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Cate Merkin, March 27th, 1991 - Present

 

Born in Dorchester, England

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Moved to Anguilla in the summer of ’95.

          My grandmother, Violet, was from there but set sail to England when she was 16.

 

She became a mother to three kids, Robert, Yolanda and Samantha. One husband, Royston.

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      Yolanda became my mother, and Andrew my father.

 

On September 11th, 2001 my parents separated.

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In 2004 my Dad remarried to an American woman named Jocelyn.

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In 2005, we moved to my stepmom’s hometown of Philadelphia while my mother, her bf, and 1 1/2 sisters moved to England.

 

I’ve been in Philly ever since. 

    

 

I have a B.F.A. in Sculpture.

 

I write poetry, I write songs.

 

I had a wedding themed birthday cerebration for my 30th and then met my partner two days later.

We live together in West Philly.

                                         love really changes you.

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I sing.

 

I’ve had depression for most of my adult life. My life has been significantly better for the past three years thanks to therapy and medication.

 

I’ve always tried to figure my shit out through my creative process. I’ve always wanted to be better.

 

I am so fucking over being sad.

 

    It’s not easy.

 

I’m trans. 

pronouns are she/they.  If you’re cis and not really good with pronouns yet, just stick with ‘she’. Keep trying!

 

Writing songs has always made me feel better.

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Sharing poetry helped me share my words without being so insecure.

Singing is scary.

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There’s nothing more exciting than relating to the thing you’ve just written. It sounds right, it hits where you’re feeling and suddenly you’re better,       just for a moment.

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