Overcoming Adversity Through Butterfly Words: A Conversation with Zelda Black

Writing can give a thought somewhere to go when saying it out loud feels difficult.

Poet, actor, and voiceover artist Zelda Black joins Jay to talk about Butterfly Words, a collection drawing on years of writing about mental health, the pandemic, and being LGBTQ in a community that did not always feel accepting. Zelda describes the pressure to fit in and the importance of being heard when asking for support.

They explore creativity as a form of expression, the ways school and community expectations can shape self-worth, and the difference between understanding someone else's background and excusing harmful behavior. The conversation returns to making room for a voice, both your own and someone else's, without requiring it to sound familiar first.

What We Explore

• The poems behind Butterfly Words
• Being LGBTQ in a small-town environment
• School, judgment, and asking for support
• Mental health and the importance of being heard
• Creativity as a way to express difficult feelings
• Understanding differences while maintaining accountability
• Finding a voice in poetry and performance

About Zelda Black

Zelda Black is a poet, actor, and voiceover artist. Butterfly Words explores mental health, identity, and personal experience through poetry.

Zelda: Books and creative work

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