Madeleine Gravely is a May 2022 graduate of the University of Virginia located in Charlottesville, Virginia. During her time as an undergraduate, she studied African-American and African Studies, and Anthropology. She worked for the Carter G. Woodson Institute at UVA as a Student Researcher, assisting a department member in gathering information on medical racism and the far-reaching impacts of the American carceral system, massively and disproportionately on people of colour.

She has given seminars on diversity and inclusion through her work with the International Rescue Committee and contributed to manual publications to assist resettled refugee families in the U.S. to create and upkeep individual plots within community gardens. Her work is underlined by a strong emphasis on community and mutual aid.

The process of language acquisition also lies at the heart of her work. After an impassioned first trip to Germany in high school⁠—supplemented by coursework⁠—she spent time living in Munich while cultivating fluency in the language. She learned French in college as well, moving to Paris, France in the Spring of 2023 for the plot of it all. Though a long way off from French fluency, she is proficient in the language and continues to learn every day.

Mental health is a core topic of much of her writing. After being diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (or OCD) at the age of 12, her writing shifted toward topics of disorder, recovery, and self-compassion in the face of suffering. Her writing aims toward resonating with others who have dealt with mental health struggles of their own and encourages personal narrative empowerment.

Writing runs parallel to those things with which she is actively grappling. It began as a pastime but has morphed into a sort of spiritual ritual over time. Her articles can be taken as journal entries, always mixed with some premature wisdom, clarity, and plenty of questions. She hopes that her experiences and thoughts will be valuable to others grappling with a multitude of lived experiences.

Madeleine now works as a digital designer and front-end web developer, with a passion for building websites—two, so far. She also runs a crochet brand created the summer after she graduated from university, making an assortment of striped bucket hats, clothing, houseware, and cowboy hats for cats.

She hopes that everyone can learn to be less afraid of their big feelings and the unknown. We are all on this journey of life together and slowly learning to embrace the complexity of all things as we affirm our solidarity and collective power.