Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaiya Washington.
Hi Kaiya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story started from humble beginnings. I’m a Houston native, growing up on Houston’s Northside, I truly adore my city. Life quickly taught me that “no” wasn’t an option. I became a single mother at age 16, and by age 19 I found myself in an abusive marriage, raising two kids. I longed for a place of refuge to shield the impacts of abuse, so I consider myself blessed to have secured a job with the state of Texas. I would spend the next ten years working to support my daughters and repair the life that domestic violence tried to ruin. I returned to school, to peruse a degree in Public Administration, and began a career in social services. As a personal rebranding coach, I obtained a Masters of Science in Christ-Centered Coaching Leadership and Change from Elevation Life Transformation University in Houston, Texas. Determined to provide a better future, I also obtained my Real Estate License and began practicing real estate, though writing remained my true love. At 36, I found love and remarried, and at 40, we welcomed a daughter.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t always been smooth. Raising my daughters on my own while carrying the weight and stigma of domestic violence was incredibly hard. There were few resources, barely any real support but plenty of judgment.
At one point, my oldest daughter and I were in therapy, and we finally found a great doctor who was truly helping her with her mental health. But then, without warning, Medicaid stopped working with the clinic. If we wanted to continue her treatment and preserve the trust we had built with that doctor, I would’ve had to pay out of pocket. As a single mother with no financial support, continuing care just wasn’t possible.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In 2014, I founded The Koco Kopies, a groundbreaking literary collection born from a desire to amplify the voices of everyday women often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Centered in urban fiction, The Koco Kopies celebrates the raw beauty, strength, and complexity of Black womanhood, ensuring that no Black girl grows up feeling invisible in the stories she reads. I also started a 501c3 pending, non-profit, The Sara-Faith Project, named after my two oldest daughters. The non-profit will serve as a “meals on wheels” but for low income households with children. We are looking to provide fresh meals and utility assistance. I believe what sets me apart from others, is that I take my trauma and rebrand it into triumph.
What’s next?
I am so excited to share my most recent work, the forthcoming memoir “Don’t Call Me Strong Black Woman,” is a powerful, soul-baring reflection on identity, trauma, and healing. Set for release this summer, the memoir challenges societal expectations and redefines what it means to be strong, embracing vulnerability as a radical act of self-love. I offer this story to every Black woman who has ever felt the weight of being “too much” and “not enough” in spaces that were never built for her. Pre-orders can be done with this link https://form.jotform.com/251423792454055
Pricing:
- Don’t call me strong black woman $15.99
- Mom, tell me your story $13.99
- King, tell me your story $13.99
- Auntie, tell me your story $13.99
- When I grow up, I want to be a woman Urban Fiction Novel $10.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amazon.com/author/kaiyawash
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_kocokopies/
Image Credits
Charlene Chinyere
iPoetic Photographers
http://www.ipoeticphotographers.com
832-443-8563
