In August 2011, I attended a social justice and leadership conference called the Fourth Estate and we have become a family of sorts. Last week I wrote a little bit of a letter to everyone in the Fourth Estate about my current experiences with storytelling. And I felt like sharing so here it is...
So, I am currently working on a couple different projects right now that both naturally require a lot of personal storytelling. These projects are extremely emotional for me, especially as I get more involved as time goes on, and thus, my storytelling gets more and more personal. There have been so many times in which I've been angry or defeated or upset because of certain conditions that exist.
But at the end of the day, I always come back to the fact that the reason why I'm constantly on a rollarcoaster of emotions. It is because the work I do with these projects and the work we do together to stop Joseph Kony is so incredibly important. At this point, I mean that in not specifically a save the world way but instead, in a very personal way. Ultimately, I remember that storytelling is always going to be personal, it is always going to help connect people together, be the link between those who seem different.
My point as to why I'm sharing this exceedingly long post is that honestly, I don't think I would have gotten to where I am now if I didn't have you all in my constantly evolving story. I am eternally gratefully to call all of you family because even in the toughest times, you all outshine the brightest star we are aiming for and are taller than any tree we could have landed in.
Since the Fourth Estate, I have had the pleasure to get to know several of you because of your travels through Portland and my weird obsession with where I live. I have loved these experiences and have come to cherish the memories I hold. But for those I haven't had a lot of contact with, I would always love to hear about your stories.
And this goes out to anyone who I know or who reads this blog. I love connecting with people, hearing stories, and coffee/food (even better when it's all three!).
