READ: Malcom X's Thoughts on Taking Action

I find power in others telling their stories and I hope you do too!

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March means the Slice of Life challenge from Two Writing Teachers. It's a month-long blogging challenge. I've participated twice before and both times I learned about myself as a writer. It's powerful to write and publish something every single day. 

In 2015, I blogged about myself and how I started on this journey towards really and truly needing to tell my stories and recognizing that my voice is important. This post shares this conviction and also lists all of my posts from March 2015. 

I'm not participating this year but I've been thinking (still) about telling my stories and inviting others to share their stories with me. Just last week I stopped a friend in the hallway at school and said, "Can we sit down and have coffee sometime and chat?"

When I explained more, she warned me she's going to tell it like it is and I smiled. That's exactly what I want. This year, I'm passionate about having conversations. I want to hear what others are thinking, experiencing, feeling. It's too easy to walk around shaking my head and keeping my thoughts to myself but if I continue to do just that, I'll never impact change.  My friend Shawna Coppola shared this piece from Malcom X on Twitter recently and it's been reverberating around and through me ever since. 

I invite you to read Malcolm X's words below and to share your thoughts with me. 

Some things take hold like this did because they ring true. I want to help people all over the world...but the more I think about this, the more I realize my biggest impact is with people close to me. People I see often, people who know me, people who trust me. Engaging in conversations about race right now is as important as ever. 

We all have circles of influence. 

We need to elevate that influence, amplify our voices, cause a stir.

We need to be thoughtful, be cautious, be safe.

But also, be brave, be open, be a safe place.

Be a friend.

Would you like to sit down and have coffee sometime and chat? 

Send me an email at jen {at} teachmentortexts {dot} com.