My Diaspora Story

Lucy Wilson Tagoe

Welcome to My Diaspora Story. I am excited to share my conversations with the authors who agreed to join me with you. I sat down with writers from across The African Diaspora to explores the unique and beautiful ways Black people experience life and express themselves. My guests this season are: Adriana Hererra Leslye Penelope Amaka Azie Kenya Goree-Bell Evelyn Sola Denny Bryce Cassandra Winston Salem Afangide I ask each guest the same seven questions: 1. Where did nature intend for you to grow up? (ie -where were you/ your parents born?) 2. How has destiny (Or you) defied nature's plan? 3. When/How did you first know you were "Black"? 4. What did it mean to you then/ now? 5. How are you connected, if at all, to the rest of the diaspora? 6. How does all of this show up in your work? 7. What do you want other Black people to know about you? Their answers are illuminating and compelling. And very different from each other. I hope you will listen with an open heart and take the stories you hear at face value. We are contain a multitude and I can't wait to show off as much of that as possible.Conversations with writers from across The African Diaspora that explores the unique and beautiful ways Black people experience life and express themselves. I ask each guest the same seven questions: 1. Where did nature intend for you to grow up? (ie -where were you/ your parents born?) 2. How has destiny (Or you) defied nature's plan? 3. When/How did you first know you were "Black"? 4. What did it mean to you then/ now? 5. How are you connected, if at all, to the rest of the diaspora? 6. How does all of this show up in your work? 7. What do you want other Black people to know about you?

Episodes

  1. Aug 7

    Adriana Herrera's Diaspora Story

    Adriana Herrera is a USA Today bestselling and Audie winning author who was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last fifteen years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings. The New York Times once called her book "sweet, thoughtful, and delightfully filthy too." When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a trauma therapist in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. You can connect with Adriana and learn more about her books by visiting her website: https://adrianaherreraromance.com/ In this episode, she mentions two books as essential reading for all Black people: Silencing the Past by Michel-Rolph Trouillot and The Rebel's Clinic by Adam Shatz. SUMMARY: In this episode I engage in a profound conversation with bestselling author, social scientist, and entrepreneur Adriana Herrera. We discuss the complexities of Black identity, cultural perceptions of race, and the historical context that shapes these identities. Adriana was very generous and shared her experiences of discovering her Blackness in the U.S. and the impact of anti-blackness in the Dominican Republic. Our conversation also delves into the significance of genre fiction in preserving cultural narratives and the evolving definitions of Blackness on a global scale. We also explore the importance of representation in writing, the challenges of American centrism, and the interconnectedness of global Blackness. We conclude with a recommendation for essential reading to deepen understanding of Black history and culture.

About

Welcome to My Diaspora Story. I am excited to share my conversations with the authors who agreed to join me with you. I sat down with writers from across The African Diaspora to explores the unique and beautiful ways Black people experience life and express themselves. My guests this season are: Adriana Hererra Leslye Penelope Amaka Azie Kenya Goree-Bell Evelyn Sola Denny Bryce Cassandra Winston Salem Afangide I ask each guest the same seven questions: 1. Where did nature intend for you to grow up? (ie -where were you/ your parents born?) 2. How has destiny (Or you) defied nature's plan? 3. When/How did you first know you were "Black"? 4. What did it mean to you then/ now? 5. How are you connected, if at all, to the rest of the diaspora? 6. How does all of this show up in your work? 7. What do you want other Black people to know about you? Their answers are illuminating and compelling. And very different from each other. I hope you will listen with an open heart and take the stories you hear at face value. We are contain a multitude and I can't wait to show off as much of that as possible.Conversations with writers from across The African Diaspora that explores the unique and beautiful ways Black people experience life and express themselves. I ask each guest the same seven questions: 1. Where did nature intend for you to grow up? (ie -where were you/ your parents born?) 2. How has destiny (Or you) defied nature's plan? 3. When/How did you first know you were "Black"? 4. What did it mean to you then/ now? 5. How are you connected, if at all, to the rest of the diaspora? 6. How does all of this show up in your work? 7. What do you want other Black people to know about you?