Why do I write? Because I have to. The words are my connection with my spirituality, with the people around me, with love, with healing, with hope. I write to turn truths into poetry and fiction…to embrace diversity and capture the beauty and complexity of the people around me…to share the voice of the people we often fail to hear…to declare that all people deserve to have their story told. I hope that I inspire people to learn how to write their own stories in their own voice. Through these words, I give glimpses of my story and the stories of others I have met along my journey.