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INTRODUCTION Shortly after I launched my first book—my debut poetry collection, Blood Sisters (Main Street Rag, 2018)—I had an extraordinary, life-altering encounter. I was a featured reader at a Detroit Public Library event. It was one of those venues that included an eclectic cast of poets and authors. Which meant there wasn’t a single thread between our topics or styles to weave from one reader to the next. This gave me an idea. Rather than use my entire time slot to strictly read from my new book, I left myself enough time in between pieces to give brief backstory for the coming-of-age narratives I shared. The poems I read centered on growing up in a struggling working-class home and the physical and sexual assault I experienced and witnessed. Why I felt compelled to read these exact pieces and share details about them wasn’t clear to me at the time. In the final moments of the event, clarity came and found me in the form of a fifteen-year-old girl. Our encounter was brief, but its impact on me was permanent. What was set into motion following our clipped conversation tattooed a purpose on my soul. I felt the sting of its imprint when, just seconds after our introduction, the teen said, “Thanks for reading those poems. They really spoke to me.” She held out her scabbed wrists. “I’ve survived several sexual assaults and just got out of the hospital after my third suicide attempt.” If that didn’t just kick you in the gut the way it did me, then your stomach is way stronger than mine, and I have a strong stomach. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t succeed,” I said. 1
