Entries by Patrice Gopo
A Moment Leads to an Essay: A Journey in Five Parts
1. My daughter and I share a plate of fried ripe plantains, a sweet taste that immediately reminds me of my childhood. “Mommy, are there bananas in plantains?” she asks. I pause. Bananas in plantains. “A plantain is a plantain,” I say. “It’s not a banana.” “But are there bananas in plantains?” she asks again. […]
The Collegeville Institute: A Place to Belong
On the first evening of a workshop entitled, “Exploring Identity and (Dis)belonging through the Personal Essay” at the Collegeville Institute, we gather around a rectangle formed from four long tables pushed together. We are primarily people of color. We are strangers to one another. We are not sure what the days ahead will hold. Enuma […]
On Parachutes and Literary Citizenship
Lately, I’ve been thinking about parachutes. Not related to jumping out of airplanes and free-falling until you snap your parachute open. Rather, I remember over thirty years ago and filing into my school gymnasium along with the rest of my first-grade class. We sprinted around the perimeter of the room for a warm-up, our eyes […]
Read to Understand: CML’s Black Lives Matter Reading List
When I arrive on the second floor of Charlotte’s Main Library, I notice the usual activity. Two librarians seated behind the reference desk, ready to answer questions. A couple of individuals shuffling through the bookshelves. A cluster of people seated at computer work stations. But there is also the sound of a soft quiet here—not […]
