One thing that was imperative from the early stages of working on Your Silence Will Not Protect You was holding space to honor our ancestors - those that came before us to create the path we are currently trying to walk and push further.
In her poem, “My Ancestors,” author Dominique Cherie does just that, honoring not only the work our ancestors have done, but simply honoring them for who they were and who they allowed us to be. In her interview she discusses her piece, as well as her work as a children’s book author - echoing back to Better to Speak’s origins.
What’s your story? Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Dominique and I’m from the midwest. I’ve kind of always had a love for writing since I was a child and really just within this year of my life I kind of fell into my writing career and doing something I’m passionate about.
How did you approach writing your poem, “My Ancestors”?
Yeah my piece was really inspired - obviously a lot by what’s been going on in the media, the news. It gives you time to sit and reflect about who you are, what it is you believe in, the things that have made your life experience and what that means in the world. When I saw this writing prompt, it made me reflect on the people and the experiences that have made me the person that I am and how I’m responsible for taking that and sharing that little piece of my life and my heritage. So I’m hoping that makes some sort of difference.
I also saw that you’re also a children’s book author - Better to Speak’s origins started out with a children’s book drive to get more books by and about Black people - can you tell us a little about your book I Never Saw My Dog Again?
It’s a book geared towards middle-grade children - although it’s a fun read for everyone, if you’re an adult it’s a quick, easy read, and then obviously if you’re a child then it offers that much more excitement.
It was just published last year and it’s a story about a boy and his dog companion. It’s really a coming-of-age story about how things in life don’t always turn out how we expect them to but that’s okay. It’s something that we all kind of have to learn in life.
Dominique Cherie (she/her/hers) is is the author of I Never Saw My Dog Again. She prides herself on being labeled as a writer, artist., and follower of Christ.
With a love of self-expression that was cultivated in childhood, she has taken to writing children's books, managing personal blogs, photography, and learning of Doula and Herbalist traditions, in her spare time. Find her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
