Walking in the footsteps of my enslaved African ancestors led me to The Dismal Swamp, a 113,000 acre preserve that was once an uninhabitable one million acre wetland straddling Virginia and North Carolina – the perfect pit-stop for enslaved masses churning their way through the Underground Railroad, yearning to breathe free. The irony of national safety measures for rare plants and wildlife in this swamp was not lost on me, someone the federal government still refuses to protect and serve. I arrived hungry and thirsty, like they did. I removed my shoes. I knew I was standing on holy ground.
A Southerner, musician, songwriter, wordsmith and producer, Queen Esther is a Harlem based critically acclaimed generative performing artist, solo performer, performance artist and TED Speaker. “Holy Ground” is the winner of our UNUSUAL VACATIONS contest, part of our 2026 Micromemoir Marathon.