Joy goes to Callaloo!

I'm a mother, lover, poet, storyteller and healer. This year, I was invited to participate in the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshops in Barbados from May 15-May 22, 2016, where I will be studying under Pulitzer Prize winning poet Gregory Pardlo, as well as with writers across the Diaspora.  This will be my first time out of the United States!

Needless to say, this is a very exciting opportunity for me. I received an Artist Opportunity Grant for this trip, so my flight is booked (GO ME!) but I'm asking for community support to cover some costs to make this dream a reality. 

As a mother of 5, I have not been away from my family for this long since 2011, and this time will provide me with some much needed focus around my artistry. This Gofundme will help me to cover costs of childcare and other expenses to keep my household from devolving into total chaos while I'm gone :). It will also give me a way to eat while I'm away and cover incidental costs that occur with traveling. 

If you've seen my work- my poetry, my writing, my healing ceremonies/rituals/work,  my blog posts or my activism- you know that I invest deeply in my community, especially for black mothers. As a mother of many, making this trip happen for me is going to take more than it takes some others, but like most black moms I'll be giving back ten-fold. 

I am very appreciative of you for having taken the time to read this. If you donate or share, please know that you have my deepest gratitude. 

Joy KMT