Zahra Gordon

This year, for the first time, I’m going to partake in the tradition of end-of-year reflection. Well, for the first on the blog. No resolutions here, just a recap of what went well in 2014 – and in late 2013. (I know it’s sneaky but I’m bending slightly since it’s my first time!) 

2013 October/November 

The blog “Kick Een She Back Door Ban? Why?” was one of the most viewed posts since I’ve been writing
Zee Speaks. The song by Antiguan soca band Burning Flames was majorly controversial, but as much as I didn’t like it, I didn’t agree with a call for it to be banned either. Read the post again HERE.

I gave my second lecture at The University of the West Indies. The first was in 2011 to Cultural Studies students on careers in the creative sector. This most recent presentation focused on Mental Health in the media and was shared with psychology students. I spoke about best practice for speaking about mental illness in the news, activism, advocacy through letter writing and on a slight twist, feminism. It was actually quite an awesome session.

Zee Speaks’ sister company.

January 
A new year meant new ventures for Zee Speaks with the launch of Zee Speaks’ sister-company Speakeasy Solutions, Speakeasy Solutions provides culturally sensitive private tutoring in English & Creative Writing. Find out more about Speakeasy by visiting the website HERE. 

April 

I was a featured poet at the Bocas Lit Fest in the reading Who’s Next, which included eight emerging writers from Trinidad & Tobago. 

With Noviolet Bulawayo at Bocas Lit Fest

Also in April, one of my poems was published in Kalyani Magazine – a journal highlighting the work of women writers of color. Read the piece HERE. 

July  

I facilitated a Creative Writing Workshop for children 12 & Under in conjunction with the Point Fortin Public Library in T&T. Working with more than 30 extremely energetic children all at once was overwhelming, but immensely fun. 

I was featured in the National Library & Information Systems’ (NALIS) National Library Week celebrations at the Arima Public Library (in T&T). The event was a Meet & Greet Authors reading where I not only read a selection of poetry but also spoke about my writing process, answered questions from the audience and networked with other writers. 

This lovely guy was at my reading and asked for a photo!

November
I was featured once again in a Bocas Lit Fest program, this time at the Bocas Lit Fest South, which is a mini festival held in southern Trinidad. I presented a selection of poetry and participated in a Q&A session with the audience and moderator Shivanee Ramlochan. 

Also in November, Zee Speaks celebrated the first anniversary of the series Haiku from the Headlines which began in 2013. So far, there have been 26 installments and hundreds of page views. 

December