PEPPER COAST LIT INTERVIEW SERIES, VOLUME 2
WITH
ARIA DEEMIE
This interview took place between Iowa City and Monrovia
Aria Deemie is a multi-award-winning journalist and poet, and yet she has a story waiting to be told. She is currently a senior student pursuing a Master of Social Work (Clinical Social Work) at Mother Pattern College of Health Sciences. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Social Work. As a professional, she serves as a journalist, social media coordinator, and fact-checker at Local Voices Liberia, a prominent local media organization in Liberia. Through her writing, she endeavors to unveil dormant thoughts in people’s minds and illuminate stories concealed in the shadows.
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Pepper Coast Lit: Hi Aria. Thank you so much for agreeing to have a conversation with us. You are one of the new forerunners of contemporary writing in Liberia and it is an honor to interview you.
Aria: I'm honored; thanks for the invite.
Pepper Coast Lit: Tell us more about who Aria Deemie is, where she grew up and what's the story behind when she realized she wanted to be a writer?
Aria: Well, I grew up partly between Bong, Nimba, and Monrovia. Then, my parents, who studied at Cuttington University, had work ongoing in Nimba and Monrovia so I was in-between. Becoming a writer for me is still a mystery because I cannot fathom it. Like, did I really start to write at that young age or is it a make-believe? Lol. But it's true. I have always been inquisitive, right from childhood, always wanting to know something. I'd ask what's greater than the universe; how was the earth round, all the what's and why's my little dreamy mind could imagine. I gave my parents headaches with all the questions; even after they answered, I still wanted to know more. I found solace in books! I read a lot. Our house in Nimba had a library and my dad's punishment was to send us to the library.
Whenever anyone misbehaved, I was hardheaded, picking fights (arguments, the family lawyer), and lazy enough to skip chores, so I was always there. But that wasn't the best punishment because that was my favorite place to be. Then, it got complicated because I loved being a puzzle of a person, speaking in parables and rhyming (if you know this popular old childlike saying, “I'll put ants in your pants and you'll dance around the fence, there were many more; I had to make mine up to be on top of those days of rhyming games with my peers, so then I wrote). I figured out that writing was more than that. The pen was indeed powerful and weighted more than the ordinary eye could see.
I could use it as an instrument of advocacy, awareness and to seek solutions. I've always wanted to pierce through hearts with my words and every time I wrote, it just increased the void. I wanted more. My dad was a big fan; on mornings, I read to him in bed. I remember, as a child, he got me a stalk of plain sheets to keep me busy. I wrote through all of them and at the end of the day, they had to be burned because it was “making more dirt.” My dad had promised to have them published, which he said was probably a means of keeping me encouraged. I could go on and on, but let's halt this! I knew I wanted to become a writer from a very young age, probably as soon as I could find my words.
Pepper Coast Lit: That’s so interesting to know, Aria. Do you remember the first poem you wrote? Can you please tell us about it?
Aria: It has been a very long time. I cannot remember the exact lines of my very first poem, but I know that I wrote a poem about God's mystery, the universe, stars, dreams, and fairy-tales. Also, having females on par with males instead of seeing them in the kitchen was one of my lazy fantasies to write about. Growing up now, I see how meaningful it was.
Pepper Coast Lit: We would be delighted to read it if it is still available. Do you remember what type of poets or writers in general you were drawn to early on and who influenced your own writing?
Aria: Even I wish I had them achieved for future purposes. I can remember So faint lines but not the whole of it and it's frustrating. So, a part of my childhood education was spent at Mary Laurene Browne School of Excellence and as part of the reading club, there's this poem by Sister Mary Lauren Browne that says, “Once I wanted to run, to run so many miles, in came someone with a voice beginning with what you can do. I loved it. I read all her books. I also liked a poet, Abraham, who wrote a book titled “The Liberian Dream.” It talks about corruption, gender inequality, the civil war, and too many societal ills. I'm sure I still have that book to this day. It really motivated me to see the bright side of poetry as a tool of advocacy. And in some parts of junior high, my literature teacher got me glued to the world of Shakespeare and I loved how beautiful wisdom could look through words. Later, when I thought of how I could use my words to go vocal, Maya Angelou’s spoken words and relentless courage provided a safe space to learn and grow from. I remember there's this book collection called the Babysitters collection (Stacy, Mary Anne, Sweet Valley Twins) that had all my recess taken away because I would buy them up from a book seller outside my school campus. Literature was my favorite subject in school and those writers whose work is prescribed by the Ministry of Education of Liberia made me eager to explore the beauty arts. I think a community of writers unknowingly made and impacted me.
Pepper Coast Lit: I, too, grew up reading works by Sister Mary Lauren Browne. Her writing is so profound and it touches on the everyday lives of Liberians. The poem ‘’The Liberian Dream'', I think, was written by Abrahim Keita. I am not very sure. Most of the young Liberian writers were influenced by that poem. It is interesting to know Maya Angelou influenced your writing. I have learned you are more attached to other fields than being a poet. How do you balance your life as a poet, journalist and social worker?
