Mississippi Transplant: Nadia Alexis
"Living in Mississippi has done so much for me. I came down here to get a writing degree but I got more than I imagined. I developed a deeper relationship with myself."
What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? With deep ties to Haiti and roots in Harlem, Nadia Alexis moved to Mississippi to pursue her writing career and a slower pace of life. Little did she know that embracing her new home would lead to one of the most artistically productive periods of her life: “I had my first solo exhibition here. I went from having a poet resume of less than two pages to an artist CV that’s over seven pages. I became a cycle breaker, a birder, a nature lover, and a creative writing educator. I wrote books and I’m still writing.” Below, Nadia tells us more about the community and creative energy that make her feel at home Mississippi.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Harlem, New York City to Haitian immigrants which also means I am from Haiti’s land and water by way of my parents and their parents.
When did you move to Mississippi and why did you move here?
I moved to Mississippi in 2016 to make more space for my writer self, warmer weather, and a slower-paced life. I wanted to write books and I wanted a structured environment with a good community and mentorship from great faculty. I also wanted to be in the South. So to get my first book done, I applied to the University of Mississippi’s Creative Writing MFA program, and from there I ended up earning an MFA plus an English - Creative Writing PhD.
While New York is still home, Mississippi is too. And it wasn’t until I moved down here that I began to expand what I understood to be home. Home is more than a place and that is incredibly grounding and freeing.
What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?
Home means a lot of things to me. It means being in my body and feeling more connected to myself than ever before. It means being in community with people kinda like me–literary, visual artsy, astrology girlies, tarot lovers, Caribbean, Black, Black girl, survivors, thrivers, dreamers, doers, ancestors, people who love to watch birds fly, and more. While New York is still home, Mississippi is too. And it wasn’t until I moved down here that I began to expand what I understood to be home. Home is more than a place and that is incredibly grounding and freeing.
What do you miss most about the place where you’re from?
The people. Specifically my friends, family, and other community members. But FaceTimes, texts, and phone calls help. I also miss going to Konpa dance classes and parties. It’s a type of dance and music from Haiti. I try to go to the events whenever I’m in town and it works for my schedule. Konpa makes me feel alive.
How have you cultivated community in Mississippi? Who are the people who have made you feel rooted here?
This has mostly happened in my literary and visual artist life. The people who have made me feel rooted here are folks I met in graduate school–whether that be classmates, professors, coworkers when I worked at Square Books, or folks I’ve connected with who are from Mississippi whether they were in those spaces or elsewhere. Shared interests, shared spaces, shared dreams, and shared spirits.
Ultimately, I am grateful that I didn’t let folks' raised eyebrows impact my decision to move here because I’ve gotten the chance to experience some of the best parts of this place.
What’s the weirdest question or assumption you’ve encountered about Mississippi (or about you as a Mississippian) by someone who’s never been here?
When I first moved down here, people couldn’t believe that I would move from New York to Mississippi. They assumed that I would come back home with horror stories about my treatment as a Black woman. And who knows how wild they let their imaginations run? But Mississippi is so much more than its ugly parts. And every place has its ugly parts. Racism touches every single state in this country. It touches the globe. Ultimately, I am grateful that I didn’t let folks' raised eyebrows impact my decision to move here because I’ve gotten the chance to experience some of the best parts of this place.
How has living in Mississippi affected your identity and your life’s path?
Living in Mississippi has done so much for me. I came down here to get a writing degree but I got more than I imagined. I developed a deeper relationship with myself. And partly through my connection with nature, I developed a spiritual practice that led to me forming relationships with my ancestors and a relationship with God that works for me. I went from being a hobbyist to an internationally published and exhibited photographer. I had my first solo exhibition here. I went from having a poet resume of less than two pages to an artist CV that’s over seven pages. I became a cycle breaker, a birder, a nature lover, and a creative writing educator. I wrote books and I’m still writing. If I had stayed in New York, I simply wouldn’t have grown as much as I’ve done living here. Sometimes you have to leave where you’re from to bloom into who you’re meant to be.
Some people think you have to live in certain big cities to experience artistic success, find meaningful inspiration, or other artists. But there are artists here, whether they are Mississippi natives or from elsewhere, whether they are known or lesser-known.
What is something that you’ve learned about Mississippi only by living here? In what ways has Mississippi lived up to your expectations?
Living in Mississippi has expanded my understanding of where and how inspiration can be found. Some people think you have to live in certain big cities to experience artistic success, find meaningful inspiration, or other artists. But there are artists here, whether they are Mississippi natives or from elsewhere, whether they are known or lesser-known. I see Mississippi as a place that nurtures artists, whether we’re talking about institutions, communities, supporters, or the land.
Have you ever thought about moving away? Does a sense of duty keep you rooted here? Do you have a “tipping point”?
Since I’ve lived and traveled elsewhere, the idea of moving has crossed my mind. Particularly, when I was in grad school and planning my next steps after graduation. However, I feel a deep sense of commitment to the work I do here, which includes tending to my creative projects and teaching talented youth writers in my day job or in summer camps. Part of me sees it as giving back to the state that has given so much to me. And there’s so much talent here. I love being part of nurturing the next generation of successful writers. They inspire me to be a better artist. And if I were ever to leave, I would miss it. My decision would be informed by my belief in alignment and being true to what feels aligned to oneself at a given moment in time. It would be about how I can meaningfully contribute to the next place and all the ways I can grow there in expected and unexpected ways.
And there’s so much talent here. I love being part of nurturing the next generation of successful writers. They inspire me to be a better artist.
What do you wish the rest of the country understood about Mississippi?
That Mississippi is so much more than their limited imaginings about this place.
Do you have a favorite Mississippi writer, artist, or musician who you think everyone needs to know about?
Justin Hardiman is my favorite Mississippi photographer and one of my favorite photographers period. The way he photographs Mississippians is just marvelous. Each image, an offering.
If you had one billion dollars to invest in Mississippi, how would you spend your money?
I’d invest in the artists, arts organizations, public schools including creating a personal development fund for teachers, infrastructure, bookstores in more towns, endowment so the money grows, and more.
What or who do you want to shamelessly promote? (It can absolutely be a project you’re working on, or something you are involved in.)
Southwest Mississippi Multiplex for Early Innovative Intervention Studies (SMMEIIS) is a wonderful organization in McComb, MS, that offers literacy and arts programs. Clinnesha D. Sibley leads the organization and one of their major events is their annual literary festival held in February. It’s such a welcoming space and a wonderful thing to see what Clinnesha and her team are doing for southwest Mississippi. Recently, she directed Pike County Little Theatre’s production of A Raisin in the Sun, and it was such an amazing production that I had the pleasure of witnessing. I believe SMMEIIS and Pike County Little Theatre are examples of some of the best of what Mississippi has to offer, and there’s such a multitude of those kinds of offerings sprinkled throughout the state. My hope is that they continue to thrive in new and wonderful ways.