Meet Writer and Educator, Rosalyn Damiana Lake Montero
Rosalyn Damiana Lake Montero is a rockstar. The Afro-Dominican writer is not only working on her book first book, but she is also an educator in D.C., a first-generation college graduate, a contributor to Las Caras Lindas podcast, and a fierce advocate to unite and educate the Latinx communities on issues such as the lack of diversity in Spanish-speaking communication institutions. Rosalyn’s future plans are to earn an M.Ed. and a Ph.D. in education to better serve Black and Brown youth in the DMV area.
Her in-progress book, Stupid Little Girl, follows an Afro-Dominican immigrant girl (Evelyn-Giana) as she navigates her way through self-identity, race, teenage issues, parenting her siblings, and her own baby on the way, while embracing her double minority identity in a rural area in the U.S.
Rosalyn currently holds a position as a teacher for SPAN I,II,III in SE D.C., where she works closely with the academic, athletics and student life teams facilitating and organizing after school activities such as dance classes, fitness classes, Taekwondo, and track for the betterment intellectually, socially, and emotionally of students grades 7th-12th.
Rosalyn’s hobbies are running and dancing like no one is watching. Due to her love for fitness, teaching, and being an awesome literary citizen, she is been active in social media during quarantine and inspiring us to exercise and to keep learning! You can follow her on Instagram ms.rosalyn_damiana and señorita_lake. Also, you can take one of her free fitness workouts on Instagram every day at 6 a.m. at lakefitnessdmv.
Plus today is her birthday, so happy birthday Rosalyn!
What does Dignidad Literaria mean to you?
It means freedom of speech in literature basically :)!
Can you share with us a couple of sentences that you were going to read during the Dignidad Literaria event that got canceled?
La Mujer Negra que Habla español
The Black Woman that speaks English
Aunque mis lenguas son Imperialistas
My pigment is the loudest form of revolution
Mientras aun busco un mapa indicando de donde soy
I am my ancestors wildest dreams
Soy el Desarrollo en carne viva…
Have you had many events canceled? Tell us about them
Yes, a few government and education conferences.
How is this affecting your work?
I’ll be doing online learning for my students.
How can we help you? (Promote your work, etc.) and how can you help others?
I would love someone to read my work and I could read their work.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Sopa!
How can we keep each other safe? (Emotionally or in any way you can think of)
Meditate and hydrate.
What are you currently reading? Any books that you would like to recommend us?
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins.
Any TV shows/movies that you would like to recommend us? (We’ll add them to our social distancing list)
Crime Watch Daily.
Any work from home tips?
Create a schedule.
Anything else you would like to add?
Be safe!
