Personal Project: An Invitation to Vulnerability

Why was it so important to share your story?

I believe that our stories are the architects of culture, and at W+K I’ve learned a lot about storytelling and truth-telling. Ovaflo was born from an honest desire and motivation to reach people. So the best thing I can do is tell my story and my truth. While working on this project I questioned myself on why a stranger would even care about my book. And my response to that voice is in the newspaper. By telling my personal story I trust that I will attract the community who will receive Ovaflo with equal appreciation for the craft and a true desire for this journey.

You describe yourself as ‘The New Yorker without a borough’ – how has that shaped your life? What does ‘home’ look like to you now?

The New Yorker without a Borough is a self-proclaimed title I created about two years ago. It was a way of answering that question “where are you from?”.  It’s my way of positively responding to this feeling of not belonging that I carried all my life. Though it sounds negative, the title actually means belonging to no one borough and therefore to many. Through my displacement, I see the city from a unique point of view and I want to honor that – because I have to. 

You are so vulnerable in your writing and reveal many hardships you have been through. What does resilience mean to you? 

One of the poems in Ovaflo opens on “I cry as I write this letter, the resilience I carry has kept me together. And though I cry I still hold on to the promise of this life.”  

Resilience is a necessity. It’s how we survive. And, it’s astonishing how much our bodies can take. But there comes a point where you have to release that tension. That release is also a necessity, and that part is above living not just surviving. For far too long we have celebrated and rewarded silent suffering for the strength it requires to hold all that stuff in. We call that resilience. I don’t want that for us anymore. There are nuances to resilience, and I hope we as storytellers can look at these narratives critically and challenge them. That’s what I try to do with my writing. 

How do you choose what and what not to share?

I love this question because I try to be as intentional as possible with what I share. I believe that vulnerability can connect us, but under the wrong conditions, it also can be weaponized against us too. So I try to be mindful of my audience and spaces when sharing personal stories. I also like to reserve some parts of the story simply because of how sacred and precious the details are, selfishly I want to keep it to myself, for me to dance with a little longer before the world knows. My choice not to share key details comes from a place of grace within me, whereas before I redacted information out of shame for where I come from. I’m proud of myself for that shift in perspective. Also, the story involves individuals who didn’t sign up for my degree of vulnerability, and I need to respect that they might not be at the same part of the journey as me in digesting our shared experiences.

You mention writing became your ‘sanctuary’ and eventually transformed into a form of self-awareness and wellness. Tell us more about that. 

Profound answers can be found between the binds of our journals. Answers that can be coupled with some form of therapy treatment. Answers for yourself about how you’re perceiving the world around you. But also, writing is a form of manifestation. So when you can be intentional and mindful of the story you’re writing, beautiful things can happen. 

Is there a specific moment or experience that writing helped your process?

In the newspaper, I chronicle the earlier years of my childhood and adolescence when my family experienced homelessness. One of the toughest things you can experience as a kid. I wasn’t in control of this situation by any means; all I could do was dream up new worlds.

What does Ovaflo mean and how did it come to be?

Ovaflo is abundance, is surrender, is succession, is love exchange both gentle and fierce. 

On my 26th birthday I created a chant, like a prayer over my life and the message “body overflow with life, body overflow with life” came to me. And I rolled into a freestyle; eventually, I wrote the poem “A Creator’s Becoming” featured in Ovaflo. 

What do you hope to inspire in others through your writing and Ovaflo?

A sense of empowerment – recognizing how you can create the life you want and, in turn create the positivity we want to see in this world (that’s what it means to Ovaflo). I hope you foster connection and community through this practice. I want to see more people living honest lives, embracing their potential and purpose, rather than building their lives around unrealistic expectations. 

What’s next for Ovaflo? 

The book is available on Amazon – whoop whoop! In 2025, I intend to host writer circles around Ovaflo and keep sharing my poetry around Amsterdam and hopefully beyond the city. So stay tuned!

Photography by Amber Paris Montalvo & Jack Welles

About Ovaflo

Featuring poetic interludes between each chapter, Ovaflo transcends you into a creative writing flo. Composed of 51 writing prompts, the book was designed for those who feel an urgency to write and reflect on life’s most sacred questions around purpose, meaningfulness, faith, and self confidence. The journal is designed to help forge an intimate relationship with your inner world, cultivate self-awareness, and create spaces of compassion and grace. 

You can purchase Ovaflo on Amazon.com and follow the journey on Instagram @o.va.flo and @amberparis.montalvo