Island Love is inspired by my time spent living in Haiti. I’ve traveled back and forth to Hispanolia nearly forty times since 2011. The unexpected suspension of my travel to Port au Prince since the year leading up to the onset of the Covid pandemic has brought about significant changes in my life. Each time I left Haiti I would have a plan for my return. For a time I had an apartment, and then lived in a shipping container converted into a modest, but reasonable accommodation. I knew that my room in Haiti held my belongings and that the island home away from home was just a few hours of flight time away. For years, my destination for work, advocacy, friends, and family time was Haiti. I had not anticipated that I would not be returning as I had planned the last time the wheels folded up into the belly of the plane as I left. I hold so much love for Haiti, her people, and the culture, and this piece represents the fiercely protective nature of the connection I feel. If you’ve felt a connection to a culture different than your own, perhaps you identify with the energy I poured into this piece. There is magnetism, bountiful energy, and a kindred connection that touches your soul. You recognize it when you know it.