The Coldharbour Women

Shani is a native of the town; her Jamaican grandparents moved the family here in the 60s. She’s watched her hometown change drastically due to gentrification, and many of her friends can no longer afford to live in the only place they’ve called home. She’s a revert who grew up listening to UK garage, and her pet name is Flower, though only her family calls her that. She’s also El’s upstairs neighbour.

El isn’t from here, but she’s recently moved into the area after finishing uni. It’s an up and coming area, with all her favourite bars and restaurants within walking distance. She’s just trying to enjoy her new hometown and settle in. However, her neighbour Shanika seems to echo the unwelcoming sentiments of the long-time residents. El means no harm but do they know that?

She’s the eldest daughter, a surrogate mother to her siblings. Now, she’s faced with an unwanted pregnancy and has made her choice. At the risk of being judged, she’s going through an abortion alone while trying to manage the responsibilities she cannot leave behind.

This is the town that The Coldharbour Women come from. Each of them has a different connection to it, but our narrator explains that the bricks and buildings are as alive as the people. She’ll always call this place home.

We first met Charmaine De La Rosa nearly 20 years ago, back in 2006. Her name was everywhere after the guy she was seeing made a song detailing their time together. It turns out she never told him her age, but why? What do we really know about Charmaine? Well, she’s decided to lift the lid and tell us in her own words.

Viva is pregnant, and her daughter will be born imminently. This is a story about both of them and the generations of women who came before. Her daughter isn’t just a new life; she’s an old soul. She wonders if she can help her mother remember who they were before she forgets who she is. This is a journey of history, ancestors, and spirituality.

Bri is a fourth-wave feminist and a self-proclaimed SJW (social justice warrior), though she wasn’t always this way. She has broken out of the mould society placed upon her, and she now boldly embraces who she is. Some find her presence affronting or offensive, but she doesn’t mind; in fact, her defiance is part of her strength. After years of trying to be everything but herself, Bri knows that the protest is in her very existence.

She’s gone through her first breakup after exploring her sexuality and falling in love with a woman. Now, she’s realised she wants her girl back. But is it too late? Will she ever tell her ex how she truly feels? Will she ever find gold at the end of her rainbow?

Ora has always had a natural talent for music, and now she's taking lessons to learn the saxophone, with an exam coming up soon. Through these lessons, she’s discovered jazz, but she finds it challenging and worries she might be running out of time. Her teacher hopes that through her tutoring, Ora will gain more than just the ability to read notes.

Every girl has a group chat where she connects with her friends. We need these spaces to be our full selves, to be seen and to see each other. If there’s any place where you can feel so close while being so far apart, it’s in the group chat.

The Coldharbour Women is a collection of interwoven stories inspired by the town that shaped them and the women who inhabit it—past, present, and future. This project is an exploration of womanhood, community, and belonging. Through their experiences, we witness both the scars and the beauty of their lives as they navigate the spaces between heritage, change and their personal identities. Some women challenge the world simply by embracing who they are. Others struggle with their evolving sense of self, caught between who they’ve been and who they’re becoming. Meanwhile, there are those who hold tightly to the legacies of the past, determined to shape a future for themselves and for those who follow. The Coldharbour Women invites you to reflect on your own journey as you meet them, to see them as they are, and perhaps, to find yourself among them.