A Vocal Creator's Spotlight, Celebrating Black Writers.

I have been a writer all my life; writing has been my best form of expression and is my outlet for release. I feel good after writing and the thought of sharing my stories with others has always been a lingering idea. The first ad I ever saw about Vocal was for the Little Black Book challenge. I read the ad, kept scrolling, but the seed had been planted. Is there really a platform out there for writers to publish on and potentially make money on? Yes. Yes there is. The next week my mind entertained Vocal and so did my Facebook feed. The ad never left and I gave into the peer pressure. I googled Vocal. I was amazed by what I found and this was because I had no idea about such writing platforms prior to this ad. Not only was there a platform providing me with writing prompts and challenges to strengthen my skills, but also a very supportive community of readers and authors that have the potential to become friends. I joined Vocal and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. You can always check out my profile and stories here as this article is not about me. This article is my version of a Vocal Spotlight. This article is to celebrate the black writers that I have encountered here on Vocal.

Black is beautiful. Period. Black art, black culture, and black love needs to be acknowledged and celebrated. Black history begins way before their enslavement and their enslavement gets confused for their beginning. It is the beginning we are fed. Africans who were enslaved were, but not limited to, doctors, engineers, teachers, inventors, farmers, artists, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. After all enslaved Africans were finally free, in America, on June 19, 1865 or Juneteenth, the black community attempted to rebuild themselves. Even though the original people brought from Africa did not live to see their people free, their descendants did. Thus the new age of inventors, teachers, engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and artists were born. Racism, hardships, and difficulties still occurred then and today, but the ancestors are proud that their people are not under the same atrocious circumstances they were. Their fight is different now, but their fight should not be intertwined with their successes. They are successful because they are intelligent, capable human beings like the rest of us not because of the pain suffered at the hands of a racist history. This is why I chose to celebrate the Black writers of Vocal.

Writing is an amazing tool because you can say the same thing in more than one way. You can alter a reader’s perception of a message by word choice, syntax, tone, and formatting. You can see plenty of examples of this in history books. Storytelling is a powerful tool and showcases the many talents of a writer. Vocal is a platform that affords writers a creative space to publish their works. As Vocal does not have a forum to interact with each other, Vocal authors use social media for community. This is how I met my community of amazing writers who inspire and motivate each other every day. Authors become readers and readers become authors.

Enough talking about history and Vocal and let me get to the main event, the Black writers of Vocal. These phenomenal people not only entertain with their stories, but also inform, advocate, promote, inspire, and write from their heart. I subscribe to each one for a different reason and you will soon discover those reasons. Some of the authors I personally interact with everyday, others I found by reading in the communities, some were recommended to me, one recently won first place in the Homecoming challenge and two of them were featured as Creators We’re Loving on October 7, 2021. Not all of them responded to me when I messaged about features in this article and a few did not have any contact info, but I have added their name anyway because their stories are worth the highlight. All writers are mentioned using their Vocal name; all bolded names are clickable to the author's Vocal profile.

Ali SP

“I do not plan my stories. I usually have no idea where the story will go. I simply sit or lay in bed allowing the words embedded in my brain to bleed through my hands into a format where it can be read. Sometimes words fall off the edges.”

I love everything that Ali SP writes. She was one of the first author’s whose stories stood out to me. I have read almost every one of them and some more than once. She first joined Vocal seven months ago publishing Secrets Revealed By The Little Black Book. Looks like we both saw the same Vocal ad and decided to join. Her story should have been a finalist because of it’s amazing storytelling and leaves you wanting more. She is also a poet. Her poetry speaks to your spirit while the passion and emotion embedded in her words coarse your veins and pierce your heart.

Her most recent poem, If death was my lover, I had to read twice. The first time it gave me goosebumps so naturally I had to read it again,

“If death was my lover I would learn to love

So deep to a point of no retreat”

Other poems that are a must read are Black Girl Magic, Expose It, Those Eyes, and There’s No Place Like My Caribbean Home.

“Home–

The enriched layers of soil upon which generations have walked.

Those who have contributed to keeping my diverse heritage alive.

It is not only what you see,

but what I feel deep within” - Dedicated to her home island of St. Lucia.

Stories that are a must read are, The Day It Rained Red, What becomes of a friend when they betray us? And For Carrie. Each of these stories lures you into them with their imagery and emotional presence. What does become of a friend when they betray us? Read to find out. Read her whole Vocal profile, you will not be disappointed.

