Press

To dream is to resist. For poet, writer, and publisher Camari Carter Hawkins, dreaming is more than personal ambition—it’s a form of survival.

From her earliest days of journaling to the founding of Mama’s Kitchen Press, Camari’s dreams have always been an act of rebellion against the limitations placed on Black women. As she writes in her poem “Dreams:” are child-like and fragile
guard them with bubble-wrapped prayers secure them from shattering falls and thieves.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Camari Carter Hawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Camari Carter Hawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

I feel so lucky that the universe pulled Camari into my orbit, or I was pulled into hers because she is one of the most inspiring people I know. She is a talented writer and artist, who pours so much heart and soul into everything she touches. She is a light warrior lifting up the people and community around her, even at her own expense sometimes, like all nurtures.

I learned a lot about Camari. She went to a small college and hadn't exactly ended up where she thought she would be in her career. Filled with energy, she sang to us as she reminisced about one day becoming a concert pianist. She spoke of sadness in the retelling of a tragic incident as a preschool teacher. And of course, she talked about her hair.

Not that this has anything to do with the content of her work, but I didn't like the cover art. By the time I had held a book in my hand, I had already heard her perform some of her poetry and had a very brief chat with her. This cover art was not her. I mean, yes, it is a picture of her. But it was not a representation of the woman I had met. Camari was radiant.