We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Pilar Jewell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Pilar below.
Hi Pilar, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
The first time I knew that I wanted to be a writer/poet is in high school. I was in the poetry club and the drama club. I was pretty successful in both. I was nominated and won Drama Club queen. From there I knew that anything with writing or creativity I wanted to do. When I graduated high school, I majored in theatre arts. I eventually changed my major but I still have a passion for the arts.
I decided to change my major to social work. I have always been an advocate for the injustices of Black and Brown people. From my time advocating for rights of Black and Brown people, my poetry began to reflect what we deal with in everyday life. From what we were lied about to the rift between Black and Brown men and women, my poetry became an outlet to protest and relay my frustration.
Pilar, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into writing when I wa win the 9th grade. I was trying to impress a boy. But I developed a love of writing. So I joined the drama club. From there., I knew that writing was something I was destined to do.
Currently I have written 3 books and currently working on the 4th. With my work, I creatively express the plights and everyday life of people of Black and Brown people. Some can relate. Some poems will make you cry, laugh, get excited. But either way, you will leave with a sense of pride in the culture.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson that I had to unlearn is that, not everyone is going to view things from your perspective. Not everyone is deep enough to survive my depths. It’s a hard pill to swallow because I want everyone to appreciate my work but I understand that my work isn’t meant for everybody. And that’s okay.
Another lesson that I learned is that I am my own worse critic. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve have been frustrated within myself with my work. I have gone through countess of poems and even losing multiple bodies of work and having to start over from scratch. I had to come to terms that I’m a perfectionist and I refuse to release any work that isn’t a reflection of my best self.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to connect with others through words. It’s the ability to inflict emotions based off a stanza or line in a poem. I find it rewarding when people that I didn’t know were familiar with my work tell me how much my work has inspired them .I am amazed at how many people my work resonates with. I still can’t comprehend that I am touching at least one person with my work; that I’m inspiring pride in oneself and culture. That’s the most rewarding thing’s for me.
Contact information:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/?tbua=1 and https://m.facebook.com/?tbua=1#!/profile.php?id=100076566542241
Image Credits
Pilar Jewel