Hello

My upcoming poetry collection, tentatively entitled Saudade, draws inspiration from a word in my half-native language of Portuguese—one that is often lost in translation. The closest word from the English language is nostalgia, but what makes the word more tender is that while nostalgia comes from yearning from the past, Saudade is the longing for something that is absent or no longer around, the longing for an experience that never was, a sentiment which had become a pattern in my life.

My collection delves into the complexities of femme identity as it intersects with disability, ethnicity, queerness, and mental health issues. Through my writing, I aim to showcase a sense of self that guides readers through my understanding of these complexities and how these perspectives change to become ones that are not defined by shame and regret but rather embraced and valued. I believe that diverse perspectives are crucial in promoting empathy and understanding in order to break down the barriers of societal structures and to bring forward these issues in larger marginalized communities.