Ali SP celebrates her culture and native country while overcoming life’s trials and tribulations. She is also an artist who has a feature painting here in, Immunocompromised, that you, the public, can vote for and help her win. Voting ends October 31, 2021. I have interacted with Ali for only a couple months, but have learned that she is a kind hearted warrior that has overcome so much. This deserves a special shout out and a vote from all of us. Let’s help her win and raise awareness towards rare diseases!

Teisha LeShea

"Writing expresses my authenticity. Sharing my stories has helped me during my healing process. Those who don't enjoy my writing can fuck off respectfully. I write for me and not for you."

I met Teisha through the Vocal Creators Saloon Facebook page that she created. The more Teisha and I interacted, the more we learned we had in common. She is a kind hearted person and that is shown in her writings and her role as administrator. You can read the origin of the page here as she created it after being blocked by another Vocal Facebook group for being “too engaging”. The success of the Vocal Creators Saloon goes to show being blocked was her blessing in disguise. Teisha’s first published story on Vocal was four years ago making her a veteran of the writers. If you’re new to Vocal or have been here a while and have not joined this group, there’s an amazing group of writers, administrators, and readers waiting to support you.

A letter to My Future Self is an article that should be read by everyone. I didn’t even know how much I needed to read the words she wrote until I clicked it.

“The good news is that you do love yourself. You've loved yourself enough to go to therapy, to end relationships and to restore new ones. You might be surprised, but you are currently conquering this fear.”

That Melanin Love is an article where Teisha highlights Black women on Instagram that inspire her. Rock Your Crown is tips and tricks for natural hair beginners.

These are very, VERY few highlighted pieces of Teisha’s out of a plethora of reviews, personal journeys, fiction stories and beautiful poetry that will appeal to many. Check out Teisha LeShea’s Vocal profile and Facebook group and I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

Nathalie Clair

“It seems no matter what path I take, I always end up writing, creating, loving. Writing for me is a never-ending experiment, testing the possibilities of life and love and human nature, with the simplest tools one can have– mind & words.”

Nathalie is another author whom I met via the Vocal groups. She has been writing on Vocal for six months. She is very supportive and positive in the community making her presence missed when she’s not active. Nathalie is very into self care and self preservation so her social media interaction is less frequent, but it is still profound. She sent me this YouTube video to include and I am glad she did. She is honest and real about her journey. She is what is needed for inspiration. Let's help her help us. I am here for the self challenges and goals so I will be cheering from the sidelines. Who knows? Maybe some collabs in the future. Her writing speaks for her as well. She recently published Writing -- It’s More Than Just a Friend that sums up the love relationship she has with writing.

She inspired me to write about my Grandmother and Alzheimer’s after reading her story Making The Most Of Life After Death. Then there’s the poetic inspiration of Beauty In My Hair,

“…Dark brown jet-black sprinkled with gray

In box braids or a Fro

It doesn’t matter She’s Beautiful…”

Nathalie also gives you plenty of fiction. One piece that stood out to me was Lost In Madness and that is because it is categorized under Filthy. We all get a little filthy sometimes, so why not? It does not disappoint and ends so unexpectedly, you're left with saying ‘OoooOOoooOOoo’.

Her best fiction piece published is Mirelle. It is so encaptivating and emotional. As a mother, it tugged at my heart.

Nathalie is an expressive writer who will entertain you and appeal to your emotions. Add her to your reading list.

Tiffany Gordon

“I enjoy writing about the triumph of the human spirit as well as the fuel we need to fight the good fight each day”

Tiffany is another author I met in the Vocal Facebook communities and she is a pleasure to interact with. She is a recent addition to Vocal having first published three months ago. Having never physically met her, I can feel her vibrant energy and charisma through her engagements. This energy is showcased throughout her poetry and stories. Tiffany also specializes in flash fiction stories especially YA.

"I feel like I have been called to uplift and encourage and empower the next generation (our youth)."

She is doing an amazing job.

I must mention that Tiffany is the first and only tip that I ever received on Vocal and that is appreciated more than I can ever thank her.

One of my first interactions with Tiffany was with her Bad Hair Revolution poem. Black hair is beautiful and it defies gravity. Some types are hard to manage, but once you find your groove a new found love blossoms. Don’t give up on your hair care journey, you got this!

