Celebrating and amplifying Islanders of color who help shape the vibrant, diverse fabric of the Martha’s Vineyard community. Sign-up for a monthly newsletter by Sharisse Scott-Rawlins below.
VOICES bySharisse: From the porch to the lawn
There are some spaces you attend, and then there are spaces you feel. The third annual Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival was one of those spaces. You could feel it before anyone even opened a book. On Saturday, August 15, the Island Inn Conference Center in Oak Bluffs became a literary gathering place. Conversations unfolded…
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VOICES bySharisse: A land that gives, a world that takes
There is a story beneath the surface of the places we call home. On Martha’s Vineyard, that story begins long before summer traditions, generational homes, and the memories many of us hold close. It begins with Noepe — the land…
VOICES bySharisse: When women build the space
There is something powerful about women who see what is missing and decide to create it. Not because someone asked them to. Not because the path was already clear. But because they recognize a need and trust their vision enough…
VOICES bySharisse: Written into the land
Black history on Martha’s Vineyard does not begin with a proclamation, nor does it wait for February. It lives in the endurance of families who planted roots in places like Oak Bluffs when permanence was never guaranteed. It exists in…
VOICES bySharisse: The NAACP in the 21st century
Long before equity became a popular talking point, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was born out of necessity. According to the Martha’s Vineyard branch “NAACP Centennial Souvenir Journal,” the NAACP was founded in 1909 at…
VOICES bySharisse: The gift of craft
VOICES bySharisse: Vineyard Grocer’s season of gratitude
VOICES bySharisse: New Life in the heart of Oak Bluffs
VOICES bySharisse: Turning Pain into Purpose
VOICES bySharisse: At the heart of every great school
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Sign-up for VOICES
A monthly newsletter celebrating and amplifying Islanders of color who help shape the vibrant, diverse fabric of the Martha’s Vineyard community.
Sharisse Scott-Rawlins
Sharisse Scott-Rawlins is a storyteller whose work takes many forms—through fashion, writing, poetry, community engagement, and the preservation of history. A third-generation Washashore with deep roots on Martha’s Vineyard, she is the founder and designer of the fashion design and production brand bySharisse, established in 2010; author of the self-help poetry memoir Dear Fellow Warrior; and founder and curator of Voices bySharisse, an editorial platform created in partnership with The Martha’s Vineyard Times.
Through Voices bySharisse, Sharisse celebrates the rich and diverse fabric of Island life while preserving stories, elevating community voices, and highlighting the people, traditions, and initiatives shaping Martha’s Vineyard today. She created the platform in honor of her grandparents’ legacy as trailblazing educators and community leaders whose impact continues to be felt on the Island and beyond. Sharisse believes storytelling has the power to connect people, preserve culture, and inspire change.