{"id":188989,"date":"2017-02-19T17:58:49","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T01:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/?p=188989"},"modified":"2026-02-12T17:22:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T01:22:20","slug":"dvp-interview-lateef-mcleod-and-aqueila-lewis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/2017\/02\/19\/dvp-interview-lateef-mcleod-and-aqueila-lewis\/","title":{"rendered":"DVP Interview: Lateef McLeod and Aqueila Lewis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Aqueila Lewis interviewed Lateef McLeod for the Disability Visibility Project\u2122 at StoryCorps San Francisco on March 5th, 2015. In this clip, Lateef talks about being a writer, and how he uses writing to create new narratives about living with a disability. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-soundcloud\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1360\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F308587204&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxwidth=1360&#038;maxheight=1000\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3>Text Transcript:<\/h3>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 01 starts: drumming on a drum kit]<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Lateef McLeod<\/strong>: \u00a0Before we begin I want to say thank you for doing this with me. I wanted to do the interview with you, because you are the one that I talk to the most everyday or every other day. You have been my partner in a lot of things this year and a half. Hopefully this will be one of those good adventures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Aqueila Lewis<\/strong>: \u00a0We&#8217;ve been friends for more than a year and a half, but anyway! [laughter]<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">So, let\u2019s start this.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a writer, and what topics excite you?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 01 ends]<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"><strong>Lateef McLeod<\/strong>: \u00a0I realized that I wanted to be a writer in the second grade where I realized I could create whole new worlds while writing words on the page. I really enjoy crafting stories and poems to express myself and how I see the world. I do enjoy writing about politics, current affairs, and personal issues. I have an unique perspective, because of my disability that I want to share with the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">There are many stigmas and myths about people with disabilities, like we are incapable of doing anything, we have low cognitive skills, we aren\u2019t sexual and so forth. So when I advocate for my disability community I have the responsibility to produce a more accurate picture of what living with a disability is like.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be a writer and spoken word artist?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"><strong>Aqueila Lewis<\/strong>: \u00a0You know, I think I&#8217;ve always wanted to be a writer. I remember maybe 4 or 5-years-old just really wanting to write. I wanted to be an author. I wanted to do a lot of things. I didn\u2019t become a spoken word artist until 2010, just really struggling a lot with life and trying to figure out how to deal with it, and so writing was my way of escape, and so I just started writing whatever I felt. Some of the topics that I write about deal with sexual violence, violence against women\u2026 I write about community issues, home foreclosures, gun violence with the police and the community, and spoken word was another push. I kind of felt like I was shy, and I wanted to break free. And I went to one of the open mics, and my birthday was in that month. So, October &#8212; Octber 20th is my \u00a0anniversary of being a spoken word artist. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Lateef McLeod<\/strong>: \u00a0Two\u2026 two\u2026 days&#8230; before&#8230; your&#8230; birthday.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 02 starts: clapping and tuba, piano, percussion, big band swing and jazz]<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">Yes. Two days before your birthday. Yes. Yes. I remember.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Aqueila Lewis<\/strong>: \u00a0Whatever. [laughter] Yeah, it is two days before my birthday. You&#8217;re trying to show me out. Like I said I had a lot of things on my mind, so I just could remember your birthday, but it&#8217;s okay. [laughter]<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 02 ends]<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">So you are a performer. We both share that in common. You do spoken word. Have you ever performed outside of California, or the U.S.?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Lateef McLeod<\/strong>: \u00a0Yes, I performed in New York City with June Jordan&#8217;s \u201cPoetry for the People\u201d back when we visited there as a group in 2003. That was the first time I performed outside California. I also did a lecture when I went to the ISAAC 2008 conference in Montreal. I may have performed poetry there. I can&#8217;t remember.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">I hope to write many novels, and poetry books. I also want to reach the highest stage for my spoken word artistry, and my motivational speaking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">It is an exhilarating experience to have your audience hanging on every word of your poem, and really getting the message of what you are saying. Especially since there is a tendency in this society to just ignore the experiences of people with disabilities. Especially in the media.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">I like writing erotic poetry too because it is a good vehicle to express my sexuality. When most of society is trying to ignore it because of my disability. