Victoria Adams-Kennedy: Nurturing Black Women Writers and Black Love through Art

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, host Rob Lee interviews Victoria Adams-Kennedy, a Baltimore-based writer delving into the complexities of Black Love. They explore her influences, including inspiration from Zora Neale Hurston, and much more. Victoria is a published author of two novels and a contributor to anthologies. Beyond her writing, she's the visionary behind Zora's Den, a dynamic support group for Black women writers. Rooted in the legacy of literary icons like Zora Neale Hurston, Zora's Den is a nurturing space fostering Black sisterhood in Baltimore and beyond. Victoria and her co-founders host monthly readings at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center, spotlighting The Fire Inside, a captivating anthology of poems and stories. With an MFA in Creative Writing and publishing Arts, Victoria champions Black women's voices, embodying the essence of authenticity and unity through Zora's Den.

In this dialogue:

• Victoria Adams Kennedy's upbringing in an artistic family has deeply influenced her creative journey, shaping her perspective on art and life.
• Delve into Victoria's unique writing process, which can spark from a single title, a character's essence, or a snippet of dialogue.
• Explore the inception of Zora's Den, and its purpose to foster a close-knit community and supportive haven for black women writers.
• Uncover the essence of the anthologies "The Fire Inside" from Zora's Den, capturing the fierce essence of Zora Neale Hurston's spirit in the written word.
• Take a closer look at the captivating monthly reading series "In Our Own Words," a platform showcasing the powerful narratives of black women writers while preparing to welcome the voices of black men writers.

Victoria shares her background growing up in an artistic family and her first experiences with writing and creativity. She discusses her writing process, which can start with a title, a character, or a line of dialogue. Victoria also talks about the motivation behind founding Zora's Den, a community and support group for black women writers, and the impact it has had on the writing community. She highlights the importance of community and support in the writing journey and the need for black women writers to have a space to share their experiences and stories. Victoria also mentions the anthologies published by Zora's Den, titled "The Fire Inside," which feature writing that reflects the fiery spirit of Zora Neale Hurston. She concludes by discussing the monthly reading series called "In Our Own Words," which showcases the work of black women writers and will soon feature black men writers as well.

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Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

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