Sarah Lubala vs. Sentimentality

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Season 8 kicks off with Brittany and Ajanae talking with Sarah Lubala, Congolese poet, and author of A History of Disappearance. In this interview, the trio discuss navigating political history and conflict, the role of matriarchal figures in her work, hope as an exercise, and writing about love without leaning into sentimentality.

Edit: In our conversation, Safia Elhillo was said to be Somali; Safia Elhillo is Sudanese- American.

Until Next Time:

Here are some pieces of media to accompany your experience of the episode and a writing prompt to tide you over until we meet again!

• Toni Morrison's 'Good' Ghosts : NPR
• The Fight & The Fiddle: Safia Elhillo on Language
• Warsan Shire’s Portraits of Somalis in Exile | The New Yorker

Writing Prompt: Write a portrait poem, imagining a place as a matriarch.