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LadySpeech Sankofa The Thriving King by Veronica L. Holyfield
“That’s when I was like, ‘You can’t ever go back; you can’t ever not tell your truth; you can’t ever not speak your story. No matter what it cost you,’” ladyspeech explains. “Both my parents have suffered their own abuse, and didn’t focus on their healing, and that awarded me with some fucking bullshit. But, being able to bring that all on stage, releasing it, it was something that I couldn’t back up from.” LadySpeech Sankofa (she/they/king) is a force to be reckoned with and makes that strength clear in every breath, every movement, every mantra, and every moment. It has been a long, rough, and unyielding road that has brought them to this place of Kingdomhood, and yet, they remain steadfast in the pursuit of healing. In the first moments of conversation, LadySpeech takes us to a depth so far down, most dare never reach, much less allow others to bear witness. The topic at hand is identity, and as a Black, queer, genderfluid poet, public speaker, activist, healer, lover, and dominatrix, there is so much more emotion embedded in their identity than words can truly describe. There is nothing surface-level about LadySpeech, and we dig into a fully-embraced personhood that stems from an historical and personal foundation of trauma and triumph. “My identity is centered around healing, because for so long, my identity and my life revolved around oppression,” LadySpeech states, taking a long moment to pause while allowing the tears to stream down their cheek. “My life revolves around life, and the things
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that give me life. I owe it to my ancestors, my very Black and my very queer ancestors, to be defined in my joy because there are so many things hell-bent on my destruction.” Wearing vulnerability and truth like armor, LadySpeech leans far into the discomfort of those oppressive, destructive forces, and has turned it into intense opposition to the societal construct. Unafraid, uncensored, and resilient as fuck, they have gained power in taking back that personal agency and authority over their voice, their body, and their magic. “Our healing is our ancestors’ healing. Connecting with all of that, and the inbetween story, is a horrific thing, but the story of our magic emerges from that as well,” they say. After growing up in a Jahovah’s Witness household, LadySpeech’s dad was physically abusive and kicked them out of the house, requiring them to live at the houseless, youth shelter Urban Peak. They talk of feeling extremely isolated and craving a safe
