The child of a Black Creole father and a biracial Jewish mother, Tova Ricardo grew up hearing stories of her family’s encounters with historical injustices, such as her maternal ancestors fleeing pogroms and her paternal ancestors reckoning with the aftermath of American slavery. Inspired by both her ancestors’ bravery and strength, as well as the continued presence of systemic oppression against African Americans and Jews in the world today, Ricardo uses her voice as a weapon of resistance against oppression. In particular, she turns to poetry as a means of exploring her intersecting identities and calling out injustice in the world around her. 

In 2015, Ricardo was named the city of Oakland’s Youth Poet Laureate, the city’s highest literary honor. Ricardo’s poetry blends her identity with current events, enabling her to explore her Jewish identity without separating herself from her Black identity. She received a $5,000 scholarship as a part of the award. After completing high school, she enrolled at Columbia University, studying sociology and English literature. During college she continued to write poetry and deepen her connection to Judaism. She was involved with the Columbia Hillel and served as a co-president of the Jews of Color caucus. She considers herself a ba’alat teshuva (a Jew who has become significantly more observant throughout their life) Orthodox Jew, as well as a strong supporter of Israel. 

Following her graduation from college in 2021, Ricardo worked as a digital producer for the Tel Aviv Institute, an organization focused on fighting antisemitism through digital platforms. Her poetry and editorials have been featured in a number of publications, including Hillel International, the Jewish Journal, the Jews of Color Initiative, and the Jewish Women’s Archive. She maintains an active Instagram presence at @tovathepoet, where she posts about her art and activism. 

Sources:  

“Get to Know Columbia/Barnard Hillel,” Columbia-Barnard Hillel, accessed November 19,  

2023, https://columbiabarnardhillel.org/meetus/. 

Ricardo, Tova. “I’m a Black Jewish Woman and I’m Tired of Being Called ‘Angry,’” The  

  Jewish Women’s Archive, February 17, 2022; https://jwa.org/blog/im-black-jewish-woman-and-im-tired-being-called-angry/.  

Ricardo, Tova. “Youth Poet-Laureate Embraces Creole and Jewish Heritage,” My Jewish Learning, May 3, 2017;  https://www.myjewishlearning.com/2017/05/03/youth-poet-laureate-embraces-creole-and-jewish-heritage/ .  

“Tova Jessie Ricardo CC'21,” Columbia University, accessed November 19, 2023, 

https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/MulticulturalGrads/443042. 

“tovathepoet,” Instagram, accessed November 19, 2023, 

https://www.instagram.com/tovathepoet/.