Sandra Proto's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"

With my belly protruding and sweat running down my back, I boarded the sardined-packed E-train on 5th Avenue in New York City. This was mid-July of 2006. I was six months pregnant, but looked more like nine months. I canvassed the train for an empty seat and there were none available. When we pulled out of the station, I held on tight to an empty space of a silver pole, stiffened my legs, and swayed in the direction of our destination. Even though, I worked in an office and sat down all day, the weight of my first daughter made my legs wobbly. A woman of Jamaican descent noticed me and offered her seat. I was very grateful. I sat down (read more)

http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2014/...

There is a recognizable ebb and flow to the process of recovering our creative selves. As we gain strength, so will some of the attacks of self-doubt. This is normal, and we can deal with these stronger attacks when we see them as symptoms of recovery. As you learn to recognize, nurture, and protect your inner artist, you will be able to move beyond pain and creative constrictions.-Julia Cameron


Six years ago I was writing heavily. I was engrossed in my short stories and enjoyed seeing them come into completion. I also was performing and reading my poetry, acting, taking writing classes, and doing yoga. I was single and living my life as an “Artist.” But soon unexpected events in my life took precedence: my sister’s death, the removal of my left ovary due to a cyst, my miracle pregnancy (at least that’s what I believed even though my doctor reassured me at the time of the removal I had one perfectly good ovary), quitting smoking (this was a miracle in itself), marriage, my move to Long Island, and another pregnancy.

http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2014/...

I met Jacqueline Pitts at a play performance that a mutual friend had directed and produced. I sat in front of Ms. Pitts and eavesdropped on her conversation (LOL). She was talking about a book that she had written. My ears are always perked for anything related to writing or the arts. Her name struck a bell. I remember seeing her name along with the title of her book on another mutual friend’s Facebook newsfeed. I turned around after her conversation and asked her was she the author of The Children of Wasafa. She said that she in fact was. We shared our relationship with both mutual friends because all of us were connected through Rockaway, Queens. I was a former resident—and she— a life-long resident of Rockaway. The friend who play that we attended was a former Deacon at one of the Baptist churches in Rockaway, the friend on Facebook, is a long time friend Ms. Pitts has known since they were both teenagers and is a Community Activist that I also worked with.

That night, we exchanged contact information and became instant friends who shared our research about the African-Americans in Rockaway.

Below is my long awaited interview with Ms. Pitts:

What sparked your interest in writing The Children of Wasafa?

I was concerned about gang violence in communities of African descent; that is perpetrated by young people who are of African descent, on others who are of African descent. I am also disturbed about mass incarceration which is fed in some measure by gang violence and the trades attached to it.

Read More:

http://sandraproto.blogspot.com/2015/...