Her recent poem of Ice Cream, My Dear Ice Cream is a perfect example of how fun she is! Who doesn’t love ice cream? My friend Tiffany has made ice cream become more scrumptious than ever!

“Ice Cream... My Dear Ice Cream… 🍦

you're that "fine" fella that all the girls want to be courted by in their heavenly dreams…”

Speaking of being courted, Herbie Baby! is another amusing poem written by Tiffany. Do you have dreams of your crush? I know I do.

Home & All That Jazz will bring you the nostalgia of the 90s and I Have A Confession To Make will relate to you more than expected.

All I’m saying is if you’re out here looking for fun and a good time then Tiffany is your author.

Tammy Reese

"Storytelling is my passion, purpose, and joy in my life. I enjoy sharing stories of visionaries, innovators, entertainers, creators, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, and all of those who are making a positive impact in the world which uplifts, inspires, and empowers others."

Tammy Reese is a force to be reckoned with. I just met Tammy and by met I mean emailed her for the purpose of this article and she is fire. Thank you to the Vocal author who sent me her profile link. Tammy is Editor In Chief of The Franchise Magazine, Founder of Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media, Co-Host of New York Women In Film And Television Podcast , Co-Host Digital Media Insights, Editorial Writer: Cultured Focus Magazine, Heart Of Hollywood Magazine, SwagHer Magazine, We Empower Magazine, Hustle and Soul Magazine and Vocal author.

Did you try saying all that in one breath?

Tammy has been on Vocal for a little over a year and she has 25 pages of articles. None of which are fiction. Her Vocal bio states Filmmaker/Actress/Writer/Journalist/Publicist and Award Winning Media Creator. The articles she publishes are mainly featuring Black artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, CEOs, designers, empowerment coaches, actors, and much, much more. Tammy's profile is filled with celebrating the successes of others.

Her content is so deep and valuable, it is near impossible to go through and appreciate it all in one sitting. I look forward on continuing to read through her profile because I would be lying if I said I read every single one. I did read a few and of course the first article I read of hers was her first published, Juneteenth Lives. Then I read The Black Come Up,

"When I seen an article stating there are 615 billionaires in the USA and only 6 of them were black that was a wake up call of many for me."

Then there's the countless spotlight articles highlighting Black successful everything along with spotlights outside of Black culture. The next piece I stopped to read was Black Women Need Peace. The more I read and went through her Vocal pages, the more enveloped I became. Her page is full of so much information and messages that I had to take a break from writing this article, but that was a good thing.

"If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room."

The next article I ventured to was Adultin'. This is a women created web series that acts out the everyday struggles of being an adult. I watched a couple of videos and they were very entertaining and relatable. Check out the article and the web series.

Trailblazing Publicists provides you with successful, prestigious publicists and their contact information.

My favorite of Tammy's collection is National Black Business Spotlight.

"Misha Taylor is a 3-in-1 Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Potty Training Consultant, and Positive Parenting Coach who created Slumber Potty to help Moms “end the dread” of the first 5-7 years of Motherhood."

As a mom of three myself, I was captured,

"Throughout her journey working with Mothers, Misha noticed many Moms give their kids so much, until one day they wake up and don’t even know who they are anymore. "

That's the sentence that got me. As a mother that is THE struggle, balancing being a mother, individual, partner, friend, daughter etc...and balance means healthy separations between all the roles. Women's, especially Black women's, strength, character, will, drive are all being measured by the amount of pain and suffering we went through, when in reality, we were able to survive and overcome all hardships because we ARE strong, willed, individuals with the determination to be successful at all costs. We are natural born nurturers with the spirit of warriors. Tammy showcases this and much, much, more in her Vocal profile.

I could keep writing about Tammy, but I think at this point, you're probably anxious to check out her page. You should be. Now go get your read on.

C.R. Hughes

“Even when my voice fails, words don’t.”

I was introduced to this Vocal author by recommendation from another Vocal author for this article. C.R. Hughes joined Vocal seven months ago and after reading her first published article, July 7, 2016, I knew I had to include her.