Aria: My profession has to do a lot of writing. There are times when I'm writing a report or doing some fact-checking and an idea pops up for a poem and the report is demanding at the moment. I'll have to do a voice note so I don't forget. They coincide with each other most of the time; I just have to discipline myself to follow the required tasks and what's on my to-do list for the day. I think poetry flows naturally for me, and I like to write so I don't see both poetry and journalism as two things that would clash, but social work does at times and it goes back to being disciplined.
Pepper Coast Lit: Can you discuss your poetry and how it relates to what you are presently working on?
Aria: I see poetry as a deeper way to connect with people and stir emotions. So, my poetry is one of advocacy and awareness. In all my pieces, I do not only flag problems; I navigate through challenges and shine light on resilience. From a journalism perspective, when we write in that style, it's solution journalism or developmental reporting and when we see clients through the lens of resilience and not just their problems, it's called the capacity inventory path or the strength perspective in social work and that's basically what I'm involved with in both social work and journalism. And one reason why I believe my poems always speak to people's consciences is because I evoke empathy. If I'm writing a poem about trafficking, for example, “How would it feel like if I were trafficked?” Death? How did I feel when I lost a loved one? How do I feel when I miss them? It's more like putting oneself in another person's shoes to know how it'd feel if it were the other way around and being soulful about it. Today, I worked on a fact-check report ‘Petroleum industry related’. I'm also working on a human interest story on climate change, which is currently not poetry related.
Pepper Coast Lit: We learned recently that you are going to be an author very soon, which is exciting news. Congratulations to you! Could you please tell us about the book that is forthcoming? What is it about and when and who is going to publish it?
Aria: Thank you! It consists of poems intended to share awareness about trafficking in persons, its survivors, challenges faced and resilience. It is expected to be published by the following year after being fortunate enough to have been accepted by Kwames Dawes and Chris Abani for the African Poetry Book Fund chapbook box set.
Pepper Coast Lit: Thank you, Aria. My last question is: What is your take on new emerging writers who are coming out of Liberia? What advice do you have for them?
Aria: I encourage them to kick out complacency. I see that many emerging writers are passionate and zealous for poetry writing, but as soon as they start getting more likes and comments, they think they're experts and they tend to avoid constructive feedback. I once had someone shamed online for copyright infringement. I reached out to them so we could work together to have them learn a little from the bits and pieces that I know and do their own work. They said they knew it and not to bother. Other times, when you try to reach out to help, they want you to write the entire poem for them instead of them learning to do so. I'm not an expert, and that's why I regularly engage my peers for feedback. Even experts never stop learning and advancing.
So, let them network and get around good writers who can help. Avoid fast self-publishing, as I just recently learned and get their works published in recognized literary magazines and platforms to have a wider range of impact. Go for more competitions (not the ones with online voting) by experienced judges and just continue to learn and explore their talents while being in search of publishing opportunities that can give them better exposure and help them sell a perfect craft.
__________________________________________________________________________
Pepper Coast Lit: Hi Aria. Thank you so much for agreeing to have a conversation with us. You are one of the new forerunners of contemporary writing in Liberia and it is an honor to interview you.
Aria: I'm honored; thanks for the invite.
Pepper Coast Lit: Tell us more about who Aria Deemie is, where she grew up and what's the story behind when she realized she wanted to be a writer?
Aria: Well, I grew up partly between Bong, Nimba, and Monrovia. Then, my parents, who studied at Cuttington University, had work ongoing in Nimba and Monrovia so I was in-between. Becoming a writer for me is still a mystery because I cannot fathom it. Like, did I really start to write at that young age or is it a make-believe? Lol. But it's true. I have always been inquisitive, right from childhood, always wanting to know something. I'd ask what's greater than the universe; how was the earth round, all the what's and why's my little dreamy mind could imagine. I gave my parents headaches with all the questions; even after they answered, I still wanted to know more. I found solace in books! I read a lot. Our house in Nimba had a library and my dad's punishment was to send us to the library.
Whenever anyone misbehaved, I was hardheaded, picking fights (arguments, the family lawyer), and lazy enough to skip chores, so I was always there. But that wasn't the best punishment because that was my favorite place to be. Then, it got complicated because I loved being a puzzle of a person, speaking in parables and rhyming (if you know this popular old childlike saying, “I'll put ants in your pants and you'll dance around the fence, there were many more; I had to make mine up to be on top of those days of rhyming games with my peers, so then I wrote). I figured out that writing was more than that. The pen was indeed powerful and weighted more than the ordinary eye could see.
I could use it as an instrument of advocacy, awareness and to seek solutions. I've always wanted to pierce through hearts with my words and every time I wrote, it just increased the void. I wanted more. My dad was a big fan; on mornings, I read to him in bed. I remember, as a child, he got me a stalk of plain sheets to keep me busy. I wrote through all of them and at the end of the day, they had to be burned because it was “making more dirt.” My dad had promised to have them published, which he said was probably a means of keeping me encouraged. I could go on and on, but let's halt this! I knew I wanted to become a writer from a very young age, probably as soon as I could find my words.
Pepper Coast Lit: That’s so interesting to know, Aria. Do you remember the first poem you wrote? Can you please tell us about it?