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">For me it gives me the opportunity to create the alternative narrative of how I see the world and the world I want to build through my writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">What do you want people to remember you by?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><strong>Aqueila Lewis<\/strong>: \u00a0I want people to remember that I am someone who really wanted to go back into the past and heal. I\u2019m all about breaking generational cycles and curses that affect future generations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">What do you want people to remember you by? <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"><strong>Lateef McLeod<\/strong>: \u00a0I\u2026 want&#8230; people&#8230; to&#8230; remember&#8230; that&#8230; I&#8230; tried&#8230; to&#8230; be&#8230; a&#8230; good\u2026. man&#8230; who&#8230; wanted&#8230; to&#8230; do&#8230; right&#8230; by&#8230; God&#8230; and&#8230; everyone. I want people to remember that I tried to be a good man who wanted to do right by God and everyone. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 03 starts: drumming on a drum kit]<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">[Music 03 fades out]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Music Credit:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Music 01: Deadly Combo &#8211; Vacate the Premises (Gett The Phukout Insrumental) (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Vacate the Premises (Gett The Phukout Instrumental) by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.blocsonic.com\/releases\/show\/the-unattainable-re-mixx-instrumentals\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Deadly Combo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"> is licensed under a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Music 02: Tri-Tachyon &#8211; Little Lily Swing (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Little Lily Swing by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/music\/Tri-Tachyon\/\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Tri-Tachyon<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">is licensed under a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Attribution License<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Music 03: Deadly Combo &#8211; Vacate the Premises (Gett The Phukout Insrumental) (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Vacate the Premises (Gett The Phukout Instrumental) by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.blocsonic.com\/releases\/show\/the-unattainable-re-mixx-instrumentals\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Deadly Combo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"> is licensed under a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Source: FreeMusicArchive.org<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center;\"><b>Support Disability Media and Culture <\/b><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/donate\/\"><b>DONATE<\/b><\/a><b> to the Disability Visibility Project\u2122!<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3>Suggested Reference<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Disability Visibility Project\u2122. (2015, March 5th). DVP Interview: Lateef McLeod\u00a0and Aqueila Lewis. Retrieved from: <a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/p4H7t1-Nad\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/wp.me\/p4H7t1-Nad<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Image Description<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">A photo featuring Lateef McLeod and Aqueila Lewis, taken on March 5th, 2015. Lateef McLeod is on the left, wearing a zip-up blue fleece, a black tee-shirt, and a red StoryCorps pin. Lateef appears to be African American, and he is smiling. Aqueila Lewis is on the right, wearing a black sweater, a long earring, and her hair is braided and pulled back. She appears to be African American, her face is tilted to the left, and she is smiling. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Credits<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Produced for the Disability Visibility Project\u2122 by Geraldine Ah-Sue and Alice Wong with interviews recorded by StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the story of our lives. For more: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.storycorps.org\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">www.storycorps.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.disabilityvisibilityproject.com\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">www.disabilityvisibilityproject.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">For any questions, please refer to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/about\/terms-of-useprivacy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">Terms of Use<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight:400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aqueila Lewis interviewed Lateef McLeod for the Disability Visibility Project\u2122 at StoryCorps San Francisco on March 5th, 2015. In this clip, Lateef talks about being a writer, and how he &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/2017\/02\/19\/dvp-interview-lateef-mcleod-and-aqueila-lewis\/\" class=\"read-more\">Continue Reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">DVP Interview: Lateef McLeod and Aqueila Lewis<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":189031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[548705951],"tags":[7481680,16761,349],"class_list":["post-188989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvp-interviews","tag-new-narratives","tag-writers","tag-writing","post-has-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/sfb003126_g1.jpg?fit=5184%2C3456&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4H7t1-Nad","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188989\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}