Talking to TRACY YVONNE BREAZILE is one great voice worthy listening to. The Brave Voices Poetry family and the Zimbabwean We Want Poetry Campaign has tapped a lot of literary coconut milk of wisdom and skills from the illustrious writings and her poetry mentorship drills since 2018. Creative Abundance. Breazile boasts of a very beautiful but thought-provoking writing niche. Creative writing mentor par excellence. Her poetry is revolutionary and the vibe is nerve rattling and deep. She writes and sing Africa as if is an African princess born and bred in the length and breadth of Savanna miombo and Africa South of Sahara. Her subject matters are beautifully presented for the reader to enjoy the brew with a ravenous poetic appetite. Brave Voices Editor met with the Tracy Yvonne Breazile over a literary breakfast, Tracy brought mentorship ginger biscuits and Mbizo brought a poetic brew laced with pure wild honey. A wonderful breakfast. It is always exciting to mingle with excellence, talk prowess and write dexterity. Aluta Continua- WOMAWORDS eDitor.
INSIDE #POETRY CAFETERIA
1. You are such a vibrant writer with a poetic revolutionary voice,
what is your inspiration?
In 2017, I found your page through my Facebook feed. I was inspired to help in some way. As a Zimbabwean Poet in Exile, freedom of speech was your main conflict. I spent hours reading content and poems on your page and many others trying to gain a sense of issues that a poet may find important.
As I recall, you had three main goals: Obtain content for an online interactive platform on Facebook, gain certification in some type of poetry study, and expand your platform from specifically Central Africa, Zimbabwe, to both northern and southern regions of the continent.
Themes in music can provide some pretty potent positive impacts on a personal and cultural level. Artisans can bring to life the situations and historical context of ‘prisoners of conscious” like Peter Gabriel’s Biko.
Social injustice is a major motivating force that calls me to write. I wanted deeply to help in ways that might benefit someone in some way.
I love to write, so I just started writing.
2. Its three full years bow working with the Young and Women Creative
Activism Projects in Africa inclusive of the Zimbabwe We WANT Poetry
Campaign, Brave Voices Poetry Journal and the WOMAWORDS LITERARY
PRESS, what is your experience, any significant changes in your
literary arts trend.
In 2018, -2019. I was granted the opportunity to serve as WRITERS MENTOR IN RESIDENCE as a Writer/Copy Specialist, with the ZIMBABWE WE WANT POETRY CAMPAIGN.
The goal of this Mentorship is to empower writers of all ages begin, develop or master the craft of discussing issues ranging from personal trauma of some sort to a more humorous tone.
These writers would likely tell their story of physical events surrounding them and some could involve personal change. Healing the tests of time is generally the main reason why writers write.
By telling their stories, they may find insight that will benefit their readers.
In 2019, I participated as the Writer in Residence with the task of a Short Story Mentorship Program content creation intended to empower writers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively communicate their Short Story.
In 2019-2020, I served as GUEST EDITOR for WOMAWORDS LITERARY PRESS. I have had the opportunity learn some lay-out and design techniques by formatting real Journals for publication. I have been fortunate to have various poems included in WOMAWORDS LITERARY PRESS.
I was granted the opportunity to serve as EDITORAL CONSULTANT, Writers Mentorship and Skills Development, for the 2019 BRAVE VOICES POETRY JOURNAL. I gained valuable insight into the poetry content judging process.
I have recently begun a novel project. I am excited to complete it one day soon.
3. How many books have you published, briefly summarize your
published writings?
I created Echoes of Africa (a workbook) for an online mentorship program in partnership with Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign.This was a Creative Rhetoric for African Poets and Poets interested in creating and illustrating various perspectives through poetry. This was created for the poet wishing to express conflicts of consciousness and fairness with basic human rights for all, specifically, freedom of speech.I was able to discuss the definitions of many forms of poetry in the textbook The Making of a Poem.Echoes of Africa was a collection of composition and rhetoric articles with examples and illustrations with contemporary and updated poems that a reader may find in a current-day livelihood ruled by an oppressive regime. All of the poems are fictious echoes, but my hope was that a student could develop their own style and create poems or lyrics.This is also in many ways a nod to Pink Floyd’s famous Echoes (Part 1 and Part 2.)I feel songs can evoke emotions and help people make sense of confusion.
4. What are your artistic and human rights interventions during these
tumultuous times of COVID19?
With this uncertain threat mantling the world, we have finally found a common ground.On Facebook, I have followed many doctors without borders as they find their way home from a tour of duty, musicians echoing hopeful tones in the courtyards Italy, and the local news channels with daily death tolls.I have also been comforted by many artisans and performers that are actively engaging, entertaining, and inspiring our world with such generous selected readings and musical performances on social-media and other information outlets.I applaud all who have offered knowledge and talents in our time of need.I have created some poems that can illustrate some of the confusion that I have seen and felt on our inward journeys. I feel strongly that our separation has brought us closer as a people. We are one world. We share similar problems and conflicts. We can all live together and prosper in peace.My heart is with every life lost or touched by the shadows of this horrid virus known as COVID19, and the devastating upheavals left in its wake.