Aria: It has been a very long time. I cannot remember the exact lines of my very first poem, but I know that I wrote a poem about God's mystery, the universe, stars, dreams, and fairy-tales. Also, having females on par with males instead of seeing them in the kitchen was one of my lazy fantasies to write about. Growing up now, I see how meaningful it was.
Pepper Coast Lit: We would be delighted to read it if it is still available. Do you remember what type of poets or writers in general you were drawn to early on and who influenced your own writing?
Aria: Even I wish I had them achieved for future purposes. I can remember So faint lines but not the whole of it and it's frustrating. So, a part of my childhood education was spent at Mary Laurene Browne School of Excellence and as part of the reading club, there's this poem by Sister Mary Lauren Browne that says, “Once I wanted to run, to run so many miles, in came someone with a voice beginning with what you can do. I loved it. I read all her books. I also liked a poet, Abraham, who wrote a book titled “The Liberian Dream.” It talks about corruption, gender inequality, the civil war, and too many societal ills. I'm sure I still have that book to this day. It really motivated me to see the bright side of poetry as a tool of advocacy. And in some parts of junior high, my literature teacher got me glued to the world of Shakespeare and I loved how beautiful wisdom could look through words. Later, when I thought of how I could use my words to go vocal, Maya Angelou’s spoken words and relentless courage provided a safe space to learn and grow from. I remember there's this book collection called the Babysitters collection (Stacy, Mary Anne, Sweet Valley Twins) that had all my recess taken away because I would buy them up from a book seller outside my school campus. Literature was my favorite subject in school and those writers whose work is prescribed by the Ministry of Education of Liberia made me eager to explore the beauty arts. I think a community of writers unknowingly made and impacted me.
Pepper Coast Lit: I, too, grew up reading works by Sister Mary Lauren Browne. Her writing is so profound and it touches on the everyday lives of Liberians. The poem ‘’The Liberian Dream'', I think, was written by Abrahim Keita. I am not very sure. Most of the young Liberian writers were influenced by that poem. It is interesting to know Maya Angelou influenced your writing. I have learned you are more attached to other fields than being a poet. How do you balance your life as a poet, journalist and social worker?
Aria: My profession has to do a lot of writing. There are times when I'm writing a report or doing some fact-checking and an idea pops up for a poem and the report is demanding at the moment. I'll have to do a voice note so I don't forget. They coincide with each other most of the time; I just have to discipline myself to follow the required tasks and what's on my to-do list for the day. I think poetry flows naturally for me, and I like to write so I don't see both poetry and journalism as two things that would clash, but social work does at times and it goes back to being disciplined.
Pepper Coast Lit: Can you discuss your poetry and how it relates to what you are presently working on?
Aria: I see poetry as a deeper way to connect with people and stir emotions. So, my poetry is one of advocacy and awareness. In all my pieces, I do not only flag problems; I navigate through challenges and shine light on resilience. From a journalism perspective, when we write in that style, it's solution journalism or developmental reporting and when we see clients through the lens of resilience and not just their problems, it's called the capacity inventory path or the strength perspective in social work and that's basically what I'm involved with in both social work and journalism. And one reason why I believe my poems always speak to people's consciences is because I evoke empathy. If I'm writing a poem about trafficking, for example, “How would it feel like if I were trafficked?” Death? How did I feel when I lost a loved one? How do I feel when I miss them? It's more like putting oneself in another person's shoes to know how it'd feel if it were the other way around and being soulful about it. Today, I worked on a fact-check report ‘Petroleum industry related’. I'm also working on a human interest story on climate change, which is currently not poetry related.
Pepper Coast Lit: We learned recently that you are going to be an author very soon, which is exciting news. Congratulations to you! Could you please tell us about the book that is forthcoming? What is it about and when and who is going to publish it?
Aria: Thank you! It consists of poems intended to share awareness about trafficking in persons, its survivors, challenges faced and resilience. It is expected to be published by the following year after being fortunate enough to have been accepted by Kwames Dawes and Chris Abani for the African Poetry Book Fund chapbook box set.
Pepper Coast Lit: Thank you, Aria. My last question is: What is your take on new emerging writers who are coming out of Liberia? What advice do you have for them?
Aria: I encourage them to kick out complacency. I see that many emerging writers are passionate and zealous for poetry writing, but as soon as they start getting more likes and comments, they think they're experts and they tend to avoid constructive feedback. I once had someone shamed online for copyright infringement. I reached out to them so we could work together to have them learn a little from the bits and pieces that I know and do their own work. They said they knew it and not to bother. Other times, when you try to reach out to help, they want you to write the entire poem for them instead of them learning to do so. I'm not an expert, and that's why I regularly engage my peers for feedback. Even experts never stop learning and advancing.
So, let them network and get around good writers who can help. Avoid fast self-publishing, as I just recently learned and get their works published in recognized literary magazines and platforms to have a wider range of impact. Go for more competitions (not the ones with online voting) by experienced judges and just continue to learn and explore their talents while being in search of publishing opportunities that can give them better exposure and help them sell a perfect craft.
