The Creative Come Up in partnership with Converse is a dynamic, multifaceted content series supporting and celebrating the achievements of boundary-breaking women of color and individuals who stem from all walks of life and are pursuing their creative passions to the fullest. Through amplifying the voices, journeys and experiences of Black female creatives and gender nonconforming people of color who are defying the status quo to pave one’s own way forward, The Creative Come Up will act as an inspirational mode that provides aspiring creatives with the tools, resources, and education to achieve their dreams and creative pursuits.
Writer Elizabeth Acevedo on Harnessing Storytelling and Paying Tribute to her Afro-Dominican Roots
As an award-winning author and poet, storytelling and shaping powerful narratives are not only an integral part of Elizabeth Acevedo’s chosen career path, but are representative of her desire to share stories of everyday heroes who go unnoticed within mass media. Growing up in a neighborhood with rich culture and taking pride in the oral traditions passed down from her family of storytellers, the Harlem-native was inspired to write compelling works that pay tribute to her Dominican heritage, upbringing and history.
By crafting narratives with heartfelt purpose and shedding light on marginalized and underrepresented communities, Acevedo has reached critical acclaim with her books and poetry that place value on the experiences as well as journeys of people of color. Through reinvigorating the world of literature with her thought-provoking works, the visionary author is paving the future forward for a new generation of writers who seek to shift the literary landscape. With each published work, Acevedo continues to express and explore the inner-lives of young, Afro-Latinas while imbuing biographical elements of her own personal experiences to facilitate stories that depict and celebrate the identities of people of color.
As part of the fourth installment of The Creative Come Up in partnership with Converse, Acevedo reveals three vital lessons for aspiring writers in search of making their foray into the world of literature and harnessing their heritage as a form of inspiration. As a highly-esteemed writer who places value on tapping into her roots, Acevedo advises emerging creatives to do the same by trusting in one’s storytelling capabilities, being emotionally-ready when sharing vulnerable work and finding the right platform to share your work.
To gain insight into how Elizabeth Acevedo amplifies her culture and Afro-Dominican roots through poignant storytelling, and to hear her advice for future writers, watch the video above.
Below, check out the featured resources for aspiring artists and creatives.
WOC Writers
Las Musas
Black
and Bookish
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 6
Episode 5
Episode 4
Dana Scruggs
AYA BROWN
Dua Saleh
SANDRINE CHARLES
CRYSTAL ANDERSON
Elizabeth Acevedo
The Creative Come Up in partnership with Converse is a dynamic, multifaceted content series supporting and celebrating the achievements of boundary-breaking women of color and individuals who stem from all walks of life and are pursuing their creative passions to the fullest. Through amplifying the voices, journeys and experiences of Black female creatives and gender nonconforming people of color who are defying the status quo to pave one’s own way forward, The Creative Come Up will act as an inspirational mode that provides aspiring creatives with the tools, resources, and education to achieve their dreams and creative pursuits.
Writer Elizabeth Acevedo on Harnessing Storytelling and Paying Tribute to her Afro-Dominican Roots
Raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dua Saleh is a multifaceted, Sudanese creative and musician paving their own way within the music and entertainment industry. As a recording artist and producer, they’ve used their artistic flair to depict their life story and personal experiences through devising cunning wordplay that translates into powerful music that is both fluid, and freeing. With their thought-provoking lyrics and genre-bending melodies, Saleh interweaves every aspect of their identity through the power of music in order to create meaningful art that uplifts the LGBTQ+ community.
Using music as a mode of expression that represents their relationship with themselves and the world around them, Saleh’s observations surrounding their identity and day-to-day life serve as inspiration for each of their songs. Songwriting for Saleh requires immense
self-reflection that can breed both pain
and pleasure as it taps into adversities faced in their younger years, personal relationships, and experiences as a trans, non-binary person of color. For Saleh,
it’s vital to create music that echoes
the inclusivity they seek in the world, particularly for fellow Sudanese youth
that may yearn for acceptance in their environments.
While music is their first love, the gifted creative has made their first foray into acting by recently joining the cast of the hit Netflix series, Sex Education as part
of the show’s third season. In the highly-popularized series, Saleh portrays, Cal,
the first Black and non-binary character
to appear on the show — displaying their creative prowess and staying true to creating art that is a representation of their identity and their community.
As an award-winning author and poet, storytelling and shaping powerful narratives are not only an integral part of Elizabeth Acevedo’s chosen career path, but are representative of her desire to share stories of everyday heroes who go unnoticed within mass media. Growing up in a neighborhood with rich culture and taking pride in the oral traditions passed down from her family of storytellers, the Harlem-native was inspired to write compelling works that pay tribute to her Dominican heritage, upbringing and history.
By crafting narratives with heartfelt purpose and shedding light on marginalized and underrepresented communities, Acevedo has reached critical acclaim with her books and poetry that place value on the experiences as well as journeys of people of color. Through reinvigorating the world of literature with her thought-provoking works, the visionary author is paving the future forward for a new generation of writers who seek to shift the literary landscape. With each published work, Acevedo continues to express and explore the inner-lives of young, Afro-Latinas while imbuing biographical elements of her own personal experiences to facilitate stories that depict and celebrate the identities of people of color.
Below, check out the featured resources for aspiring artists and creatives.
WOC Writers
Las
Musas
Black
and Bookish
Episode 6
SANDRINE CHARLES
Episode 5
CRYSTAL ANDERSON
Episode 4
Elizabeth Acevedo
Episode 3
Dua Saleh
Episode 2
aya brown
Episode 1
Dana Scruggs