Meet Michaela Washington! She is a beautiful spirit and an amazing poet. Here’s your chance to learn a little bit about her and what inspires the passionate words she writes and speaks!
Name: Michaela Washington
Classification: Senior
Major: Psychology
Age: 23
Hometown: Fort Meade, Maryland
On Campus Involvement: Deep Release Poetry Society, African Students Association
HC:Â How long have you been writing poetry/doing Spoken Word?
MW:Â Since I was twelve years old
HC:Â What inspired you to start writing?
MW:Â I always loved reading and writing, language was always my favorite subject in school. In the sixth grade my teacher had us create poetry books for class, each poem had to be a different style like a haiku or something like that. This led me to look at different forms of writing and different writers and it was pretty much a wrap from there.
HC:Â What made you decide to advance from writing to Spoken Word?
MW:Â I am a very expressive person and I kept getting asked to write poems for church events and things like that, but I found myself unsatisfied when other people read my work. When I write something, I can hear in my head the way it should sound so it evokes very specific feelings in the audience, so that is when I started really getting into spoken word.
HC:Â Where do you find your inspiration?
MW: I find my inspiration in various places. It’s weird because I actually started out looking up to writers like Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost but as I matured as a writer that kind of changed. I find inspiration by just sitting outside in nature, listening to songs by artists like: Billie Holiday, BJ the Chicago Kid, Chance the Rapper, Banks, Moses Sumney, from conversations, long drives, my life, and the struggles of my community, really anything. The slightest and most random things inspire me.
HC:Â How do you manage to keep a positive outlook?
MW: I really just try to stay in the present that is what keeps my stress levels down. I can’t worry about the past because it has already happened and cannot be changed. I don’t worry about the future because it isn’t here. I just focus on where I am right now, in this moment and how I can use every second of that day to my benefit.
HC:Â How does it feel when you’re speaking in front of a crowd?Â
MW: Before I get on stage I’m extremely nervous, shaking, and second guessing everything actually and I think that is something that will never go away. Once I get on the stage however it is like everything freezes, time stands still, I can’t see faces all I hear is myself and I completely embody the piece I am performing. It feels like this complete outer body experience where I’m watching myself outside of myself.
HC:Â What fuels your creativity?
MW:Â Struggle, love, passion, distress any strong emotion really and sunny or rainy days also.
HC:Â Do you have any performances coming up?
MW: February is a really busy month for Deep Release. I just had a performance on the 29th and my next one will probably be this week so look out for that.
HC:Â Do you have any advice for aspiring poets?
MW: I would say stay transparent and true to you. There’s a lot of poets out there, but don’t let that deter you. Find your voice and stay true to it. Speak your truth and the rest will follow.
You can keep up with Michaela by following her on Twitter: @MsChaela and check out this video of her performing at the Diskreshion Showcase and one of Deep Release’s Open Mic Nights!
HCXO!