Yaundeen Wright launches 'Teachers Are Human Too'

It was a night under the stars at the Hotel Four Seasons on Friday, October 28, when Yaundeen Wright launched her second anthology called Teachers Are Human Too.

Close friends and family of the Jamaica-born poet were gathered together to show her their full support. While she now lives in the United Kingdom, it was important that she launch her work at home in Jamaica, which influences her writing. Master of ceremonies Chris'N Coleman got the ball rolling and kept the programme running smoothly. It started with prayer, staying true to Wright's strong Christian background.

Guests were then entertained by San-Jal Richards, who performed Genetics poem I Will Wait for You, and then there was a duet by Chanique McLeod and Cleon Barrett.

Former colleague and teacher at Wolmer's High School for Girls Kavian Kennedy officially launched the book with a lovely background on Wright while giving the audience a touch of her poems.

"As her friend, I came to know, experientially, that she was not just the professional who would show up for work and be good at it, but that she was a whole person who had different dimensions. This is exactly what Teachers Are Human Too is about," Kennedy told the audience.

He highlighted how the anthology was 'Wright' through and through. "(She) is an unorthodox kind of writer. She is too blunt, straightforward, and transparent to write about anything fictitious. She is not the kind of writer to divorce herself from her work," he added.

Kennedy noted that with this book, all are encouraged to celebrate themselves outside of the workplace, and Wright eloquently showed us how.

Her anthology is broken up into four sections titled Teachers Are Human Too, On Becoming a Writer, Between the Cleavage of Religiosity and Eroticism, and Immemorial. Wright gave us a taste of each section, with her poem Cunnilingus being a hit among the audience.

Wright then donated copies to the National Library, and then it was time for signing as guests hurriedly purchased their personal copies as well as a few of her previous book, Beautiful Ebony, for her to sign while grabbing cocktails.