We caught up with our $500 holla winner found out a little more about her interests, goals and how a substitute teacher made a world of difference to this up and coming journalist. It just goes to show, your encouragement and participation in a young person’s life can ignite a spark that may have otherwise been squelched. Check out her winning message and interview below:
Hey there Dominique! Tell is a little about yourself, what you like to do and how you got involved in poetry/rapping?
I love to read and write. It’s both of my favorite things to do. Also, I got into poetry when I was kid. In elementary I always wrote poetry and in middle school I did the same. A substitute teacher of mine approached me informing me about how good of a writer I was and told me about a writing scholarship he wanted me to be apart of. That’s when I knew I loved to write! Then later on in high school I became a writer for my school’s newspaper for about 3 years.
What made you want to enter the $500 Dolla Holla?
I was browsing the internet one day looking for an opportunity to write something cool and creative. Then I ran into your contest, I wasn’t expecting a prize or anything. I just loved that your project involved positive vibes.
What are your thoughts on what is happening in Detroit today with regard to your generation? Where do you see the future headed?
My thoughts on what’s happening in Detroit in regards to my generation is that we should get more involved with our communities. We should give back in any way that we can. And to encourage our peers to steer away from violence. I see the future headed in a good direction with Detroit as a whole. There’s a lot of investors in town with a lot of job opportunities for the people of Detroit. We need to stay informed and give this place a whole new meaning of the Motor City!
Do you think art/music/stories have the power to change things for good?
Yes, I think that art/music/and stories can have the power the change for the good.
How has the media negatively influenced things in Detroit?
I think the media influences negatively in Detroit when we’re “trending” for negative things such as violence, or going viral for silly things like kangaroos, or playing basketball in the middle of a very busy street. People from different places interpret it different and it can easily tie into people thinking that Detroit isn’t a nice or safe city.
What is the next big thing you are working on? How can we keep in touch and/or support your work?
Im about to attend school for Broadcasting/journalism. It’s my passion. With that being said, I’m always looking to write, create new craft and content. I have a YouTube channel (KISSESFROMDOMO) that I frequently post on as well as searching for good writing opportunities.
Well, thank you for speaking with us today! And we hope to see more of your work in the future.
Thanks so much for your time and this cool interview! I appreciate the opportunity. God bless
️