My immediate family are from the West Indies - from Trinidad and Grenada - and I have relatives all over the Caribbean.
I am primarily, absolutely a Caribbean writer.
Two prominent terms, 'Latino' and 'Hispanic,' refer to people living in the United States who have roots in Latin America, Spain, Mexico, South America, or Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries.
I've actually been asked once or twice if I had some Puerto Rican in me.
My family were from Jamaica.
Creatively, I've always wanted to be different as it relates to my craft, and reggae, being a part of my culture, makes up a percentage of that uniqueness. The only definition I can think of to describe my style is 'OMI.'
Obviously, I rep Jamaica. I'm a first generation born Jamaican-American. My parents are born and raised in Jamaica, my grandparents are born and raised in Jamaica, my other family still lives in Jamaica, and I still go back there.
I am from Trinidad and Tobago, so I actually grew up in Tobago on the beach, just running around, playing, watching really creative people, and being exposed to really deep, rich stories from a young age.
I've never hidden the fact that I'm Jamaican; I will never disown my roots or influences.
My mother's side of the family, they're from Montserrat in the Leeward Islands.
I might be a Cuban American, but I'm also an Afro-Cuban American.
I was actually born in deep rural Jamaica and came to Kingston as a high school girl.
