Alceste Raider

Alceste Raider is a poet born in Jamaica to a British father and a Jamaican mother. Raised by her grandmother in Jamaica, Alceste's childhood was marked by hardship and loss. At Catholic school, she tragically lost her best friend in a car accident—a loss that deeply affected her. Shortly after the accident, Alceste had a peculiar dream where her friend appeared, communicating through tears that turned into ink. This dream became a pivotal moment in Alceste's life, inspiring her to channel her pain into poetry, with her departed friend as her muse. Alceste emigrated to Britain at the age of fifteen, facing the challenges of integrating into a foreign society. Her social awkwardness and introverted nature made the transition difficult, and a strained relationship with her father only added to her discomfort. The death of her beloved grandmother further compounded her grief, pushing her deeper into writing as a means of coping. A brilliant child, Alceste consistently excelled academically, earning numerous awards. Despite her love for literature and writing, she pursued a bachelor's degree in engineering—a discipline she had no passion for—due to familial pressure. After years of working in engineering and teaching, she finally left these fields to focus on her true calling: poetry. Alceste is a recovering alcoholic, a struggle that stemmed from depression, for which she has sought therapy. Now living in the UK, she spends her days writing, tutoring, reading, and playing video games. Her companions are her pet cat, Grace—named after her late grandmother—and her dog, Kimber. As a Gemini, Alceste embodies a duality of resilience and vulnerability, using her poetic voice to navigate the complexities of her life experiences.