Your Story Has Power with Spoken Word Artist Porche Kelly
Porsche, you are an artist from Oakland–how do you think growing up in Oakland influenced and inspired your creativity?
Oakland is one of the most creative places you will ever visit. There is so much life and art here that the creative is able to thrive and cultivate their gift. Being in a city that has birthed artists of all backgrounds, I was exposed to a lot of art and remain inspired by the poets, rappers, musicians, dancers, and other art forms.
You are a published author! Congrats! Tell us about your book and what prompted it!
Yes! My book "2 Kinds of Fire", has been in the making for quite some time. In 2015, my granny and I made a pact that if I wrote my book, she would write hers. Although she passed away before doing so, I kept up my end of the bargain, though it wasn't easy. As a believer in Jesus, I was prompted to step out of my comfort zone with my poetry and begin sharing my testimony and personal life through my art. It was a struggle because I feared the world's opinions of me. After calling off my wedding one month before in 2015, I overcame identity loss, depression, and heartache and began walking in my calling as a spoken word artist and motivational speaker. This book, 3 years in the making, is based on the foundation that we should not be ashamed to tell our stories but instead be bold about what we have gone through and overcome.
What was your process in writing your book like? Any tips to writers wanting to publish?
My process was LONG! But I am stubborn, so the length of time may be different for others! I was at war with myself because I struggled with what people would think of me. The first couple drafts of my book were SO surface because I was afraid to reveal things about myself I wasn't ready to share. But I felt God telling me that fear and shame was no longer a part of my identity and that someone out there needed to hear my story and truth so that they themselves could feel freedom and comfort in knowing they aren't alone. Once I let go of the fear of people pleasing, sugar coating my past, and hiding the ugly parts of my story, I found such freedom in writing and birthed this book. My tip to ANY writer of ANY background or genre is this: DO NOT WRITE FOR PEOPLE. If your goal is only to create something people will like and you forsake your passion and what YOU want or need to share with the world, you will always fail. Once I stopped trying to write what I thought would please people, I created something beautiful that people are now telling me they desperately needed to hear.
Your work is so powerful weaving themes of social justice, faith, mental health, and so much more– was creating a path of healing for you or would describe it as something else?
Though throughout my life, I dealt with rejection and people pleasing, I have continued to grow into a person who desires to speak truth and speak on the things others shy away from no matter what people may say. The topics I discuss in my work are things that I have a heart for, grieve me, and drive me to speak about until I see change or enough people paying attention. By speaking on things that I personally have gone through, I found a deeper sense of healing because sharing it with people made it more real. I have stood in front of crowds and shared about being a black woman who dealt with depression and suicide. I have talked about being afraid to walk down the street as a black woman in America. It is never easy to discuss subjects that make people uncomfortable, but it is necessary, and though hard, I am willing to do the work.
I love your spoken word in videos–it really brings your art to life. What's it like being behind the camera? Any fear you had to face?
My friends always joke with me about how I love the camera and how ready I am whenever a picture or video is about to be taken. And it's true! As a creative, there is so much that goes on in my head when I envision creating a visual for my poetry.
The only fear I have really dealt with was whether my art would translate, people would enjoy it, and they would understand. But now I am getting away from that fear and know that even if I, and my mother who always supports me, are the only ones who can appreciate what I put forth in the earth, then so be it! But the camera itself has never scared me. I can thank Tyra for all my Top Model practice on TV.
What poets have most influenced your writing and why?
Some spoken word artists who have influenced me in a major way are Maya Angelou, Jasmine Mans, Ezekiel Azonwu & Jackie Hill Perry. Maya Angelou is a legend. Nothing further to be said! Jasmine Mans is an amazing poet whose YouTube videos truly inspired me. I would spend hours watching her spoken word and it was her poems along with Ezekiel Azonwu & Jackie Hill Perry that made me believe " I can do this." Ezekiel & Jackie are FIRE Christian poets who have toured all over the world and have inspired me to keep my art rooted and founded on God and to never be ashamed of my faith in Jesus.
What is one thing you want women to know today?
I love us. I love how resilient and brilliant we women are. If I had one thing I wanted women to know today it is this: YOUR STORY HAS POWER.
Too many women have shied away from being open and vulnerable out of fear of judgment, opinions, and a lack of understanding who they were created to be. We all have a past. Trauma, heartache, brokenness, and pain have knocked on our front door, for some of us repeatedly. But the fact that we are STILL here DESPITE these things, whether it was by our own failures and mistakes or by things out of our control, we have survived. Fear and doubt would want us to believe we should feel ashamed. But our stories, our testimonies, our pasts have the power to not only show the resilience that lies within us but also the power to free another woman who needs to believe there is sunshine on the other side. Erase shame. Tell your story.
Porsche Kelly, aka The Poetic Activist, is an artist, motivational speaker, and author from Oakland, Ca. Her poetry is full of raw conviction, unapologetically spreading messages filled with truth. Whether social justice, God and the church, or her personal life, authenticity, and vulnerability are ever present with every word she writes as she encourages the importance of erasing shame, sharing your story, and remaining genuine to oneself, despite popular opinion. Porsche has been invited to speak at as well as facilitate workshops at numerous events such as Ted Talk, Adobe Software, The National Equity Project, the 2018 Women's March, the 1st & 2nd Annual Black Women's March, & Mayor Ron Dellums' Celebration of Life. She has also performed at several college campuses, churches, corporations and spoken word events across the country.With a passion for God, black and women empowerment, and mental health, especially among people of color, Porsche aims to bridge the gap between faith & social justice, create atmospheres for conversation on faith, racism, sexism, mental health, and trauma, and inspire others to join in these conversations to find freedom in telling their own stories. You can shop her published book of poetry here.