Authenticity & Transformation

This week’s newsletter highlights the power of transformation and the importance of building communities that celebrate diversity, solidarity, and authenticity.?

At the end of the newsletter, you will find a storytelling tip to support you with writing your own transformation stories in your authentic voice. ??

? A story I told

In 2023, I changed my pronouns to they/them, openly started calling myself “queer” and acknowledging how different I had always felt – and still felt – from straight people.

The names matter too. Do I call myself “daughter, mother, grandmother” or possibly “matriarch?” That is all pretty messy, and I’m writing about that as part of my new book.

Am I an “author,” a “writer,” or a “poet in the marketplace?”

My first identity was a teacher. I remember the moment, in first grade, (school was my refuge and my teacher Mrs. Larchuck lived right around the corner from my home). I remember her saying, “Yes, I know you can read all this really easily. I just have to say you can read these books, so finish them, and I’ll give you something else to read while the others catch up.” One by one she fed me The Bobbsey Twins, The Borrowers, and other series to conquer. ??

You can view the full article and the places this story took me here.?

? A story that inspired me

This week, I want to highlight Simone Gordon, the founder of? The Black Fairy Godmother.

As a single mother to a child with severe autism and full-time nursing student, Gordon struggled to find the resources from government agencies and nonprofits to help her son. Turning to social media, she joined the Facebook group Reparations of Offerings, which supports disadvantaged women of color. The loving support she received from the group inspired her to help others in similar situations.

In 2016, after losing her job at a corporate bank, Gordon started her own Facebook group. Inspired by Reparations of Offerings but aiming to be even more inclusive, her group responded to all requests for help, regardless of background or appearance. Gordon had observed that many women were turned away from other community groups due to perceived lack of legitimacy, thus, Gordon established her group as a judgment-free zone.

After raising $1,000 for a girl with a heart condition, Gordon was nicknamed the "Black Fairy Godmother," a title that inspired the name of her organization created to help Black and Brown marginalized families.

The Black Fairy Godmother Foundation’s mission is to restore Black and Brown families' stability by removing the barriers that keep them in abject poverty and domestic violence situations. They are a nonprofit using the power of social media and crowdfunding to galvanize fellow 'Fairy Godmothers' to volunteer and contribute resources to help families in need.?

Check out the incredible work they are doing and join the movement!

? A storytelling tip

Today’s stories highlight the importance of building communities that celebrate diversity, solidarity, and authenticity.?

?? How can you focus on authenticity and transformation in your own storytelling?

• Reflect on Personal Experiences: Draw from your own life experiences. Authentic writing comes from a place of honesty and vulnerability.
• Embrace Vulnerability: Yes, it can be scary to share your story, but as much as you can try to embrace your vulnerability. This openness fosters a deeper connection with yourself and your listeners.
• Record Yourself: Narrate your story aloud and record it. Listening to your natural speech patterns helps capture your authentic storytelling voice in writing.
• Focus on Growth: Write with the intention of exploring and understanding your personal growth. Focus on the moments where something changed, you took action, or there is a clear before and after in who you were and who you became.

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