Conversations with Angela Harvey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Harvey.

Hi Angela, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
This is a great reflection question and the first time I’ve been asked about the details of how I conceived and gave birth to my firstborn book, Poetic Alchemy: Seven Intentions for Healing, GROWTH, and Transformation. It’s an autobiographical poetry self-help book. I know that’s a mouthful. You could say it’s a poetry book supersized. To tell the truth, I had no idea when I wrote my first poem for the book in 2019 that I was releasing the poet in me, nor that I would one day be publishing a book of poetry. At the time, I only knew that the hurt and pain were constant and excruciating. My emotional pain was dispensed in words and transformed into healing through poetry.

I was a basket case: you would never have known from my journey that I was the one who ended the relationship. I cried every day for weeks, lost 45 lbs in four months, was without an address for six months, and honestly, I prayed often to not wake up. The poems helped me sleep, empowered me to live, acknowledged the role I played in my circumstances, and ultimately encouraged me to keep going and keep GROWING.

As if life wasn’t challenging enough, I had just moved to a city where I had no ties or family, and then the world shut down due to COVID. As I sheltered in place alone, I discovered that most of my pain wasn’t due to the loss of a relationship but the loss of my mission in life: to take care of others. During the pandemic, I discovered I was co-dependent; the ultimate people pleaser. I mean, what the hell!! This is an important part of the story because I always knew what co-dependency was; I’m a counselor, coach, and social worker. I didn’t know how I missed the signs, nor did I have any idea that most of my adult life trauma, heartache, and missteps occurred because I was co-dependent (once a co-dependent, always a co-dependent).

However, I’m thrilled to say that I’m now a grateful recovering co-dependent. That’s a journey we can talk about next time. LOL. Discovering I was co-dependent was key to the story of Poetic Alchemy because it prompted me to be clear about why I was writing poems, why I needed to continue to live a life of transparency, and how my journey of self-discovery led to my healing and transformation. Poetic Alchemy allows me to repurpose my pain while doing what I love to do: help GROWN folks GROW up.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Struggles?? I’m still on the struggle bus waiting for my stop. LOL. This book details my journey from hurt to healing and then to transformation. It took me four years to finally let someone read it and to make the decision that it was time to gift it to the world. Every time I had to edit it, make changes, consider creative options, or memorize a poem to perform, I was forced to relive that piece of my journey. This meant that I was constantly triggered and perfected my emotional intelligence game. I had to be able to identify, verbalize, and manage my emotions. Nothing smooth about that road! I keep an emotions wheel in my purse, my car, on my desk, and on my keychain. I can’t manage what I can’t identify! However, I’m thankful for the struggle because it continues to aid in my ability to self-soothe, self-reflect, practice self-love, and self-care.

The struggle also allowed me to stay focused on my why. I remember praying to God, “If you allow me to GROW through this and remain sane, I promise to repurpose my pain.” I kept my promise! Poetic Alchemy is repurposing my pain with the hope that every reader will move closer to their own healing, GROWTH, and transformation. Smooth road? LOL.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
These are a lot of questions and most of them prompt me to do what still doesn’t come naturally to me; talking about myself. However, this is a great therapeutic assignment. Wait, did my therapist call you? LOL I’m a social worker, motivational speaker, counselor, facilitator, entrepreneur, and a GROWTHologist; teaching GROWN folks how to GROW up. I’m also an award-winning filmmaker, a columnist, and a blogger, and with my first forthcoming book, Poetic Alchemy I’ll be adding a poet and published author. Whew, I did it!!

I’m known and respected across the United States of America; especially in the Black LGBTQ community as a facilitator of GROWTH. The National Black Justice Coalition just awarded me the Audre Lorde Wisdom Award. That was such an honor that I’m still waiting for someone to knock on my door to take the award back. LOL Seriously, I’m honored and thrilled to be used to educate, empower, and entertain the masses. The “things I do” all have a common mission to revive, resuscitate, and resurrect individuals, couples, families, companies, and the world. Knowledge is power and responsibility and I want everyone to be powerful.

In the moment I’m most proud of answering this question AND being obedient and not sitting on or minimizing my gifts but instead sharing them with anyone open to GROWING with me. The one thing that sets me apart from others is my commitment to being transparent. I don’t have any secrets and no shame. Anything that I’ve ever experienced that I felt could help someone GROW I’ve shared. Transparency sheds shame.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’d love for your readers to know that they are strong; evidenced by still being alive. I’d also like to encourage them to never consider themselves as GROWN but instead continue to GROW. Remember, anything that isn’t GROWING is dead. BTW I see dead people walking all the time.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://angieharveyspeaks.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/angieharveyspeaks
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/aharveyspeaks
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieharveyspeaks/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AngieHarveySpeaks
• Other: https://sites.google.com/view/blackrainbowlove/home?authuser=0 , http://www.thepoeticalchemy.com