We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Arianna Shaprow a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Arianna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on was poetry honoring the sacrifices of my ancestors for two museums in Mississippi, the state where my ancestors were slaves for almost a century.

These poems explored the racial and social dynamics of the Deep South in the early and mid twentieth century. I delved into themes, such as discrimination and inequality. Through a combination of talking to relatives and research, I was able to understand these issues more deeply.

Even after slavery was abolished, my ancestors worked as sharecroppers on cotton plantations in Mississippi. Due to the long work days and financial pressure, my great grandparents didn’t make it past the eighth grade.

In 1921, my great grandparents left Mississippi. They were part of the mass exodus of African Americans from the South to the North and Midwest. My ancestors were not only searching for economic opportunities, they were refugees from terror and violence in the South.

White supremacy was reinforced with the constant threat of violence. The Equal Justice Initiative found that four thousand Blacks were lynched in the South. My family understood how real this threat was.

Due to lynchings at that time, sometimes whole families would move away simply because one person had a social interaction that they believed may be misinterpreted by a White person. My family moved from Mississippi to Chicago to avoid the inevitable violence and unrest in the Deep South at that time.

My poetry exhibits in Mississippi explored social and political issues, highlighting how they affected my family at the time.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I want people to understand that my writing is deeply personal. It touches upon direct and indirect racism. I have been exposed to both.

When I was seven years old, someone at school called me the “N” word. At that age, I did not know what the word meant, but I could tell there was a whole lot of hatred behind it.

Writing gives me an outlet to express these emotions. In that way, it’s cathartic for me.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is that I get to inspire other kids to share their views with the world as well.

After I was on the news for one of my poems, a girl came up to me at a restaurant because she recognized me. I told her that she was beautiful and brilliant, and that everyone should feel confident to share their views. I told her that her ideas matter and so many people would love to hear them. She gave me a big hug. Moments like these reinforce why I love writing so much.

Recently, I also started teaching a poetry workshop to blind children. One girl asked me if she could hold my hand, so she could understand me better since she couldn’t see. This same girl wrote the most beautiful poem about the fall season, and now I have a printed copy of her poem in braille. It’s so beautiful to connect with people through writing.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’m only thirteen, so there’s a lot more ahead. There were times when I lived in a one bedroom apartment with my mom, and we would move to a new apartment each year after the rent went up. I’m only thirteen, and I’ve lived in ten different places in my life because money was tight.

Sometimes the stress I was under made it feel like artistic endeavors and writing were a luxury and a waste of time. What I learned is that writing helps me heal. Writing has helped me get through some difficult times.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ariannashaprow

Image Credits

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