Writing Is The Key To Freedom A Conversation with Chántelle Adanna By Asha Elaine
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Sitting comfortably in her bed, surrounded by pink walls and various shades of pink decor, Chántelle Adanna flipped her long braids behind her and greeted me with a beaming smile after our Zoom call connected. Before beginning the interview, we chatted about our pathways and interests, almost as if we were already good girlfriends. Realizing that as Black women writers, we had so much in common, we smoothly began to dive into conversation about writing, expression, being a Black woman, and generational curses.
Chántelle: Writing has always been a form of release and therapy for me. When I was younger, I wasn’t an effective communicator in terms of expressing how I feel and allowing myself to just feel. I am a sensitive person. I would harbor feelings and not share. I had to learn that the action of communicating feelings to people was normal and okay. There were events and tragedies that affected me. My grandmother died of breast cancer in 2008. When I actually began writing and publishing, that process triggered things. A lot began to unfold for me. Writing was something that I could do where I was able to put my words on to paper. I could see them. I could read them to myself. It all made sense. It was exactly how I felt. I never saw myself as a “good” writer. I never saw myself as an author. I needed something to carry my load, and my burden. That was writing for me.
Chántelle Adanna is a Maryland based writer, who through vulnerability uses her words to share her story and relate to Black women. With themes of wellness and self-love exuding through her work, Chántelle inspires others to find the beauty in all parts of who they are. Chántelle believes that self-alignment is what has created avenues of opportunity for her. Learning to honor herself with patience and kindness, Chántelle Adanna built the courage to be her truest self. Sometimes the I liked the feeling of taking the pen and being able best way to find healing is to look within ourselves to go and go and not have limits or boundaries, and share our own stories. no judgment. Nobody was talking back to me. My thoughts were just flowing. It felt comforting and Asha: What made you choose writing as your felt like home. Because of that, writing took the winning spot over other art forms for me. I felt it medium of expression? complimented me the best. THE SQUEEZE
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WINTER 2021
