Author Talk: Life, I Swear | Chloe Dulce Louvouezo in conversation with Jodie Patterson

With essays by Eniafebiafe Isis Adewale • Lauren Ash • Gabrielle Williams • Lindsey Farrar • Nneke Julia • Elaine Welteroth • Meryanne Loum-Martin • Lili Lopez • Deun Ivory • Morgan Ashley • Dydine Umunyana • Adriana Parrish • Orixa Jones • Offeibea Obubah • Alex Elle • Kalkidan Gebreyohannes • Esther Boykin • Brooke Hall • Qimmah Saafir • Josefina H. Sanders • Julee Wilson • Shay Jiles • Danasia Fantastic

A mixture of poignant essays, gorgeous photography, and sophisticated design elements, Life, I Swear is a chronicle of transformation and growth by and for modern-day Black women. Some of today’s most influential Black female voices chronicle their private journeys, offering testimonies of living through pain and joy with raw honesty and unapologetic self-love.

In each episode of her podcast, Life, I Swear, emotive storyteller Chloe Dulce Louvouezo explores the nuances of our diverse experiences. In one-on-one interviews and personal prose, the podcast centers on personal stories that offer universal insights into topics relevant to modern women’s lives, from identity and family to trauma and motherhood, told through the lens of Black women. A catalyst for change, this revelatory book builds on the premise of the podcast by diving deeper into themes of mental health, identity and resilience. Life, I Swear is sure to spark lively, thought-provoking, and necessary conversations that encourage Black women to return home to themselves through self-examination and grace.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Chloe Dulce Louvouezo is a Congolese-American writer, mother, and advocate for women whose work is driven by discourse on identity and social psychology. As a storyteller, she supports creativity and belonging of underrepresented women and seeks to deepen understanding about and within communities. Chloe is the executive producer and host of the Life, I Swear podcast and author of Life, I Swear: Intimate Stories from Black Women on Identity, Healing and Self-Trust (HarperCollins Publishers, November 2, 2021), through which she explores nuances and insights around identity, mental wellness, and healing, told through the lens of women from the Black diaspora.  Rooted in her global citizenship, having lived around the world and raised in Niger, West Africa, Chloe's fifteen-year career in communications has advanced diverse and inclusive storytelling at domestic and global organizations addressing education, poverty, and mental health. She currently serves as Senior Communications Officer at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Chloe also sits on DC Mayor Bowser’s Commission for Women, through which she supports citywide initiatives championing health and huChloe Dulce Louvouezoman services and public policy safety for women. She is also a founding board member of HURU, which creates sacred spaces for rest experiences that foster emotional wellbeing and wholeness.

Jodie Patterson is a social activist, entrepreneur, writer, and author of The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation. She has been lauded for her activist work by Hillary Clinton, The Advocate, Family Circle, Essence, Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo!, among others. She sits on the board of a number of gender/family/human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, and is a sought-after public speaker addressing a wide range of audiences about identity, gender, beauty, and entrepreneurship. Patterson was appointed by the United Nations as a Champion of Change and, perhaps most impressively, she is a former circus acrobat who performed in the Big Apple Circus. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she co-parents her five children with love, education, and family solidarity.