In her debut collection, The Whisper, The Storm and The Light in Between, Clara vulnerably reveals her experience as a racialized being surviving Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and colonization. She describes her work as a "poetic memoir of diasporic despair and delight," where she speaks to the trauma, healing, and growth that comes with discovering your most authentic self. Every poem takes you on an emotional ride through the struggle of learning who you are and embracing the love you deserve.
Clara Olivo (she/her/ella) is an Afro-Salvi poet living in diaspora. Born and raised in South Central L.A. to Salvadorean refugees, Clara weaves history and lived experience, creating transcendental poetry that amplifies ancestral power and pride.A chef by trade, Clara took her love of the kitchen into the nonprofit sector in 2007 where she combined her passion for food with her love of community building. For over ten years, she worked in urban agriculture, nutrition education, and food access in Houston, Texas before moving to Seattle, Washington in 2017.In 2020, her work shifted from working the frontlines to taking up space in leadership roles and side hustling as a racial equity consultant within nonprofits-a challenge and duty she currently embraces and executes. She firmly believes that by sharing her lived experience and analysis of oppressive systems, she can challenge and transform the nonprofit world and all they touch.Writing for her lost inner child, Clara steps into her poetry with the intention of healing the hurts of her past and inspiring hope for the future. Since finding her voice, she has performed in open mics and art receptions from Seattle to Washington D.C., and has been featured in publications such as The South Seattle Emerald, Valiant Scribe, and Quiet Lightning's Literary Mixtape.In her debut collection, The Whisper, The Storm and The Light in Between, Clara vulnerably reveals her experience as a racialized being surviving Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and colonization. She describes her work as a "poetic memoir of diasporic despair and delight," where she speaks to the trauma, healing, and growth that comes with discovering your most authentic self. Every poem takes you on an emotional ride through the struggle of learning who you are and embracing the love you deserve.Clara lives in a quiet home on unceded Duwamish land with her partner, dog, and an ever-growing number of plants. You can follow her on Instagram @HijaDeMilagro and @TheDiasporicConnection and become a part of her journey.
