The Braid Blog

A literary billet-doux to the African world.

Hi! I’m Joy, a Louisiana-born, Nigerian-American writer who’s obsessed with literature, research, and the untold histories of Africa and the Black diaspora. The Braid Blog is where I weave it all together: memory, literature, culture, and the quiet power in our everyday lives. Think of this space as part archive, part altar–always an offering.

I’d love to connect! Feel free to visit my socials below or send me an email xo.

Category: Poetry

  • Read, Rinse, Repeat: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by diving into Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X, a searing novel-in-verse that captures the Afro-Latinx experience with raw honesty. Xiomara’s voice shatters silence, reclaiming space for girls told they are too much and not enough—all at once. A must-read for identity, faith, and freedom.