Meet Javone Gratton-jackson

We were lucky to catch up with Javone Gratton-jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Javone, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

I’ve used poetry as a way to vent and give my thoughts and emotions a chance to be expressed without being judged by actual people who may or may not have experienced the same things I experienced. Surviving is another way of accepting death, and I tend to balance my life in two underworlds. This means I appreciate life while having respect for this realm

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Javone, but I go by Vonpoetry as I navigate the poetry world. I am from East Atlanta, and I often use my environmental aspects as inspiration for my style of writing. I use this form of art to attempt to save others that can relate to my work to give them directions on how to heal without judgement. Each of my five books that I have on Amazon (JAVONE: A Georgia Boy’s Poetic War Story, Trapped In A Concrete Rodeo, Screams From The East, Sorry, I Forgot To Live For You, Writing My Ghosts: The Last Suicidal Letters), including six others on different platforms, has a mental aspect that provokes what makes each person human and their purpose of going through some form of battle so they can thrive amongst the living. I also designed my book cover art, my own merchandise, and preached mental health to different parts of my community. Recently I ended my hiatus of not performing for a certain amount of time, and I performed at “Poetry And Conversation,“ an open mic event that included amazing people that had a variety of great talent that was curated by Versatyle Thompson at Listen To Your Art Studios, one of the top spaces in Atlanta to share my art and an awesome way to meet phenomenal people. 

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?

I’ll say resilience, going against the typical way of traditional things (write my own story), removing myself from things that hinder your growth. My advice for the people is that don’t let anything or anyone determine how your path goes and continue working despite not having instant results. You can develop this by being your own hero, even though support isn’t always there. I learned that before I restarted my book publishing journey, I didn’t get a single person to buy my books, so I tore every copy that I had and went to another platform, such as Amazon. I kept those same titles but changed those poems and managed to put those ten or eleven books into one book (JAVONE: A Georgia Boy’s Poetic War Story) ever since I continued writing more despite negative experiences.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My mom stood by my side and supported everything I was apart of. When my older brother died, Jordan. She kept me elevated by pulling me to the side and I speaking life into me when suicidal thoughts and attempts clouded my mind. I thank God for her because she has went through a lot to take care of me and brother while sacrificing certain things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Javonethepoet
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonpoetry?igsh=emNsZm9zcDBxM2h0&utm_source=qr