Student Aliyah Wright, a junior majoring in history with a minor in journalism, is reclaiming her voice with the publication of her collection of poetry.

Her book, titled “Where Letters Were Found: From Penny’s Treehouse,” approaches her life in the form of letters written in the style of spoken-word poetry. Each poem begins with “dear diary.”

“A lot of times, my poetry is kind of like spoken-word poetry,” Wright described. “Sometimes I find it hard to transfer my spoken-word poetry into an actual poem, so a lot of it would feel like I’m speaking to you in a letter.” She added that the collection reads like finding her journal.

“You may be wondering who Penny is, and I am Penny,” Wright explained. “My name is Aliyah, but I resonate more with the name Penny. ... Sometimes, I give names to myself after experiencing a time of conflict. I am not a confrontational person, but I have had a lot of unwanted confrontation.”

Wright described that she feels that people have taken the power away from her given name. “Giving myself the name Penny is giving myself the power again,” she described.

“Penny’s Treehouse” became Wright’s description of her safe space, which was her house at Lakeside Commons.

The collection explores a wide range of themes, including love, familial relationships, substance abuse, Black power and Black empowerment, Wright said.

She also explores solitude. “I’m a person who has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, so I tend to isolate a lot,” she explained. But Wright is exploring healthy ways to cope and experience solitude, through journaling, meditation and prayer.

Though creative writing does not relate to what Wright is pursuing in her college education, it has served as a safe space for her. She began writing poetry around sixth grade.

'Poetry as an outlet'

“I used poetry as my outlet when I had no one to talk to,” she described. “I would never share my poetry with anyone because I used to think that my work wasn’t good enough to be shared with anyone else.”

But Wright was pushed by a friend to share her work with the world, which eventually led to the publication of her book.

“I always had the fear of anyone experiencing my vulnerability,” Wright said. “A lot of people share the same experiences with me. We all live the same life, in a sense. I’ve found that a lot of people have been able to share my poetry and resonate with it.”

Her book was published on July 11 of this year. “That was one of the happiest days of my life,” Wright recalled, but added that she was also nervous to return to campus, afraid that people might pass judgment on her.

“I used to think that a lot of people would be disappointed in me for allowing myself to be so selfless, but a lot of people actually commend me for being so resilient,” she said. “It makes me feel good, but it also makes me so emotional sometimes: to know that I am loved, that I am valued.”

Wright’s book is currently sold out, but she is hoping to plan a book signing on campus. She said that she is currently working with Campus Events and Conference Services (CECS) to plan an event where this can happen.

“I do want to get to know the people who are buying my books,” Wright said. “I would love to get the chance to perform my poetry, so that they can get the chance to feel what I was feeling when I was writing.”

In addition to the academic commitments, Wright works as a Welcome Center desk attendant with CECS. She is also involved with several extracurricular activities, as the vice-president of Bold Black Beauties, the secretary for African-American Empowerment Leaders, a co-concert coordinator for the Student Association Programming Board and as a writer of the segment “Freedom Now” in The Oswegonian. This segment is a revival of one started by accomplished 1974 alumnus Lawrence Watson, who performed at SUNY Oswego last year.

-- Written by Mackenzie Shields of the Class of 2024