivation underneath all of this is both my understanding and acceptance of self so that I can live a fuller, more colorful life.
Being seen is equally beautiful and terrifying.
I have quite a few things to share. The day after my last entry I performed in a show, and a week after that I got my wisdom teeth removed. With good comes the not so good and forced me on my butt for a bit. Now that I feel more like myself, I’m able to share some of my latest happenings:
Baby’s First Writing Retreat: Witches & Warriors
The day before applications closed, my partner shared with me Brew & Forge’s Witches and Warriors Retreat. I read through the application and saw that it was designed for people who sit at the intersection of organizing and the arts. Once I saw that Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha was faculty, and after learning more about the other faculty member, Aurielle Marie, I had to apply.
Writing nearly until midnight, I submitted my application as quickly as possible. It was an honest reflection of where I am as a writer and an organizer - in flux, as always. Growing, messy at times, but truthful. I’m still in shock that I was selected.
I’m excited for what’s to come in August.
Learning the Craft of Speculative Fiction: Our Lips to Cosmos Ear, Writing Class
Earlier this year at the WriteAngles Conference, I attended a workshop co-facilitated by speculative fiction author Silk Jazmyne Hindus. It was my first time taking any sort of workshop in speculative fiction writing, and it made an impact. The short writing prompt I wrote at the conference had me thinking a lot about engaging more in SpecFic.
I followed Kitchen Table Literary Arts, where Silk teaches, and I got into her summer class on speculative fiction writing. For the next month, I’m in a class of other people of color growing our skills as writers.Â
A short story I’ve been working on since January is getting to breathe life because of this class. I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
In the Toni Morrison Tradition: The Seven Days
A good friend of mine, Dr. Erin S. Corbett, started working on a screenplay a few months ago. Centered in the tradition of Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, it's about The Seven Days, a Black secret society who seek vengeance for Black victims of white violence. It’s Old Boy meets Lady Vengeance meets Toni Morrison - what more could you want?
I was honored when Erin asked me to come aboard the project as Producer and Creative Director.Â
We’ve got a lot to share with the world, and are pulling together a podcast to tell the story. Check out this preview of Episode 5 below with our theme song, made by the incomparable Kendria Bland. Her skits honestly inspired so much of The Seven Days.Â
Content note: graphic depictions of death; gore.
Our first table read was lit!!! It was two weeks ago in Hartford, and Erin and I were very intentional about casting local talent. The point of a project like this is to give opportunities to our people. We had mostly folks from Connecticut or the Northeast join in, and our furthest cast member was across the border in Canada. My first table read for a project like this – I was verklempt.Â
On Saturday we go into the studio to record the tracks for Episode 1. I can’t wait to share some highlights!
Here was me when we went to test the footage playing around in the studio:
Episode 1 premieres on August 4, 2024. Find us on Spotify at The Seven Days, and on instagram and tik tok @TheSevenDaysProd. Please like and share our page with others who you think would resonate!
I have more to share, but that’s all I have for now. I’ll be back soon with some updates, and chances for you to come hang with me in person.Â
As an aside, the title of this entry is the title of a prose collection I’m working on. The first poem in the series will be released in a journal in the coming months. Once it’s out, I’ll share it here with you.Â
Thanks for being on the ride.
Kenyatta ✨