Synced Heartbeats

I haphazardly announced, "RIP @priscysinger1" (most understood, but I alarmed some... oops!) last week. I have switched some of my handles in the social media black hole. On Twitter and Instagram, you will find me as @poeticpriscy. My reasons for choosing this name include the similarity between song and poem, as well as my own approach to living life "poetically." Alliteration also had its own heavy influence. This change is something I've mulled over for a bit now, but I'm thoroughly glad I've finally made the jump. 

I've had a long journey, mostly stamped with imposter syndrome, with my "creative identity." I went to a performing arts high school and was a vocal major, continued my music studies in college, and music has largely been a strong commitment to my life particularly with my passion for singing and my interest in music and the arts as a cultural influence and building block. Besides my older sister, who went to the same high I did as a drama major, there weren’t many artists in my family. My maternal grandmother, who I'm hugging in the picture above, would recite poems from memory in her chair in her kitchen after she had finished cooking. 

I wrote and submitted a poem to Prevolu, a new platform that highlights Puerto Rican artists. My poem was selected and I'm featured alongside other five artists for the month of February. My poem, titled “La Chofera,” touches on the agency I’ve chosen as an adult, not to entirely reject the notions I’ve been raised with (I know they were taught with concern,) but instead the choice to center my own pleasure and agency as a priority. Unfortunately, shame has been a cultural influence for too long. This belief hasn’t come easily to me, I’ve needed to undo internalized notions of shame and go through the process of choosing differently that I allude to in the poem. 

The response to the poem has been lovely, support from all corners of my community. I am eternally grateful. My poem was paired with this art piece by Spanish/Puerto Rican artist Angel Botello and my headshot and quote was put together beautifully by the team over at Prevolu.