In this talk, Dr. Umezurike recounts his experiences as a former graduate student, highlighting the role creative writing has played in helping him deal with instances of anti-Blackness and microaggressions on campus and the relationship between writing and wellness. He emphasizes the need for racial minorities to find creative, self-affirming ways to fight off – at the personal and micro levels – the hate that drives everyday racism and the racism that spawns (self) hate.