In this candid and heartfelt interview, poet Kat Davis, known as ABlackKatsVoice, shares the transformative power of her craft and the wisdom she’s gained through life’s challenges. From using poetry as a tool for healing to navigating missed deadlines and overcoming shyness on stage, Kat opens up about the resilience, purpose, and passion that fuel her journey. With a deep commitment to inspiring others, particularly women finding their strength, Kat’s words are a reminder that no matter how overwhelming life gets, growth and beauty can emerge from even the toughest storms.
1.) Q: What role has your poetry played in your personal journey and in overcoming challenges?
A: My poetry has played a major role in my personal life and overcoming challenges because it helps me to heal by processing my emotions. I write poetry because sometimes life can be overwhelming in a way that’s hard to say. But when I write I know it can’t come out wrong because the paper and pen can never judge me. So no matter how much pain I may be in, or how much trauma I experience I always have a way to heal myself and that’s writing poetry.
2.) Q: How do you stay motivated when projects fall apart or deadlines are missed?
A: To be completely honest, it’s so hard to stay motivated when projects fall apart or deadlines get missed. It can be frustrating and makes it hard to want to keep going but that’s when I like to take a step back to remember why I started. I began creating poetry to heal. For that reason I will always be motivated because I remember I’m serving a purpose greater than myself. When deadlines get missed I have to take a moment and remember that I don’t have to be perfect. I can admit to being my own toughest critic so when I miss deadlines I take time to meditate, do affirmations and get my energy right so I can continue. Nothing is truly as bad as it seems if you have a chance to keep going.
3.) Q: How do you cope with the nervousness of performing in public despite being shy?
A: Performing in public is almost always nerve racking for me because I’m so shy. I don’t even know how to make small talk most of the time so even the thought of talking in front of a group of people is terrifying to me. But I genuinely believe in doing things scared. A lot of the time being scared comes fromm the fear we are doing something wrong. But with poetry it’s my story. I face my fear because my poetry is telling my story and that’s something I can’t do the wrong way.
4.) Q: What impact do you hope your poetry and performances have on others, and how does that influence your work?
A: I hope my poetry and performances has a positive impact on others. This has a major influence on my work since I write emotional pieces. I write poetry that I hope will always help others to know someone else can relate to how they are feeling. We are all learning and growing so I believe poetry is a beautiful expression of how it takes storms and sunshine to create flowers.
5.) Q: What final piece of advice would you offer to women who are struggling to believe in themselves and keep moving forward?
A: The final piece of advice I would offer to women who are struggling to believe in themselves is to remember to take it one step at a time. It can be so hard to keep moving forward when you look at all of your goals at the same time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed but that’s when it’s important to take a breath. Instead of focusing on what isn’t finished, look at what you can work on right now. One step at a time, you can accomplish anything if you are willing to do the work and keep the right mindset.
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