5. What is your parting short to the Brave Voices Writing,
Activism and Poetry Family?
I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Brave Voices Writing,
Activism and Poetry Family.I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most influential voices of the world. I have also been positively influenced in my writing as well as my personal development.The Brave Voices Writing, Activism and Poetry Family has empowered me with an exciting glimpse into the possibilities of global communication and problem solving.Each and every member of the Team has given me a better understanding of not only writing, but living a happy and enriched life.
Tracy Yvonne Breazile is a Creative Thinker, Multi-Tasker and General Lover of LifeShe has worked in Media & Communication, Engineering & Architecture, Management & Business.Breazile has been granted the opportunity to serve as the 2020 Brave Voices Journal, Mentor in Residence.She would like to help people voice their feelings and attitudes about their conflicts and dilemmas through poetry.It is her hope that freedoms of speech encompass the entire globe.Her work has been published on and off the internet, in anthologies and interactive platforms.She served as EDITORAL CONSULTANT, Writers Mentorship and Skills Development, for the 2019 BRAVE VOICES POETRY JOURNAL.She is currently serving as GUEST EDITOR for WOMAWORDS LITERARY PRESS.She served as the 2018-2019 WRITERS MENTOR IN RESIDENCE as a Writer/Copy Specialist, with the ZIMBABWE WE WANT POETRY CAMPAIGN. She developed a handbook for use in FACEBOOK interactive platforms.She has always wanted to be a Writer. She would like to help people voice their feelings and attitudes about their conflicts and dilemmas through writing.She has earned a B.A. in Language and Literature with an emphasis in Professional Writing, from COLUMBUS STATE (CSU, a member of the University System of Georgia, USA.)She is currently working on her first novel.Peace is her passion.
MEET THE BRAVE VOICES EDITOR
MBIZO CHIRASHA
Freedom of Speech Fellow to PEN- Zentrum Deutschland,Germany. Alumni of the International Human Rights Arts Festival in New-York, USA.Literary Arts Activism Diplomatie. Globaly Certified Arts Mediums Curator and Influencer. Internationally Published Page and Spoken Word Poet. Writer in Residence. Arts for Human Rights Catalyst. Core Team Member of the Bezine Arts and Humanities Project. His illustrious poetry , hybrid writings , political commentary ,short fiction , book reviews and Arts Features are published in more than 400 spaces notably the Monk Arts and Soul in Magazine in United Kingdom. Atunis Poetry.com in Belgium. Demer press poetry series in Netherlands. World Poetry Almanac in Mongolia.Poesia journal inSlovenia. Bezine Arts and Humanities Webzine in USA. The Poet a Day in Brooklyn ,USA. Litnet Writers Journal in South Africa. African Crayons in Nigeria. Poetry Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Pulp-pit USA.the FictionalCafe international Journal , Texas USA. Best New African Poetry series in Zimbabwe, Zimbolicious Poetry Collections in Zimbabwe. Co-edited Street Voices International Publications with Andreas Weiland in Germany.Co-Edited Silent Voices Anthology, a Tribute to Chinua Achebe. Co-Edited the Corpses of Unity,solidarity collection to victimzed Cameroonians with Nsah Mala. Curated and Edited the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry ,Inside Digraceland speaking poetic truth to the Mugabe regime and other bad regimes. He owns the Time of the Poet blog zine ,MIOMBOPUBLISHING that published the #GlobalCallforPeaceProject titled the Second of EARTH is Peace.A LETTER to the PRESIDENT his experimental resistance poetry colection was released in August 2019 by Mwanaka and Media Publishing.. Co- Authored Whispering Woes of Ganges and Zambezi with Sweta Vikram in India. Good Morning President his first poetry collection was published in 2011 by Zimbabwean published based in United Kingdom, Diaspora Publishers.COVID 19 Satansdeadly fart is forthcoming. Chirasha is Founder and the Chief Editor of Brave Voices Poetry Journal, https://bravevoicespress.home.blog/ and WOMAWORDS LITERARY PRESS,https://womawordsliterarypress.home.blog/
#BRAVE VOICES PRESS#A digital literary arts culture Republic featuring Resistance Poetry and Voices of Mass Instruction . Speaking hard truth to Abusers of Power . Telling Transparency to greed and corrupt political leadership. Wielding Pen for the upholding of human rights. Word -Slingers in trenches in their struggle for Freedom of Expression and Freedom after Expression.
BRAVE VOICES 