About Me

I was born in Delmas, Haiti. With my parents and family originating from Ouanaminthe, Cap Haïtien and Jérémie.  I lived most of my life in Queens, NY. Raised between cultures, languages, rap music, and corner delis. 

Growing up in New York, you earn your stripes by making sure no one could ever play you. Thick skin is known to be your best advantage. I learned early on how much words matter. Growing up Haitian, words were rarely spoken and when they were, they most likely hurt. 

I learned the importance of not just what is said, but what is withheld. Books became my refuge long before writing became my voice. I found a little bit of my voice with the spoken pieces I performed at my church and at open mic events. My spoken pieces were often about Jesus, our love for Him as believers, but also our attachment to the very things that grieve Him.  

I have always been drawn to language that tells a story; language that tells the truth plainly and beautifully. Truth, however, can be  different for everyone depending on what they seek. Poetry, literature, art, and music taught me how to sit with complexity. It taught me how to  name longing, silence, faith, and contradiction. 

They gave me permission to think deeply and feel fully. They gave me words when I did not have any of my own, especially in spaces where that wasn’t always encouraged.