The Beauty Files: Daniela Dampare
Welcome to the Beauty Files, a series where we will uncover the behind the scenes stories of our Issue 6 Beauty Contributors and what they believe about beauty as Black women artists and creatives. Next up we have Spoken Black Girl Beauty Contributor, Daniela Dampare, whose poem “Perennial Sweetheart” appears in Spoken Black Girl Issue 6 Beauty.
What inspired your piece featured in Spoken Black Girl: Beauty?
A clock that was hanging on my wall. When I was in my late teens, I struggled a lot with my mental health. I was getting ready to graduate high school and I was at a crossroads of who I was and who I wanted to be. I wasn't certain about a lot of things, but I was certain about my love for writing.
Four years later, when I was chosen to be my college's poet laureate for graduation, I looked at the same clock that I would stare down as a teenager. I was shocked at how much I grew within the last four years. I was in a better place mentally and I knew writing was my purpose in life.
I wanted to write an ode to the seventeen year old who was too afraid to speak out about what was going on internally; a reminder of how far I've come and how the journey made me a beautiful, strong, young Black woman.
How does your work explore or redefine beauty in your own words?
My poem talks about the process and hardship one has to take to grow fully into themselves. How we respond to that process plays a significant role in the outcome of our lives. We might not see it presently, but what we go through, for the greater good, can mold us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. The process is necessary. The process is beautiful.
Was there a specific moment, person, or experience that sparked your creative process for this piece?
I had an editor tell me that one of our professors was a "perennial sweetheart." I was thoroughly confused by that statement. He said the phrase was a poetic way of saying "an admired, popular person." I found out perennial was an actual flower, I instantly connected it to the term "wallflower," which is essentially the opposite. I knew I could make some sort of poetic meaning with these terms, and since I was already in a mood of reflection and nostalgia, the words came easily to me to make this piece.
What does beauty mean to you today? Has that definition changed over time?
I think a person's definition of beauty is ever so fleeting. One day, you think you're the most beautiful person in the room, another day, you might think the exact opposite. What really directs me to see someone's beauty is the personality they express. Having a beautiful soul overshadows the mainstream idea of beauty. Personally, I believe the most important step in having a beautiful soul starts with your relationship with Jesus Christ. Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Taking the teachings of Jesus and applying them in your personal and social life outshines the status quo.
Can you share a memory or moment when you felt most connected to your inner beauty or power?
I have yet to master the artform of taking care of my natural hair. Starting in middle school, I did the 'big chop' because my hair wasn't healthy, and I'm still figuring out that process. I was bullied for having short hair when I was younger so it was a breath of fresh air to hear genuine compliments when I did the big chop again in college. Besides the compliments from other people, I actually preferred the low cut on me the most. I contemplated keeping my hair low at all times because it really suited me, but I just want the achievement of having a full, healthy, head of 4C hair.
What role has writing, art, or creativity played in your self-expression and healing journey?
It played a significant role in my life and healing journey. I've always used art as a way to express myself and it was my pillar when I was in high school. Being apart of an arts program kind of twisted the way I viewed my visual art. I started to see it as more of a competition than an escape route. In a desperate attempt to find solace, I picked up writing and I haven't dropped it since then. Around that time, I realized poetry wasn't an art form indulged only by scholars and polished, pristine people. I took a go at it and used it to write down the things I was afraid of admitting to anyone. I used poetry to deal with heartbreak, love, personal turmoil, and questions about life.
Which Black woman artist, writer, or thinker has most shaped your understanding of beauty?
I would say Quinta Brunson has encouraged my outlook on beauty because she writes black women with so much intention and care. Her show, Abbott Elementary, is one of my favorite shows. The show portrays three main black women who are different ages and gone through different things in life, and she handles their character development with such detail and fortitude, all while being funny. She is such a truly admirable creative and her work is beyond amazing.
What music, books, or visual art inspired you during the creation of your piece?
Helium by Rudy Francisco is a poetry book that I will always go back to. His poetic writing and work is something I admire so much and his pieces are raw, relatable, and always tug at the heartstrings. I can never get enough of his words. Maya Angelou is another iconic poet I read a lot. I studied her work for my capstone project in college and her impactful words fuels my creative drive.
How do you hope your work contributes to the larger conversation around beauty and Black womanhood?
The biggest thing I'm learning is to stop being hard on myself and give myself a break. The best part about being human is not being perfect, and I have to really wire my focus on that. There's beauty in rest. There is beauty in growth. There's beauty in trail and error. There's a beauty in failure because it can give you strength to try again and succeed. That is a conversation I hope my piece can start.
What would you tell a younger Black girl about beauty that you wish you’d known sooner?
The words you say to yourself count the most. There's no need to be your harshest critic, but there is a need to be your loudest cheerleader. Revel in that weird, odd, thing people might not understand or encourage you to do. Take pride in it, because even if it has been done before, it hasn't been done by you.
What are you currently working on or excited about sharing next?
Right now I'm working with a couple of amazing black girls on a script about young black womanhood and finding a footing in the entertainment industry (shoutout to Lela and Aissa!!!)
More About Daniela:
Daniela Dampare is an award-winning, African Canadian poet and writer born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She graduated with an Honors Bachelors in Creative Writing and Publishing from Sheridan College, and was the college's poet laureate in 2024. She was picked as a finalist in Stage 32's TV Comedy Screenwriting Competition, and a quarterfinalist in Final Draft's Big Break Screenwriting Competition. She works as a script consultant for Darius Films, and her hope is to be a showrunner one day.
Website:
https://danieladampare.journoportfolio.com/
Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/sk.daniela_/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@urstruly.dani | Twitter (X): https://x.com/urstruly_dani
