Suzzette Dawes was born in Jamaica then immigrated to the United States when she was fifteen years old. With the differences in high school between the United States and Jamaica, she experienced culture shock and adaptation which you can find aspects of those traits in her poetry especially The Collection, which also covers her growing tolerance as she progresses through college and university. Other influences such as and work-life balance have forayed in her poetry such as Tortured Souls. Stylistically she prefers to write free verse but has experimented with form in Adventures in the Courtyard. She has participated in workshops led by Broward poet in residence, Anastasia Clark. Most recently she participated in the Sea Glass Poetry Project and joined in reading at various libraries this last April. She was a finalist in the 2014 South Regional/Broward College Library Poetry Contest for her poem "Congestion." She currently resides in Lauderhill, Florida.