“I didn’t have to explain why Black lives mattered or why I still refused to say blue lives mattered despite not supporting the killing of those officers. I didn’t have to explain the difference between a person who has no control over their race and a person who willingly takes an oath to put on a uniform and who can easily take it off, unlike their skin. I didn’t have to explain to people how I could still mourn the deaths of young innocent Black men even in the wake of the unjust deaths of police officers. So I cried unapologetically and took advantage of the fact that, at least for a few hours, I could feel all that I was feeling without being made to believe that I was wrong for it.”

Her words get louder in Pacifistic Activism in a Non-Pacifist Country, then in Why the “African Booty Scratcher” Stereotype is Worse Than Just Schoolyard Bullying, Profile of a Young Black Creator & Mental Health Advocate, Things I’ve Had To Tell My Black Nephew While Taking A Walk, and Colors of Liberty. These are powerful pieces in every way and deserve a read.

She has informational pieces celebrating Black literature, culture, and music. African Stories That I Love is just that, a collection of African authors whose books should be read worldwide in schools. Do you know any of these authors and their books? I knew one and will be checking out the rest. Then there’s 20 Black Love Songs For the Perfect Valentine’s Day, The Never-Ending Story of the Women of Motown, A Mother’s Love in Her Mother tongue, and Creepy West African Urban Legends, Myths & Secrets. I will admit I was a little hesitant to read about the urban legends, myths, and secrets because we all know African spirits don’t play! I come in peace.

C.R. Hughes also writes fiction and The Trial is a good place to start. Betrayal is one of the worst acts to experience and this story will leave you in awe at the length that one goes. It was also part of the Summer Fiction Series, Brown Paper Box Challenge, how do you think it did?

She did bring home some challenge wins as well. Hughes won second place in In The Stars Challenge with A Break Down of My Personality That No One Asked For and second place in the Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist with 10 Disney Channel Songs to Kickstart Your Galentine's Day.

I am so thankful that I was introduced to this writer because seeing her content keeps me hopeful that the cause has not been forgotten about. It's also comforting knowing that Vocal is not biased against the content of some of her articles and this is shown by her winning the above challenges. Some writers may by pushed away by what they write, others are embraced. I shouldn’t have to say this because you should have saved her profile link already, but go check her out.

Bethany Gordon

“‘To make young women feel confident with who they really are and to not feel pressured to follow fashion trends.” This is from one of my favourite articles about my upcoming brand that I’ve been working on for quite sometime now. I’ve always felt the need to look like and dress like those around me rather than embracing my own personality through my clothes and just being me.” Style Variety: The Secret Project.

I came across Bethany’s profile as she was featured on the Creators We’re Loving page on October 7, 2021. I checked her out right away and was immediately entranced by all the recipes I encountered. Bethany was first published on Vocal three years ago and her last article was published four months ago. This is not only because of her secret project but also because she was finishing her studies as a patesserie. As an American, I had no idea what this was and had to ask. “Yes patesserie is like chocolate and confectionary, intricate pastries items”, she happily informed me. Congratulations on your graduation and if you ever open your own shop, let us know, we will order some of these delicious looking treats!

Not only did her recipes stand out to me, but also her second published article titled, How to Appreciate Your Self Worth. The title speaks for itself. Then when I looked even closer in her profile, I saw it, a challenge winner ribbon. She won first place in the Dear New Year Challenge for her piece The Seven Commitments. This piece is so clever and motivating no wonder it took first place. Her intro, ‘A Note From My Unconscious’ gives all a dose of reality, if we’re into excuse making that is. No wonder Bethany has become successful, look at all the motivational letters she wrote to herself. Bethany is a great example that consistency breeds results. Could it be because of her mindset in Why I Can't Stand Education Anymore? Sometimes all it takes is risks and doing what suits you with confidence.

Diary Of A Lazy Kid is another motivational piece where Bethany lets us in her routine to self embetterment.

Then there’s How To Stop A Stutter. Bethany gives some amazing tips on how to overcome a stutter due to her personal experience. This is where the best advice comes from, first hand accounts. Bethany seems to be victorious in what she sets her mind to and overcoming adversities while holding onto positivity and confidence. This is a skill not many people have. Thank you Vocal for shedding light on this creator as I would not have discovered her otherwise. What an addition she is to my subscriber list and I can’t wait until her next publication. I feel prepared and ready having gone through her profile, are you?

These are the writers that I attempted to contact or have no contact information at all except Vocal.

