On the evening of August 31, beneath the open sky at Vineyard Gardens, I experienced one of the most meaningful moments of my life: the Dear Fellow Warrior Book Release Soirée. The garden transformed into something sacred that night—a runway of resilience, a gathering of community, and a celebration of everything I’ve survived and created. From the models who brought my handmade designs to life, to the soulful music, to the food and drinks that carried us through the evening, it felt like a dream stitched together by love, loss, and triumph.
On August 31, Dear Fellow Warrior came alive at Vineyard Gardens in West Tisbury. The event marked a first — Vineyard Gardens had never before opened its space for such an evening. It felt like destiny to host the launch there, surrounded by blossoms and greenery that echoed the monarch butterfly life cycle at the heart of the book. The garden itself became more than a backdrop; it became a living metaphor for survival and transformation.
From the start, the Vineyard Gardens team embraced my vision. Sofiia Wiley, a member of their staff, partnered with me to coordinate the event, and trailblazed the effort to bring the rest of the team on board. With their support, the space was transformed into a sanctuary — a place where story, style, and spirit could intertwine.
It wasn’t just a book release or a fashion show. It was a testimony. A declaration that life, even after pain, can be breathtakingly beautiful.
The night unfolded like a tapestry of community. Models — from both on-Island and off — brought my handmade, hand-beaded couture designs to life from my brand bySharisse. The connections within the model squad were deeply meaningful. A grandmother and granddaughter, Marcia Lene Smith, age 62, and Isis Marie Harris, age 16, from Hamden, Connecticut, walked the runway hand in hand. A mother and daughter, Evelise Alicea and Nyah French (11 years old), from Boston shared the stage together in their first-ever fashion show. And my youngest model, Xena Clarke, just four years old, embodied the same Warrior spirit as my oldest, Marcia, at 62. The celebration honored beauty across generations, shapes, and sizes — proving that resilience and radiance have no limits.
Behind the scenes, the atmosphere was rich with generosity. Cronig’s Market nourished the volunteers and models. Martha’s Vineyard Estates Wine sponsored the evening with their 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, bringing Island-made elegance to every glass. Chef John of Herb N’ Cuisine, all the way from Atlanta, catered soulful Southern hors d’oeuvres — each dish seasoned with both comfort and creativity.
Artistry elevated every detail. Makeup artists Tashann Watson of The Makeup Maven MV (from Jamacia living on the Island) and Angel Ann Lyte of Lyte Beauty (traveling in from New Bedford), painted faces with care, transforming models into living works of art. Violet Southwick’s cello carried through the gardens, her music both grounding and transcendent. At the same time, Jeremiah Brown created a sand art piece inspired by Dear Fellow Warrior. Guests watched in awe as his vision took shape grain by grain, only to vanish at the event’s close — a reminder of impermanence and beauty.
Everywhere I looked, creativity bloomed. Jonah Miller of Island Spray MV built a handmade photo backdrop inspired by Dear Fellow Warrior, inviting guests to step inside the world of the book. And a team of amazing photographers with their own unique styles — Dena Porter, Doug Allen, Peter Graves, Sofiia Wiley, Soraya Randolph (a student photographer from MVRHS), and Angelina Topalieva of Anica Banic Photography — captured every angle, ensuring the evening would be remembered long after the lights dimmed.
Even before the first guest arrived, that intention was set. Karen Blackerby hand-painted a watercolor invitation flyer for the soirée, its elegance and care reflecting the very spirit of the night. That piece of art became the opening note of what I hoped the evening would be: intentional, beautiful, and rooted in love.
What struck me most was not just the artistry or the fashion, but the emotion. Guests from every background and walk of life gathered — diverse in age, race, and experience — and so many left with tears in their eyes. Together, we created not only an event but an atmosphere of healing, one where survival was celebrated and community became part of the story.
Standing there, reading live poetry readings from my memoir, watching it all unfold, I thought about the girl I once was—the 21-year-old cancer patient who never could have imagined a night like this. I thought about my grandmother, whose strength still roots me, and about the countless hands that came together to make this event possible. It wasn’t just a book release or a fashion show. It was a testimony. A declaration that life, even after pain, can be breathtakingly beautiful.
The book itself, Dear Fellow Warrior, is my heart pressed into pages. It is part poetry, part memoir, and part invitation—for anyone who has ever faced illness, grief, or the weight of becoming themselves. Each poem begins with a “Dear Fellow Warrior,” letter, as if I am writing directly to the reader, reminding them they are not alone. Between the poems are reflection prompts, because this book isn’t just about my survival—it’s about yours, too.
The journey to write it took almost a decade. I carried these poems from hospital rooms to the sacred Inkwell Beach on Martha’s Vineyard, from sleepless nights to the moments I thought I might never return to myself. Organizing them around the life cycle of a monarch butterfly gave me a language for transformation: the breaking, the retreat, the becoming, and finally, the rise.
That night at Vineyard Gardens was the first time all of it came together—my words, my designs, my community. For me, it wasn’t the end of a process, but the beginning of a movement. Dear Fellow Warrior, is more than a book. It’s a call to anyone who has felt the crash after the climb, who has questioned their reflection in the mirror, who has carried invisible scars. It’s for those who need a reminder that even in the darkest seasons, there is light ahead, and we can rise again.
I walked away from the soirée overflowing with gratitude. Gratitude for every person who showed up. Gratitude for the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Cancer Center, which this event supported. Gratitude for the Island itself, which has been my sanctuary since childhood. And most of all, gratitude for the chance to share my story in the hope that it will spark healing in someone else’s.
I chose to have proceeds benefit the Mass General Brigham Cancer Center of Martha’s Vineyard because they cared for my Nana, Dr. Dean Elizabeth Rawlins, so beautifully in her last days on this earth, and because they continue to support so many others in our community who are still battling. To me, this wasn’t just about launching a book—it was about giving back to a place that has given so much to my family. This will not be the last time. The soirée marked the inaugural fundraiser, so that each year, we can gather together in beauty, art, and community to uplift the work of this vital center.
It meant the world to me to have Dr. Claire Seguin, Chief Nurse and Chief Operating Officer at the hospital, share a few words at the close of the evening. After all the fashion, poetry, and music, her presence brought us back to the heart of why we were gathered. When she stood up and said, “I am truly speechless and extremely inspired,” it felt like confirmation that this night was bigger than me. It was about all of us: our losses, our survivals, and the hope we carry forward together.
Because in the end, this isn’t just my story—it’s ours. Dear Fellow Warrior, belongs to every survivor, every dreamer, every fighter still finding their way.
The soirée also marked the beginning of something larger: The Warrior Society. More than a fundraiser, it is a vision for a safe haven — a space where warriors can gather to heal, to create, and to rise together. A space where resilience is spoken aloud, where art and words become medicine, and where no one has to walk their journey alone. Through The Warrior Society, I hope to gift Dear Fellow Warrior, books and companion journals into the hands of those still in the fight, ensuring that every warrior knows they are seen, they are held, and they are never alone. Keep up with Dear Fellow Warrior, on Instagram @dearfellowwarrior.