About me
Kurma Murrain graduated from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and is a published Colombian-born American poet. Her works include the books Esta Soy and In the Prism of Your Soul as well as collaborative projects. For her most recent book Coffee, Love and The American Dream, Kurma was awarded Author of the Year by the Queen City Awards in 2021.
Her poetry and writings have appeared in online magazines and international publications such as El Tiempo (Colombia), Label Me Latina/o, Iodine Poetry Journal, Qué Pasa Mi Gente, (United States), and Focus Magazine in China.
In 2021 Kurma was one of the faces of the Latin American Chamber Of Commerce of Charlotte’s #ChangeTheNarrative video campaign. In addition, she was a model in Irisol Gonzalez’s mural “Lavarse las Manos.” The mural hung in The Mint Museum for a year.
Kurma’s personal story was featured during the I Am Queen Charlotte week and the coffee table book with the same name. She also performed her cumbia dance at the Blumenthal while her story was being told. Kurma was added to the César Chávez Liderazgo Hall of Fame by the National Council for Leadership during the Annual César Chávez Contemplation Breakfast on March 27, 2023.
What do you do and why do you do it?
I am a poet, dancer, and storyteller. I also work as the Coordinator of Community Programs at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC. These activities are intertwined as they are related to art.
On one side, I organize events for minority groups such as African Americans and Latin Americans that include music, live painting, poetry, and dancing among others. On the other side, I share my poetry at galleries, museums, libraries, schools, online events, as well as my cumbia dance from Colombia. I make people feel welcome at the same time that I make them aware of my culture, race, and language and invite them to create with me when I’m invited to teach.
What changed for you after age 50?
I turned 50 during the pandemic. I was used to making big birthday parties, but I had to be happy with 6 guests. I also met the love of my life a few months before my 50th birthday, so even though there was a pandemic, this birthday was a very special one.
There are changes in my body, although I look youthful, the laser eye surgery I had in my mid-twenties is fading. I’m feeling pain in my joints. I’ve had COVID twice, and the flu and it’s affected my memory. But I stay active and keep dancing.
I’ve had success through performances, interviews, and articles about my work. I feel responsible for my behavior and for how I treat people, which is good. I pray for peace, kindness, and compassion daily. This brings me peace.
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
I tell her to do everything possible to find happiness, peace, and freedom. In the end, all those things are already inside of you. Don’t settle for what’s before you and miss what you deserve. You are important, beautiful, and loved. Your words can change the world. Stop crying. There’s a whole world in front of you.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
You did a great job. You came to this life with nothing and with all the odds against you look at you! Well done! (standing ovation).
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
Being invited to speak at different venues, getting grants, selling my books, publishing more books.
Who or what inspires you and why?
All the women before me, especially black women who had little to nothing, faced terrible challenges and, despite everything, became great.
Viola Davis, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Serena and Venus Williams, Madam C J Walker, Nina Simone… They taught me to keep hope alive and to follow my heart.
My mother inspires me even though we’ve had an estranged relationship for most of my life. She taught me to dream big, take care of myself, enjoy little pleasures, feed my mind with literature, appreciate beauty, have good table manners, and to finish what I start…
Something else I’d like to share
I’m Colombian which makes me an Afro-Latina. People don’t understand my heritage. I want to teach them about my culture, food, language, dance, and poetry.
Photo Credit: Jeff Cravotta Photography
“Follow your dream. Don’t go left or right if you have a dream or a mission, don’t turn around.”
Kurma Murrain
The Brief
In this interview, Kurma discusses her life, particularly around turning 50, her career, and her passion for art. Murrian is a poet, dancer, and storyteller who coordinates community programs at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Kurma is passionate about her cultural heritage and actively engages in community arts, particularly focusing on minority groups.
Despite challenges, including celebrating her 50th birthday and getting married during the COVID-19 lockdown,
Kurma finds joy and purpose in her work, art, and personal life. She celebrates the importance of following one’s dreams and expresses how art and community have profoundly impacted her life.
Home
a poem by Kurma Murrain
Home adopted me in the deserted island of my existence
Where elation only came in waves of reveries
Disguised in concoctions and old movies
“Nowhere” was a place for me
Anywhere where my soul would be lost and forgetful
Where children never grew
Where there was a warm meal
And a story
Anywhere where the clouds were shaped like puppies
And a theatrical haze announced my entrance
To your garden
Or a busy avenue
Or a cemetery
That was home
Until you found me.
Be sure to connect with Kurma and learn more about her work.
