Deborah D. E. E. P Mouton Knihy

Growing up as a Black girl in America, Deborah Mouton felt disconnected from the stories she encountered in school, which were predominantly written by white authors. She longed for narratives that resonated with her identity, encompassing both true stories and mythologies that could illuminate her world. The myths she found were often ancient and foreign, leaving her searching for connections to her own heritage. Mouton reflects on how the language of her mother and grandmother began to reveal lost stories, emphasizing that mythmaking is not a lie but a creative act to reclaim narratives stolen by colonization. It’s about crafting tales that empower future generations, particularly women. In her memoir, Mouton celebrates and mourns Black womanhood, using her poetic talent to explore her childhood as a preacher's daughter, the complexities of love intertwined with danger, and her journey to motherhood. Her work is both timely and timeless, blending playfulness with intensity as she carves out a new space in the memoir genre.