Whatever shade you are, bring your light, bring your colour, bring your music and your books, your stories and your histories, and climb abroad. United as a people we are a million majestic colours, together we are a glorious stained-glass window. We are building a cathedral of otherness, brick by brick and book by book.

[...] as a writer, you have just one task each day, one battle, and that is you against the blank page. Every writer should have just that in mind, nothing else matters, just that one fight is more than enough to contend with, each and every morning.

The universal job of being a writer is to write, to write with empathy, to be brave and honest, to find joy conveying a journey and in sharing your passion.

This shade I wear, this outer skin, this isn't a lovely natural perm or a lucky all-year tan, this is my past, present and future, this shade is my identity.