Itiyopiya Ewart

My name is Itiyopiya. I am a lover of family, language, arts and culture. I am mother to the wonderful duo, Tatek and Trelawney. I identify as Black, woman, cis-gendered, hetero. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, I grew up on the edges of where academia met with street life, where Rastafari met with the traditional Black Baptist church and where incessant pain was met with unrelenting hope. I hold a love and curiosity about people and their personal stories. I have deep roots in radical alternative living blended with customs considered traditional and normative. I have the privilege of formal education and globe trekking.  I believe in my ancestors, freedom fighters, the ability to disrupt white supremacy and the understanding that these systems of injustice do not want to change. I am human. I have internalized the oppression of my people and struggle with shame and guilt about where I come from. I am learning to dismantle any beliefs that are harmful to my well-being and my quality of life. My life is the intersection of race, resilience, authenticity and empathy. I look to share what I have learned with the world.