Yold Yolande Delius

She / They

My name is Yold Yolande Delius. I am a Haitian American interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, New York. My work focuses on the artistic expression of Haitian diasporic narratives. I focus on academic writing, cultural critique, short story, acrylic and watercolor painting, and dance. As a child of Haitian immigrants, I am passionate about complicating what it means to be within the Haitian diaspora by engaging the community. I am inspired by the work of anthropologists like Zora Neale Hurston, and Haitian folk artists like Maxan Jean-Louis. As an Africana Studies major at Vassar College, I wrote a thesis entitled “Kote Nou Prale? Longing and Belonging in Brazil”, where I explored Haitian post-national modes of belonging as a result of migration to São Paulo, Brazil. To do research for this work, I was awarded the Larry Mamiya Thesis Travel Grant and the Black Arts Retreat Emerging Artist scholarship to travel to Brazil and Haiti, respectively. For this work, I was awarded the Marian Gray Secundy Prize for research rooted in community engagement. I was also an Ella Baker fellow with the Sadie Nash Leadership project, where I completed a workshop series called The Poughkeepsie Mural Project, which asked students how they could find their freedom through education. Today, I write for my blog and for other publications. I also work as a sexual health community educator, freelance artist, and yoga teacher.