Bio

          My name is Maunalokelani Kirkwood. As an adult I have come to recognize my decisions in life should not be based off of my parents decisions. I did not understand that as a child or a teenager, I thought everything should be based off of their approval. When I lost my mother in 2016 my world changed immensely; more than ever I turned to writing poetry and short stories. Mostly because when I write it is a reflection of my emotions and what's truly inside of me. These things I cannot express with speaking or actions so I write scenarios or fantasies of how I wish I could react. There are many ideas inside of my head but I am constantly afraid of putting them on paper. Other than writing I enjoy taking photos of nature, playing the piano, and bowling when I have the time. Today I am a different person than I was years ago experiences have altered my perceptions and my educational journey at Laney has helped me to uncover parts of me I did not know existed. My journey has a person has been difficult. However I am excited to see where I go from here. My ultimate goal is to start teaching English in other countries. Especially in Japan it is one of my favorite countries I hope to live there within the next five or six years.