Kiara Shanay Lee, PhD
Part of The Girlhood Series at The House of Psalm Magazine
A boy once told me “See, your problem is you got your nose up in too many damn books.” Little did he know those words set my 9th grade world aflame forever, in the best way possible. Of course, those angry, ignorant words were in response to my prepubescent lack of interest in dating him. They were also in response to what he perceived as my interest in books and schoolwork thwarting his attempt to talk to me. But those words initiated something bigger than myself. After I had a good ki-ki with my momma, I grabbed my journal from under my bed and started to write about how I felt. His words brought out my words and my words turned into poetry — poetry that helped me process peer pressure and high school gender wars. Poetry that helped me hold onto my agency and affirm my brilliance when misogyny tried its best to snatch it all up out of my hands. My pen was my refuge that day and it certainly wasn’t the last time it would protect me from society’s storms.
My last two years of high school came and so did a more critical exposure to Black history at home and at school. At the same time, I experienced some of my first notable run-ins with prejudice and racism. These experiences served as an illuminating backdrop as I learned about all the trailblazing and transformative anti-racist work of the Black Panther Party. Once again, my lived experiences elicited my voice. My pen can back out along with my journal as I turned pain to power. Worn pages laden with poetry, reflection and questions consumed my journal. This time around, my pen was not only sheltering me; it was also solidifying my identity as a writer.
I went on to college. As time went on, I had my own column in my university’s newspaper. Much to some students’ chagrin, I was addressing societal ills on and off-campus with raw yet informed commentary. Privilege and accountability clashed time and time again, but I didn’t give a damn. My tough skin just got tougher. My pen became fortified; at that point, nothing or no one could take it from me. I even started my own blog, theBlackertheBerry. I also wrote two children’s books — one on colorism and one about parental incarceration. I did this all as an undergraduate student. As an adult, I found myself invested in protecting the same pen that protected me as a teenager.
Through graduate school, I wrote. Through motherhood, divorce, and life’s up and downs, I wrote. I went on to write a poetry book for women fighting to hold onto themselves. Most recently, I wrote a workbook to help writers and creatives unveil their writing voice. These days, I’m using my refuge, my shelter, my pen to help others protect and further develop themselves — and I couldn’t be happier about that.
Every little girl needs to be armed with pen in hand — for her safety and for her sovereignty. It’s bigger than the individual; it’s a high-yield investment for her future and a power move for all humankind.
As legendary writer bell hooks said, “No woman has ever written enough.”
Give the little girl a pen.
Do it for her.
Do it for you.
Do it for us.
Whether you’re a writer, a painter, an actress, or if you don’t consider any fancy titles for yourself – you are a creative. No matter who you are, to some degree, we all create and we all need space to take care of every part of ourselves. I hope The House of Psalm Magazine inspires you to take good care.
Dr. Kiara Shanay Lee | Editor in Chief, The House of Psalm Magazine
IG: @thehouseofpsalm @kiaraleewrites | kiara@thehouseofpsalm.com
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