Let's get this Caribbean Author her MFA tuition!

My writing became very popular in Trinidad where I started my lifestyle blog  NoMoreFashionVictims.com, and was published in various newspapers and magazines. Thousands of people were reading what I had to say about Caribbean fashion, and culture! Before long I was writing articles for international publications like Gal-dem, where I talked about Caribbean Accents and the Appropriation vs Appreciation of our tongue.

I was granted a visa to take these talents to the US as an  "Artist of Extraordinary Ability". Yes, that was the actual title given to this visa! I felt like a bite up shilling.

In New York I was honored to be invited to speak to University students at St. Joseph's University and the New York Institute of Technology on multiple occasions, to mentor them about Blogging and Journalism. I also worked with Art Start as a teaching artist for a year, leading workshops for marginalized youth, that offered a space for them to imagine, believe, and represent their creative vision for their lives and communities. Currently I'm privately mentoring three emerging bloggers, two from Trinidad and Tobago and one from Washington D.C.  
Some of the Art Start Team 

In 2019 I was short-listed for a Writer's Prize with my first ever short story called Cashew Heist  about a brother and sister in Primary school in Trinidad, who try to steal a pack of cashew nuts from their mother's workplace. After writing personal essays and critical articles for almost a decade, this toe dip into the world of fiction was my awakening. The next year I entered the competition again, with a story touched many people, earning it First Place! My story "The case of the missing eggs " won the 2020 BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer's Prize!

Citation from the President of the Borough of Brooklyn acknowledging my Writing

Grad school

I was accepted to do my Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Brooklyn College. Brooklyn has ironically enough, deepened my Caribbean-ness as an immigrant fiercely defending my identity. I feel compelled to study in this community, where there are countless stories for me bubbling every second. Plus, they offer one of the more affordable programs.

My Fund Raising Goal of $30K will :

- Cover the majority of my tuition 

As an international student my tuition is double what citizens pay, and I'm only allowed to study full-time to keep my student visa. That's 9 credits per semester, at $855 each. I will continue to work full time as a free-lancer writing about Caribbean culture and redefining the understanding of immigrants and people of color in the diaspora.

Truth is though, to be able to afford this Master's on my own is a big stretch. Covid made things even more difficult for creatives to secure paid work. So I could really use your support if you are able to contribute. I know things have been tight for many of us.  

 I'm also actively seeking out grants and/or scholarships (if you have info on these, holla!), and I'm entering  writing competitions for prize money, all to go towards school.
 Crossing my 30k goal would be amazing, but for now I'm just set on getting this MFA paid for, so I can pour my energy in to bringing you the best work my mind and body can muster.

Thank you!
I appreciate every single contribution towards this vision. Whether you share the campaign or are able to make a donation. The "Thank you" list in my first book will bear all your names. This is so much more than money to me.

You can learn more about me at my website StephanieRamlogan.com