#15 D. Colin: The only way is through

Multidisciplinary artist D. (Danielle) Colin—poet, visual artist, and educator—works in Troy, NY. We met a few years back at a New York State Council on the Arts retreat, where we had great conversations and stayed connected. After the pandemic, I reached out to collaborate on a fivebyfive concert. D and her partner, photographer Robert Cooper, joined us in Rochester for a performance at the Rochester Fringe Festival.

During the concert, D created a “found poem” from live-tweeted audience reflections on perseverance during the pandemic, while also producing original art. Impressed by Robert’s photography, I later asked him back to Rochester for a photoshoot with fivebyfive.

D and I set a date to chat for this blog on November 6—the day after the presidential election. I texted her, feeling a bit grumpy but trying to stay positive: “Good morning! Such crappy news. GRRR. Are you still up for chatting?” She replied, “Yeah, I’m up for chatting. It’s a hard morning of news, but it’ll be good to chat.”

And it was. Right before our Zoom call, I read a post she’d shared on Facebook:

“What are you doing to care for yourself today? Because tomorrow, there is work to do. It is exhausting. It requires endurance and conviction. What do you need today to wake up tomorrow? Because the work is not new. Only the day is. So cry, scream, find a quiet space—whatever you need to get back to doing the work that change requires tomorrow.”

This spirit of resilience—that “the work is not new, just the day”—resonated with me. I felt grateful to spend the next hour talking with her on this particular morning.

D began by sharing how poetry saved her life. It gave her an outlet to process and heal from trauma, and eventually, it became a vehicle for activism. She told me, “I wanted to use language to inspire others towards hope and change.” 

As a “teaching artist and curator facilitating space for creativity and healing,” D leads workshops, has a podcast, writes a blog, and hosts poetry mics. About the last one, she says, “I created these so people can express themselves with low stakes…poetry mics are a space where everyone can be a part.” She emphasizes their importance, adding, “You see humanity in others.”

In her work, D has written about police brutality, Haiti, xenophobia, women’s empowerment, and her experiences as a Black and Haitian woman in America. She sees her art as both educational and inspirational. Yet she notes the inherent vulnerability of her creative path: “I don’t know where I’m going. Artists have to be open and continually vulnerable. You have to step into the unknown and out of your comfort zone all the time.”

Her creative process is guided by listening—both to herself and to others.She talks about the “noise” around us and the need for quiet. “Every day, I want to be present. We need to listen with intention, to ourselves, so we can listen to others. If we can’t listen to ourselves, we can’t listen to others. I’m an avid journaler; it helps me to know what to spend time on and what not to.” D adds, “Focus your energy on what you want, and the universe will say, ‘Okay,  you’re ready.’ When I want to manifest something, I just talk as if it's already happening. We all have the ability to let magic help us do the thing we want to happen.”

D has a new play opening next week called Psalm 91: Releasing Religion. She told me she was terrified of writing and performing it, but she said “when people show up as themselves, that’s when people grow, that’s when humanity grows. This play is a labor of liberation. It is stretching me as an artist, but more than that, it is my testimony—an act of resistance and healing. The truth can be terrifying. But the only way is through.”

Part memoir, part poetry, all theater, Psalm 91: Releasing Religion follows the journey of the daughter of a Haitian pastor as she navigates the deeply rooted culture of silence within her church and family. Set against the backdrop of Haitian culture and the complex history of Christianity in America, she struggles to reconcile her faith with traumatic experiences and the unspoken rules that govern her life. As she grapples with her own pain, she has to decide to break free and find her own voice, risking her relationship with her family and her place in the church.

Performance dates and times:

Friday Nov 15 at 7:30 pm

Saturday Nov 16 at 4:00 pm

Saturday Nov 16 at 7:30 pm

Friday Nov 22 at 7:30 pm

Saturday Nov 23 at 4:00 pm

Saturday Nov 23 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at Psalm 91 - Creative Action Unlimited 

This production is written by D. COLIN, directed by Michael Kennedy, and produced by Creative Action Unlimited. The cast includes D. Colin, Aaron Joshua, and Angelique Nina, with the voice of Jean-Remy Monnay.

Choreographed by Hettie Barnhill

There will be a talk back with the cast following Friday performances. This production explores challenging topics and is recommended for audience members ages 16 and up.

What are you doing today to care for yourself?
How are you "working through” something?
What art are you terrified about creating but do it anyway?