It’s not every day you come across a best-selling author who also happens to be a full-time college student. However, Margaret Daramola, a spoken word poet, and student-athlete at Hampton University is changing that narrative. Margaret Daramola is a second-year English major with a concentration in Creative Writing, from Bern, Switzerland.
Earlier this month, she publicly released her first book, A Pathway Through Survival, which is a collection of poems that walks through the process of healing by highlighting themes of love, heartbreak, hopelessness, growth, and more. After the release of her book, she climbed her way up to the top of Amazon’s African Poetry list as the #1 best-seller. Keep reading to learn more about her, her new book and what the future has in store for Margaret Daramola.
RH: How does it feel to have released your first book?
MD: Actually, I had finished writing the book long before I had my book launch. I just felt like I wasn’t ready at the moment to release it. I was really thinking about how it was going to be received. Then I realized that it was no longer about me or what I thought about it. It’s about the need for the world to receive the message inside the book. I think that was the switch that had to be made for me to be able to release it. I am happy people are receiving and enjoying it. I feel like a mother giving birth to a child in a sense. (laughs)
RH: What made you decide that you wanted to write this book and where did the inspiration come from?
MD: Before I decided to start writing this book, I already wrote poetry, which was my way of expressing myself. For instance, if I was going through something and didn’t know how to voice it out , I would just write it down and slowly watch the words gain meaning, from there I’d come to a deeper understanding of myself, the situation troubling me, and ultimately, the world around me.It was really beautiful to see how these words turned the pain into something far greater and essentially art. Later in my life, as I was withstanding a dry season, I decided to turn my experiences and observations into a book; journaling my journey from point A to point B, as a reminder that dry seasons do not last forever. That’s where A Pathway Through Survival was born.
RH: Whom would you say you created this book for, and what can one expect to gain from reading, A Pathway Through Survival?
MD: I created this book for anyone who may be going through difficult times or just feel like they are in the valley and see no way out. I created this book to bring hope to that person and remind them that there is a brighter future ahead of them. This book is also a triumph medal for those who have already overcome trials in their life and can hopefully look back and see how far they have come.
RH: Would you consider the book spiritual in terms of religion?
MD: Yes, but not only. I say yes because I do talk about finding peace in God, but every poem is not solely about that. If you don’t identify as religious or a Christian, you can still see yourself in this book and take away valuable lessons.
RH: What are some of your favorite books and poems you are currently reading or have read in the past that you recommend?
MD: I recommend Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo. It’s a book of poetry and the author is a Nigerian-American poet and her words are really powerful. I also loved reading Flowers On The Moon by Billy Chapata.
RH: What’s next for you now that this book is released?
MD: That’s a good question. (laughs) Really just to keep getting it out there for people to read and eventually get it into the academic field and see how scholars can relate and analyze the book from a more formal, academic perspective.
A Pathway To Survival is now available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other Swiss bookstores. Find out more about Margaret on her website www.maggiedaramola.com and follow her on Instagram to keep up with her and what’s next for the best-selling student-athlete, author and poet.