What makes this piece important right now?

There are so many heavy things going on in the world right now. There’s a time for grief and advocacy, and there’s a time for light and joy and celebration as we resist despair. Solstice is a reminder that light and dark are cyclical and that light will always return.

How does your faith life/ethical outlook inform your writing?

I grew up with a very theocentric and anthropocentric worldview, and have moved to a much more ecocentric worldview. A lot of my work explores the spiritual relationships we have with our environment, and the relationships we have with our ancestors, non-human kin included.

What is your favorite subject to write about?

Parenting, diaspora, and the natural world are common themes in my work, but I think the thread that ties them all together is relationship and connection, whether happy or strained. I like to explore what those relationships mean, how they’ve changed me, and what they could look like.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

My writing goals for this year are to improve my craft, write poetry I’m proud of, settle into a sustainable writing practice, and to get poetry accepted into journals I really admire. I’ve been happily surprised with the acceptances of a few poems that felt like new territory for me, and feel that focusing on learning and experimenting is paying off. I hope that readers who connect with my work will find me along the way, but I do think that will become more of a priority in the future.

How did your first publication change your process of writing?

I thought I was possibly submitting “too early” after starting to write poetry again for the first time as an adult. Getting my first acceptance really helped boost my confidence that I was getting many of my ideas across in the way I wanted to, even if I still had a lot to learn. It made me excited to keep writing and connecting with other creatives. There will always be more to learn, but you might be missing out on opportunities if you don’t give it a try.

What is your favorite childhood book?

I loved The Search For Delicious by Natalie Babbitt. Folk tale, fantasy, and satire around themes that will always be relevant are a great combination.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently exploring resources and options for publication of a collection. I plan on having a good idea for my goals around that by the end of this year.