In the Mind of Laurène Southe
Laurène Southe is an independent poet and journalist. Born in Austria, she always had a passion for writing throughout her life. She began her journey as a creative artist through photography, journalism and now poetry. Her projects are centered highlighting her experiences as a Congolese woman. She spreads awareness on the humanitarian crisis happening in Congo. Additionally, she shares her personal experiences that she values the most about her heritage. Her Poem, Ndako Na Ngai, was published by The Shadow Tales Reviews. Her most recent work, Silent Genocide, was published by the Brittle Paper. She released a book Child of Congo: Where It All Began that features a collection of her poetry on revolutionbooksnyc.com. For information on purchasing and future events, you can visit her Instagram page @laurenesouthe.
Her experience as a young, black writer has inspired many creatives such as myself. Her poetry honors her heritage while informing her audience about the events happening in Congo. Her work not only conveys a closeness she keeps within her poetry, but shares the growth of a writer who is passionate about her craft. Our intern, Sarah Dorme, has interviewed Laurène Southe about her journey as a creative:
Where can our readers purchase your book digitally/in store?
Revolution bookstore online.
Are there any upcoming events you’re attending that you would like to promote?
Book presentation at Revolution bookstore in Harlem (August 22) and book event at Sankofa in Washington DC (August 29).
What was your approach to activism? How did you discover your call to action for your advocacy?
I wouldn’t consider myself an activist. Some have perceived my book as activism, as a call of action, as politics, etc… But the passages in this book serve as a mere reflection.
Tell us about your creative journey. What pushed you to being a poet and author?
I have always written down my thoughts since I was a little child. It is only recently that I began to take it more seriously. I think like everything else in life; it is just fate. There’s some invisible force you can not explain that pushes you to one direction and no matter how hard you may try to escape, you will always end up down the path you were destined to be in.
Who inspires you?
I am inspired by everything. There is no singular thing that I directly pull inspiration from. My craft is deeply tied to my experiences.
How would you encourage other creatives as they come across writers' block and doubts on their creativity?
When I couldn’t get my book published anywhere, I asked writers what to do in this position and told me to continue to write; however, at this point, I already said everything I wanted to say. What I needed to do to get back to life is experience new things and indirectly gather potential “content” that I can utilize to continue writing. Your pen only has as much ink as you pour into it. Now just because this works for me, doesn’t mean that it will work for other writers.
What strategies do you recommend to help gain exposure for your projects?
Alongside my endeavors, I work as an online-journalist. This has taught me the power of the internet, even if I don’t always agree with it. You gain a lot of skills just by paying attention to how PR reaches out to people for projects, timing, what is considered relevant and what isn’t. But I’m not expecting all writers to get into journalism if they’re interested. And therefore, I see a lot of writers who mingle with substack and build their own communities there. Having a community will definitely amplify your outreach.
How do you incorporate mental wellness into your life as a creative?
I haven’t incorporated mental wellness in a very long time and that is something I urgently want to get back into. It is hard to keep a balance when every other aspect of your life is unstable. You need a stable environment, stable relationships, stable income and a routine to keep your mental state at best.
What were your favorite books or literary works growing up?
I haven’t told this to anyone on the internet yet, but there is a book series for children called “Max & Lili” which I used to looooove as a child. Our teacher had them on the side of our classroom to read during break time and she would make sure to always get new copies. One day, I want to have the entire collection of “Max & Lili” so that I can read it to my future children.
Describe the impact writers have made in your life. In what ways has writing influenced our world?
I don’t know that many writers have an impact on me; however, their output is what influences me most. And that goes for any kind of writers because behind every film, there is a writer, behind every song, there is also a writer. It goes beyond just books for me personally because I understand that most results are a product of a great writer pulling the strings together.
We are eager to continue uplifting creatives at every stage of their career. At theartistmedia, we honor the changemakers who create art to support their passions with ethical streaming platforms. We appreciate Laurène sharing insight on her experience with writing. Support Laurène Southe by visiting her website www.laurenesouthe.com.