Harriet Masvosva is a Creative ‘ArtsActivist’, spoken word poet, literary enthusiast and the creator & host of the ‘More coffee, please?’ podcast. A first-year student at the African Leadership University in Mauritius, Harriet seeks to change her world by the power of her pen.
I measure the success of my poetry by the number of lives I’ve touched.
What is your origin story?
Writing has always been a passion of mine. I remember hiding my small head in dictionaries and novels when I was younger, looking for new words to add to my stories. I absolutely enjoyed it, so when I learned about spoken word poetry in my second year of high school, it was as though a fire had been fanned! As I performed my first piece, I realised how much I loved to share that part of me with my audience. It’s been quite a ride since then.
What memory leaps to your mind when you think about your passion for the arts?
I measure the success of my poetry by the number of lives I’ve touched, and in some seasons, mine is the only one. Over the years, I’ve realised that every human being requires reassurance — someone to let them know that they are not alone. I remember a time when all I could hold on to for mental survival was my words. I used them as an outlet for my experiences and feelings, so when I share those pieces with other people, I want them to know that:
- They are not alone.
- They will survive and rise.
How do you see your passion becoming your mission? What impact do you want your art to have?
The main thing that I’ve been trying to push in the creative spaces I’m in is rewriting the African narrative through the arts. Considering the role of the arts in global history, it would be prudent of us to use it as a powerful tool to transform our narrative. So what does this look like? It means encouraging artists to firstly study and understand our history through Art, Philosophy and conversation. This is something I am currently in the foundational process of creating with some of my colleagues, and spoken word is our starting point.
What help can you offer other artists in The Room?
Despite writing and speaking for 5 years, I’m definitely still learning, and I find myself growing through collaboration and conversation. I’m a strong believer in continuous improvement, so I can offer a listening ear to rising artists like me, and on a larger scale, organise and facilitate art expression exhibits through art sharing, open mics, slam poetry and drama productions. As a self-proclaimed matron of the arts, I am ready to help other artists fully express their ‘Africanacity’ through their chosen art form.
