Poet Brea Liggons
This week’s Writer Wednesday features Brea Liggons, a Detroit poet who’s participated in several of our Art of Poetry virtual events. She’s currently writing poetry in celebration of Black History Month. Find out more below, and come share your poetry during our next open mic night on Feb. 22!
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part of the writing process is allowing my mind to go where it wishes to go. There are tons of daily restrictions my mind has with focusing on other things throughout the day. It’s freedom for me to write.
What does your writing workspace look like?
My writing space could be anywhere. It could be my bed, the car, the treadmill. I keep a record of words and phrases as they come to me.
What has been your experience at our open mic nights? Do you have any advice for poets who are considering participating in one?
The Detroit Writing Room was the FIRST open mic night I’ve ever done — a virtual open mic at that! I started in September 2020 with DWR and never looked back. I grew accustomed to hearing people tell me that others needed to hear what I had to say, and I knew I needed to take a leap. With the pandemic happening, it’s been hard to have that true human connection and that’s what I needed to feel. DWR has the most beautiful and open space that immediately made me feel welcomed.
The advice I’d give to someone considering participating in an open mic night is simple: There’s not another voice like yours and you deserve to be heard. :)
What is your favorite non-writing hobby?
My favorite non-writing hobby would have to be working on projects that will propel people to be well. I have an upcoming organization that will deal with breathing; both physically and figuratively, as a means to tap into well-needed rest from societal and personal pressures. Furthermore, partnered with my best friend, I have a business and a nonprofit in the works that has my heart! One side of it caters to those who deal with trauma related to death, and the other side teaches children social emotional skills through a musical cartoon that revolves around the experiences of Black children.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Whatever will be will be. Never force a piece to be completed. I just finished writing a piece from November 2019, and I count it as one of my best yet. The words will find you when it’s time.
What writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m so excited to announce that I’m working on a month-long event for Black History Month with two of my dear friends, Natalie McKinney (who has performed at DWR, IG: @natinallcaps), and Martinique Mims (IG: @mint4curls). Together we are a collective called The Writer’s Block. For the month of February we’re focusing on poetry and storytelling from the Black experience.
Each week we engage our audience with a theme via Instagram and Facebook. For example, this week’s theme is “Dreams.” Throughout the week, we post different things concerning the theme, and by the end of the week each of us individually produces a poem related to said theme. We also invite our audience to share their creativity with us based on the week’s them using the hashtags #thewritersblock and/or #breathelyghtsound. Finally, we’ll end the month-long celebration with a free poetry workshop for those who are a part of the Black experience for some discussion and performances. It’s truly been an exciting process thus far.
Follow Brea on Instagram at @whatbreasaid.