From a self-proclaimed social misfit to an inspirational youth leader, Ekta Somera of Umkomaas has a distinct passion for words and upliftment through self-expression via the written arts.
The 23-year-old author and founder of the esteemed Paper Trail Literary Journal was recently the recipient of the prestigious Women of Wonder Award, which she said was an incredible honour. “I was so honoured to be surrounded by so many incredible women who are actively making a difference in their communities and it was an absolute joy to be a recipient alongside them,” she said. Somera has penned two poetry anthologies, Made in Poetry and Twenty-two, which were published earlier this year. Her work is known for tugging at heartstrings due to her ability to draw inspiration from her own misfortune and turn her troubled feelings into something positive.
“Made in Poetry is a collection of memories embedded in time. The book is divided into two parts – the destruction and the renaissance – evoking a journey of self-love and misadventure. Each part is filled with an array of poignant imagery, metaphors and vignettes to elaborate the essence of life and memories. “Twenty-two reflects on a year in the life of the author. It depicts spiritual growth in a transition from a caterpillar to a butterfly with carefully articulated anecdotes and imagery of nature, love and healing. Both books reflect on my journey from darkness to light,” she said. The young poet described her journey of self-discovery through the world of publishing as something incredibly rewarding and it was through meeting and discussing the craft with other wordsmiths that the idea of creating the Paper Trail Literary Journal struck.
“I used to post my writing on social media and I began to network with other poets whom I realised were a lot like me, so I got the idea to create a platform which allows emerging poets to showcase their work while educating each other. The name Paper Trail Literary Journal is derived from the concept of leaving behind something for others to follow. “I created the digital magazine in August last year and a new issue launches quarterly. I have created a virtual community for young writers, readers and poets to express their passion for literature and appreciate the art of words.” Somera said that the mission of Paper Trail Literary Journal is to inspire the youth of South Africa through modern storytelling and the vision is to maintain a digital journal that includes poetry, short stories and articles on important social issues as well as youth matters. “I am very passionate about youth development and my ambitions and goals involve creating more opportunities to equip young creatives with motivation to use their talent in bringing their dreams into reality.”
