Since childhood, I have been captivated by stories - whether through books, television, movies, song lyrics, or sharing personal tales with family and friends. Though I kept it to myself for fear of being pushed toward a more conventional career path, I always dreamed of becoming a writer of novels and television scripts. After completing my first degree in Spanish and History, I decided to pursue this dream by enrolling in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing at UWI St Augustine.
The MFA programme, designed for part-time students, required two years of coursework followed by two years to complete a manuscript. My first two years were magical: I learned the craft of storytelling, developed my writing skills, and connected with other creatives who helped me grow. I also had the honour of meeting esteemed writers like Kei Miller and Merle Hodge, whose insights shaped my writing journey. In particular, Kei Miller taught me that self-awareness is one of the greatest tools a writer can have.
A meaningful conversation with the late Professor Funso Aiyejina, the programme’s former coordinator, inspired me to write stories grounded in my personal experiences—exploring identity, self-discovery, and otherness as a young black man in Trinidad and Tobago. This shift in focus led to my manuscript: a collection of seven short stories, each dealing with themes of sexuality, acceptance, and identity formation.
With my coursework completed by May 2016, I set a goal to finish my manuscript within the next two years. However, life threw several curveballs. My contract job wasn’t renewed, and I returned home to live off savings, hoping to dedicate myself to writing. But instead of making progress, I spiralled into depression. The freedom employment had offered was gone, and financial struggles soon overwhelmed me, forcing me to take leaves of absence from the programme.
Eventually, I found a job at a call centre, which allowed me to pay off my tuition and return to my manuscript. My mother played a crucial role during this period, reading my work, staying up late with me, and offering endless support through late-night tea sessions with homemade snacks. By March 2021, I was ready to submit.
Tragically, my mother’s health took a turn later that year when she was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer that had spread to her kidneys. She passed away on September 30, leaving me shattered. As the elder son, I had no time to grieve - I had to organise her funeral, manage household responsibilities, care for my family, and support my grandmother. At the same time, I juggled building my Spanish tutoring business and fulfilling my duties in Rotaract.
Grief and new responsibilities made it difficult to focus on my manuscript corrections, which I received in August 2022. Each time I tried to work, the weight of everything I had lost made it impossible to concentrate. While I didn’t want to use my mother’s death as an excuse, I had to acknowledge the profound impact it had on me. The person who had been so pivotal in my creative process was gone, and I needed time to grieve.
Eventually, I realised that my mother would not have wanted me to abandon my dreams. I knew that if she were still here, she would have continued supporting me every step of the way. With this in mind, I found the strength to push forward, and submitted my manuscript corrections in April 2024. Finally, I was cleared to graduate.
Although I initially planned to complete the degree in four years, the journey took ten. But I have no regrets. The obstacles I faced taught me resilience and perseverance, and I now know that the love and the support that my mother gave me will remain with me always. This journey has been as much about personal growth as it was about academic achievement—and crossing the graduation stage will prove that no matter how long it takes, I am capable of finishing what I start.
