Meet Mikhayla Smith | Poet Laureate and Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mikhayla Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mikhayla, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I have never considered myself to be a risk taker, but have come to realize that in everything we do there is risk involved. You just have to make it count. Before I became the poet laureate, I went through a period of what felt like sheer rejection. I was submitting poetry and fiction, while also balancing being a teacher and a mom. With every rejection, I felt myself sinking deeper into imposter syndrome and regret. I felt that the rejections were people rejecting me personally. I had moments where I wish I hadn’t even taken certain chances, but there is no reward without risk. You never know what is on the other side of rejection. For me, the other side has looked like, being the poet laureate and getting to engage with my community through poetry, my first children’s book manuscript winning an award, working on an album with some amazing people, and community organizing in ways that I have always dreamed of. Risk taking has been the reason I am where I am, because what is meant for me will always be mine.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a poet, my art comes from my soul, from my spirit. I write whenever the spirit moves. I believe that my art is not just for me, but for my community. Becoming the Poet Laureate of Athens has become one of the highlights of my writing career. It has propelled me in ways I could not have imagined, but most importantly, has given me a platform to do more for the community. I have leaned and learned from a lot of people to get where I am today. I also learned the value of patience and silence. As a writer I go through periods of just living and silence, sometimes not even touching the pen, just living. That has become a great part of my writing. I think being in college definitely taught me the discipline of writing, and helped me form my style, but I learned a lot from just reading, writing, and experimenting. I don’t limit myself to just one genre. I am a poet of many styles, but I also write fiction, nonfiction, essays, short stories, etc. I think it’s important to be creative in whatever way I see fit.

The journey to being where I am at now, definitely was not easy. From having a baby my senior year in college, to the countless literary rejections I received, I learned the value of perseverance. No matter how difficult the journey is, I continue to keep going. People don’t see the tearful nights, the sadness, the nights where I am writing with a baby laying across my lap, and a toddler laying on my shoulder, they just see the fruit. And I love writing so much that I’m not willing to give up. Words flow in my head constantly, stories follow me. You simply have to love what you do so much that you are willing to make it happen, no matter how hard it gets and no matter how long it takes.

I want the world to know what is possible through writing, what is possible through words. There is so much beauty in our stories, in our living, in our being. I want the world to see that at 19. I became an author at 23. I became the poet laureate of Athens, at 23. I won my first children’s book manuscript award at 23. It is never too early. It is never too late. Your dreams can come true if you just keep on, keeping on. You can do it. It seems so cliche, but I am a living testament of what is possible.

That is what my poetry is.
A living testament to the beauty of black folks,
A living testament to what can happen if you keep going,
If you keep walking in that light,
If you keep walking in that love,
If you keep fighting the good fight.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A perfect day in Atlanta for me would look like visiting the Chattahoochee Nature Center. It is so beautiful. There is a part of the center where you can feed and look at butterflies. It is so magical. It’s a nice walking area and is super family friendly. I would also go hiking on the devil’s racecourse trail, that leads into the bamboo forest. I love that trail and the bamboo forest is otherworldly. Afterwards I would visit one of my favorite restaurants, Planta. They have all of the yummy vegan eats, and the best vegan sushi I have ever had. They also have fresh juice, which I would need after the hike.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I 100% owe a shoutout to my family for supporting me. From my sisters, to my parents, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles, cousins, and friends, they keep pushing me forward . My mom spent the summers making sure we were reading and writing. She did not play about our education, and I really thank her for that. I loved reading from a young age, and it has made me an even better writer. There are a lot of people from my native city, Augusta, that poured into me. From open mics to artistic collaborations, the people in my city have looked out for me. I also want to say thank you to my new community in Athens. The people in this city have rallied around me and continue to support me. They show up and show out. My kids always keep me going, as well. They are my future and I want them to see me as a full human. I want them to know that they can do anything if they dare to dream. My previous high school teacher, Mrs. Fortson, from Davidson Fine Arts actually convinced me to switch my major from journalism to English, and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. My college professors from UGA, like Dr. McKnight and Dr. Lavender, definitely showed me what was possible through literature. Also, Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Life of Church Ladies), Kiese Laymon (Heavy), and Dante Stewart (Shoutin’ In the Fire) continuously push the power of the pen. Their writing changed my life and I hope to move people the same way.

Website: https://lifewordsmjr.wordpress.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikhaylawrites/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhayla-smith-34190a159/

Image Credits
Jarell “Nikola” Stevens and PB Marketing