Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecca Dupas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Rebecca, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I have to thank my mother for instilling resilience in me. She not only exemplified perseverance, but she also named me after my grandmother — a pillar of a woman. Although I never had the opportunity to meet Rebecca Wilson, her legacy lives on through my mother, who left her hometown with my sister and me at a young age and worked tirelessly to provide for our family. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including kidney failure, my mother never gave up. She is a kidney transplant survivor, retired corrections officer, and a devoted grandmother.
I’ve been given the example of and the calling for resiliency. The women who preceded me have shown me the value of bouncing back from adversity. Because of them, I have never faced a challenge I didn’t believe I’d overcome or a situation I couldn’t imagine excelling in.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Dr. Rebecca Dupas is a multi-disciplinary artist of poetry, fiction and nonfiction, photography, and costume jewelry. This award-winning poet’s work has appeared on Fox 5, C- Span, PBS, WEAA, and WHUR radio, in The Washington Post alongside President Clinton, and in the DC Black Film Festival. With over two decades of performance and event curation experience, Dr. Dupas continues to impact audiences with vulnerability and relatable messages. She is a two-time Poet of the Year award-winner in Philadelphia and Baltimore and was recently named a Baltimore Legend at Baltimore’s Crown Awards. Dr. Dupas is the founder and former host of 8 long-running poetry events, from Busboys & Poets to Apple Bees, and has pioneered diverse writing and workshop events such as Body of Work, Coffee & Critiques, and The Baltimore Host Retreat. Her latest books, Somebody Else’s Blues, Not Without Black Women, and a children’s book, Mario Goes to the Museum, are explorations into the Black experience. Rebecca, a Louisiana native, resides in the DMV, where she also works as a program manager, director of education, and performance poet.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Passion, vulnerability, and a sense of community have been central to my poetry experiences. My mother wrote poetry and shared it with me as a child. Her passion for art and vulnerability inspired me to do the same. I became the middle school student passing around her poetry book in the cafeteria, the college student performing in the annual art showcase, the young adult co-hosting one of Baltimore’s longest-running weekly open mics (at the time), the teacher with the full performance calendar who started a poetry club in each school she’d teach in, and now the seven-time author, the commissioned poet, and the longtime curator of poetry events and writing circles.
I’m grateful for the way these experiences were modeled for me and how they continue to hold their value. When we tap into our gifts and share them as instructed, we not only grow ourselves but also inspire others to do the same.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I am unable to summarize Bessie Head’s When Rain Clouds Gather, but the book has left a profound impact on me. I strongly relate to one of the characters, Paulina, who is determined, resilient, and fiercely independent, often to her own detriment.
The last chapter of the book portrays Paulina preparing to bury her son alone, despite Makehaya, her suitor, trying to help her. After some time, he intervenes and insists on carrying her burden. This scene touched me deeply. I can relate to Paulina’s urge to shoulder everything herself, but Makehaya’s generosity was a powerful reminder to me to remain open to support from others.
Overall, the book’s themes of resilience and the significance of community have left an everlasting impression on me.
Contact Info:
- Website: rebeccadupas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccadupas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccadupas/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccadupas/
Image Credits
Stylez So Lyte Photography
