With no one she felt she could turn to and share her deepest anxieties and emotions, a 14-year-old Houston girl named Inonda Peterson spent the next four years jotting down her thoughts and impressions. She found the process made her feel better and allowed her to organize and make some sense of her feelings.

As for the writing itself, Peterson wasn’t sure it fell into any particular category of expression. But after discovering Rupi Kaur’s highly regarded book “Milk and Honey,” Peterson had a shocking moment of clarity.

“I realized I was writing POETRY!”

Peterson was seated Friday in a conference room tucked behind the ice cream counter at Michael’s Dairy on the Mitchell College campus, where she’s a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in psychology. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and with the sort of quick smile that seems incapable of pulling any vanishing acts, she was talking about the genesis of what became “Till Death Do Us Part,” her first collection of poetry — much of which, having been edited and polished, includes those early scribblings.

On Wednesday in Mitchell’s Red Barn, Peterson hosts a “Till Death Do Us Part” event that goes well beyond the parameters of the typical book signing and into the territory of a community gathering focused on poetry, art and the importance of mental health and self-awareness.

Those aspects are important to Peterson. The original inspiration for the work that became “Till Death Do Us Part” was a distressing family situation. As she entered high school, Peterson went through romantic heartbreak and depression attributable to those two experiences. As she otherwise succeeded as a student and basketball player, Peterson continued to explore her life through poetry, and a sense of security and religious faith emerged.

“I categorized what I’d written into sections dealing with my family, identity loss, love and more,” Peterson said. “I realized that, what might seem like puppy love as a young person, for example, still provides experiences that we carry with us our whole lives. And we see later experiences without forgetting those early feelings of loneliness or feeling unreachable. It provides perspective and healing. And for me, healing is God.”

The collection is divided into thematic sections titled “Perfect Love,” “The Shift,” “Her?”,” “Did You Forget?,” “After the Departure,” “A World Without You,” “You Will Come Back,” “The Root,” “A World Without You,” “The Aching,” “The Healing,” “The Let Go” and “Dear Reader.” With a natural style and quick, effective emotional imagery, they describe a journey with a message that no one’s alone. The journey, she said, includes steps to healing can be described as pain into purpose and then purpose into passion.

Though Peterson considered trying the traditional publishing approach of trying to find a literary agent and then, hopefully, a deal with a major publisher, she decided to go with an all-services publishing outfit that, for a fee, provides editing, cover art and coordinates the book’s availability in paperback format with groups like Amazon. She wanted the book to be out in the world sooner than later, and has created a writing services website hosting the book at inondawrites.com.

Peterson, who misses many aspects of Texas hospitality that includes HEB grocery stores and Whataburger but has come to love New London and New England, is the recipient of the Mitchell College Acorn Award, the Mitchell College’s Board of Trustees Merit Scholarship, and is a member of the women’s varsity basketball team. She’s a member of the school’s Leadership Program and spearheaded “Letting Our Voices Be Heard,” the first student-led Black History Month, which featured 22 Black business owners and 21 Black entertainers.

Kevin C. Booker, Jr., a communications professor at Mitchell who taught Peterson in a public speaking course last year, and who will emcee Wednesday’s event, said, “Right away, I recognized Inonda had a natural ability to share her message with a wide audience. She’s a great listener, has a strong work ethic and a willingness to learn and keep an open mind. She’s a great leader and passionate about bringing people in the community together from various backgrounds and is always looking for ways to make a difference.”

Lara Ehrlich, the award-winning Gales Ferry author of the short story collection “Animal Wife,” also is a fan of Peterson and her work.

Inonda's fierce passion, eloquence, and commitment to advocacy are extraordinary,“ Ehrlich said. “Her work is not only beautifully crafted but charged with raw emotion and purpose. She is a literary powerhouse and a community activist whose voice commands attention and inspires change.”

Also featured at Wednesday’s event will be New London Police Chief Brian Wright; Deion D. Kelly, a youth development specialist for the Hartford Youth Services Corps Program; and Crystal Christie, a New London High School senior, singer, activist and president of the diversity-inclusive after school club.

And two dance troupes, Blooming into Greatness from Norwich and the New London High School Dance Team, will each perform routines written to reflect specific poems from the collection.

In an email, Wright said, “Inonda Peterson is an exceptional young lady. I am both honored and thrilled to recognize her. She has shown remarkable talent and dedication to community work. She has not only made significant contributions through volunteer efforts but also demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial vision. Her innovative spirit and commitment to making a positive impact serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Peterson, who said she’s enjoying her busy schedule and added there will definitely be another poetry collection down the road. She points out the cover of “Till Death Do Us Part” and other images throughout the book by illustrator Jyotsna Gyanani that show images of sunflowers and plants.

“I love sunflowers,” Peterson said. “They’re always finding the light. That what I hope for people who read my book — that it helps them find the light.”

If you go

Who: Inonda Peterson and special guests

What: Community event celebrating the publication of “Till Death Do Us Part”

When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: Mitchell College Red Barn, 629-A Montauk Ave.

How much: Free, books available for $20

For more information: inondawrites.com