I aspire to build, through language, interactive spaces of resistance and experimentation.

My work aims to:

• unmake colonial myths;

• construct interactive playspaces;

• subvert prescriptivist conceptions of language.

[FICTION]

Where Language Was Lost: A literary project that collapses the pillars of linguistic prescriptivism. This project engages with nationalism, contact linguistics and the Berlin Wall. It has received support from Zürich University of the Arts, Künstlerdorf Schöppingen and Nawat Fes.

Brother Widow: A historically grounded hybrid novel about war, witchcraft and colonial rule. It has received support from Folger Shakespeare Library and University of Miami.

[GRAPHIC NOVEL]

Dandara of Xangô: A historical retelling of a true story. In colonial Brazil, an enslaved African girl fights to escape bondage, raise an army, and wipe out the ruthless Portuguese military force that wants to spread slavery throughout South America. It has received support from the Arts & Science Council.

[THEATRE]

Dorian/Grey: A musical theatre collaboration with composer Daniel Lopez, examining intergenerational trauma that is passed down through nurture just as much as nature.

[AND]

In order to unseat patriarchal narratives of white male heroism, I have written several nonfiction books for young readers, including a biography of Venus and Serena Williams, a compendium of political pioneers and an exploration of the life of Mary Bowser. They are all published by Holt/Macmillan under the pen name Jay Leslie. Vive Toussaint, an examination of Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, will be released in 2025.