Zoe Flowers

ZOE FLOWERS

By Hillary Tacuri

From Ashes to Angel’s Dust: A Journey Through Womanhood

“It’s actually been a crazy week,” Zoe Flowers, author of From Ashes to Angel’s Dust, admits when I called her on a chilly Friday. “My work laptop’s having issues, so I had to take it to the Apple Store. I also had another interview this morning, about black women and domestic violence.” Zoe also notes that she had to write a piece someone else needed for another interview. Yet, she enjoys engaging in this work: “It’s great that I’m

having these conversations because it’s helping my ideas to jell.” Her ideas center around how women and those affected by domestic violence and trauma can heal themselves. As a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual violence, she is dedicated to making life better for herself and others. She describes herself as a human being curious about life in general; spiritual, an artist, a content creator, a poet, and a writer.

The first iteration of From Ashes to Angel’s Dust first arose after Zoe left an abusive relationship. As she told her friends what she went through, she realized that many people were having similar experiences. She began interviewing people around her, intending to create a work of fiction, but chose not to, realizing the “need to tell the truth of what’s happening in the community... since it’s happening to so many people.” She went to shelters, put up flyers around the city she lived in at the

time, reached out to people to talk about their stories. These stories became the first iteration of From Ashes to Angel’s Dust, originally titled Dirty Laundry.

I had no idea that From Ashes to Angel’s Dust had a different title. Zoe shared her reasoning behind the title change: “I felt that Dirty Laundry had a lower vibration, even though it came from people saying, ‘we don’t put our dirty laundry out, we don’t tell people our business’… just the language, ‘Dirty Laundry,’ I felt that it was

low energy, low vibration. From Ashes to Angel’s Dust is more inspirational, like how Black women in particular, take the ashes that we’re given and turn it into something beautiful. We take what we’re often given, which is often trash, and we make something beautiful. So many of our stories are like the phoenix, about us rising from the ashes and that’s what I’m about. That’s what my work is about, that’s what my life is about – about rising from the ashes.”

Although From Ashes to Angel’s Dust started as a response to the violence she experienced, it has grown. Zoe’s mission now is about helping people return to who they are. She aims to heal through the trauma. This trauma often stems from violence or from the historical trauma “of being a person of color, a woman of color, a black woman in these United States, and what that means, the trauma in our DNA…My work is about healing: how we can heal ourselves, how we can learn to love ourselves within the context of racism, sexism, violence, etcetera.”

Zoe also identifies as a Libra: in her own words, she’s not a lone wolf when it comes to her work. She has worked with Dr. G. Zoe loves to conduct soul-shifting retreats in Ecuador. Sherri Pullum, her friend, helped her co-write and turn Ashes to Angel’s Dust into a play. When she first started writing, she knew that she wanted to create a play and a documentary out of this work. When they transformed the book into a play,

Zoe explained that there were things in the book that had to be shown. Historical context, like adding in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, was necessary because they felt it was the perfect example of domestic violence. The play has been on tour, performing at multiple universities and cities.

Zoe’s healing work does not end at her book. She also heals with her hands. As a Reiki Master, which she describes as acupuncture without needles, she gives people a reading, explains what is going on within their life, and performs the necessay work. Zoe also does intuitive and astrology readings; guiding and leading people through alternative, spiritual healing ways. Although it differs from her other work, I see it as another form of healing that Zoe wants others to access – especially in the current political climate.

Zoe notes that “Trump has mobilized everyone in the country. It may not be what he intended, but people who had been asleep are awake. It’s the perfect time for Black women in particular to tell our stories. More people seem to want to hear them. There’s an incredible surge of Black women in spirituality… I feel that we are witnessing a Black woman spiritual renaissance – and I am glad to be a part of it.” She’s glad that people are starting to acknowledge the work she and her fellow peers have been doing.

From Ashes to Angel’s Dust Performance / National Black Theatre: Institute for Action Arts

I asked Zoe what she was currently working on: she chuckled warmly and dived into discussing

her current project – editing a short film. This film is about a 35-year-old African-American woman named Rode, living in Brooklyn and facing a crossroads in her life. She happens to be descended from a family of spiritual healers but has no knowledge of this history because her mother has stamped it out. However, her greatgreat grandmother, a Norse goddess named Freya, and an African Orisa all descend upon her life in order to guide and help her step into her own power.

Although this is a standalone film, Zoe did admit that if she were to receive funding, she would tour From Ashes to Angel’s Dust, and work with women to hear their stories. Given all that she had told me about her work, I asked if she had any free time to relax. She chuckled in response – but she did tell me that she likes to mediate, travel, and

hang out with friends when she can. Although Zoe is a busy person, she is passionate and driven to help open the conversation about domestic violence and help others learn to heal themselves.

To see what else Zoe has published, go to her website and follow her on social media:

http://soulrequirements.org/ Facebook: @tit2baproductions IG: @iamzoeflowers Twitter: @divinebydesigne

Purchase her book at https://amzn. to/2QjghSX