Tiandra, aka theladypoet

This Vocal author is part of the Vocal Creators Saloon. I first discovered her on a group thread for our Halloween Spooktacular Series, where her piece, Abigail’s Truth is part 2. A group of writer’s join together and each write a 600 word piece that later conjoin to complete a whole story. Another reason to join this group! Tiandra’s part is suspenseful and leaves you wanting to read the rest. She joined Vocal two months ago and her first published work is called Giving Head? I give head, do you?

Then two weeks ago she came out with a poem called Not Beautiful. Can you guess what it’s about just by the title?

My Companion is another poem about Tiandra's love affair. Would you be so accepting?

Check out her Vocal profile for more content if you're into metaphors, symbols, and illusions.

Morgan McCoy

I found this Vocal writer because she recently placed first in the Homecoming Challenge. The Homecoming Challenge results were released on October 6, 2021 and released quieter than usual. The results are not displayed on the main Challenge page and you must click Completed Challenges to see them.

Morgan has only been on Vocal for 20 days with her first published poem for the Homecoming Challenge, titled “Walk Me Home,” but this is not the winning piece. The winning poem is called There’s a Tv. Congratulations on your win and I wish you many more successes!

Kenya Wright

Kenya’s profile was sent to me by a Vocal author and she only has one story published four months ago. The joy of remembering will take you on an African clay plaster journey.

“As a youth, Lion King was one of my favorite movies. One line that stays with me is the spirit of Mufasa encouraging Simba to "remember who you are." Over the years, there have been many times when I've questioned who I am and where I am going. My process as an earthen plaster artist helps me to remember with a new level of depth. A fountain of happiness is beginning to erupt as I ground myself in a knowing that is free from doubt.”

From the read of it, it was most likely entered into the Threading Needle Challenge and I believe this should have been a finalist or at least came close to it.

This is her only story, let's give her some reads!

Donovan Barlow

This is the only Black male writer that I have encountered on Vocal. I came across his profile right next to Bethany Gordon’s featured as Creators We’re Loving on October 7, 2021. Donovan first published on Vocal four years ago and his last publication was eight months ago. All of his published words are categorized under Geeks as he reviews movies and TV series. One of his focuses is on the MCU Universe making his profile likeable and appealing to subscribe in hopes he is writing more. I personally would love one about What If...?.

What if Donovan is the only Black male writer in the Vocal Universe? I would love to be proven wrong on that theory.

And I am proven wrong! [Excerpt added after publishing as I received these two phenomenal Black male writers in my inbox.]

Darrius Dickerson

Thank you for your service Darrius Dickerson. This writer is also a soldier. His first published article was four years ago and he is still a very active writer. At first glance, there was no doubt he needed to be added and quickly. You should know by know that I went straight for that first article, but I landed on reading his second and it was because of the title. How I Immediately Determine 'Blackness' Upon Meeting Individuals. Gave me goosebumps and say 'Yes Sir!' out loud. I know this is another powerful writer who deserves dedicated time and attention. Let's go learn more about Darrius together.

Clyde E. Dawkins

Clyde is a sports writer and villain reviewer. His first published article was six months ago being Villainess Review: Jillian (Deceitful Dating). Another review that caught my eye is Villainess Review: Anna Mill (Law & SVU) Anything SVU gets my vote. There is 26 pages worth of football and villain reviews. I'm about to go divulge in some villains real quick, brb.

This list is absolutely not the complete list of Black writers on Vocal. This is whom I have encountered and/or interacted with during my seven month Vocal journey. I feel compelled to share their profiles and stories because they need to be heard. Someone out there is waiting for something in one of these profiles; that message from the universe is waiting for you somewhere within these stories.

The women I have highlighted and the women they have highlighted is what we need to read right now. I have learned so much from these writers as a writer myself, but more importantly a woman. We write about struggles because who we are made us victorious over our struggles, not the struggle itself. Once this fact becomes accepted, we begin to move forward with a whole new set of skills. This I learned from these lovely writers above, individually and collectively. Thank you for telling your stories on the Vocal platform. Thank you for your honesty and courage. Thank you for allowing me to feature and support you. Thank you for confidently being you.

These profiles give you a wide range of journals to personal accounts, poetry, fiction, spotlights of their own, recipes, reviews, self care, motivation and so much more. I hope your subscriber's list grows with this article and these authors receive an abundance of hearted articles. Reader and writer satisfaction, what is better than that?