By Vaye A. Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia – In a powerful blend of personal testimony and national introspection, Lady Leelai M. Kpukuyou, a distinguished global trade and investment expert, public policy advisor, and gender equality advocate, officially launched her memoir titled The Light I Carried Through the Storm.
The book, written over nine months, is a candid and heartfelt reflection on trauma, healing, identity, and resilience. Speaking to a full audience without a written speech, Lady Kpukuyou explained that the memoir is not just her story, but a mirror for every Liberian seeking peace with their past.
“This was not an easy book to write,” she said. “I had to revisit the most painful parts of my life—my teenage years, the loss of my father, and the scars of Liberia’s civil war. But I wrote it with honesty, because I believe in the power of truth.”
She described how writing the memoir became a journey into her younger self, a courageous attempt to reconnect with her inner child and reconcile with her past. “We all carry our younger selves with us. Sometimes, the world triggers us because we haven’t made peace with who we once were.”
The book’s transformation into a memoir came after a friend challenged her to give voice and face to the child in the narrative. “They said, ‘I hear the story, but I don’t hear you. Who is this child? What’s her name?’ That moment changed the entire structure of the book.”
Lady Kpukuyou emphasized the importance of intergenerational dialogue and the need for young people to engage with elders to understand the struggles that shaped the nation. “We must listen to each other. True transformation happens when the old and young exchange perspectives.”
Through her raw storytelling, she calls on readers not to be defined by their trauma or judged by society’s projections. “Even if you’ve made mistakes, don’t let the world silence you. Everyone is carrying something. Speak your truth anyway.”
As part of her broader vision, she announced plans to distribute the memoir to schools across Liberia, to give students access to literature that reflects their own stories and cultural identity.
“This book is my offering to the Liberian people—especially the younger generation. I want them to see themselves in literature and know that they matter,” she said.
The Light I Carried Through the Storm is more than a memoir; it is a national conversation, a call to healing, and a bold reminder that through pain, purpose can emerge.
And also she said The Light She Carried Through the Storm is a call to action—especially for youth. “Do not be defined by your circumstances,” she urged. “Even if you’ve made mistakes, don’t let them silence you or make you feel unworthy. Everybody’s fighting a battle. Be bold. Be authentic. Live unapologetically.”
She spoke candidly about imposter syndrome, judgment, and insecurity, acknowledging that some may dismiss her message, but she remained undeterred: “There are people who see themselves in these pages. That’s why I keep pushing.”
The memoir, written in the format of a manual-memoir hybrid, was originally not intended as a personal account, until a reader told her: “I can’t hear the voice of this girl. Who is she?” That feedback transformed the direction
