I think there have been moments when I have embraced my voice, through writing because it just feels safer. I can communicate and articulate and be intentional about the words I can’t take back. Careful to not rub anyone the wrong way I write, and writing overtime has given me access to my voice. Like I wrote a letter to my mother in law in 2022 about something she had done and how it made me feel, I wrote another letter to my father in law setting boundaries. Through these moments I felt empowered to speak up and use my voice because I grew up being drilled to know to respect my elders and know I would never be as grown as them, don’t talk back and be seen and not heard. This was a recipe for disaster because I am no longer a child and I have children of my own and they have the voices of roaring lionesses. So I’ve grown to take a page from their book and speak up and stand tall. So it wasn’t until 2023 when I was struggling in my marriage that I found my voice at an open mic night, where I left the pain, guilt and shame that I deeply wanted others to recognize and validate but also did not want them to judge. But that night I left it all on the mic, I did care that I didn’t have a poetic voice or I stumbled over my words or who was watching and my hear my marriage was in shambles. All I cared about was my peace of mind and getting to the next day. But the way the crowd roared made everything okay, I knew I was in a safe space. I knew I mattered, my feelings mattered my hurts and pains mattered and I was free to step into the best version of me unapologetically. Thank you for offering this space to share, the story of my voice.
Hi Latisha, Thank you for sharing your story of how you found your voice. I totally resonate with you that a lot of how we understand our voice is shaped by our environment and experiences. I happy to hear that you are finding ways to have your voice be known. I feel that it often times easier for me to share my stories with people who may not know me. I feel that I can let the words fall how they fall without thinking about what others may think or feel. Interesting how that works. I hope that you continue to share the story of your voice because you have great things to share.
Wow! You are so talented, I could feel all of your words coming off the paper, I could hear your voice and see your movements. I followed each story to the last word magnetically. I’m inspired.
I think there have been moments when I have embraced my voice, through writing because it just feels safer. I can communicate and articulate and be intentional about the words I can’t take back. Careful to not rub anyone the wrong way I write, and writing overtime has given me access to my voice. Like I wrote a letter to my mother in law in 2022 about something she had done and how it made me feel, I wrote another letter to my father in law setting boundaries. Through these moments I felt empowered to speak up and use my voice because I grew up being drilled to know to respect my elders and know I would never be as grown as them, don’t talk back and be seen and not heard. This was a recipe for disaster because I am no longer a child and I have children of my own and they have the voices of roaring lionesses. So I’ve grown to take a page from their book and speak up and stand tall. So it wasn’t until 2023 when I was struggling in my marriage that I found my voice at an open mic night, where I left the pain, guilt and shame that I deeply wanted others to recognize and validate but also did not want them to judge. But that night I left it all on the mic, I did care that I didn’t have a poetic voice or I stumbled over my words or who was watching and my hear my marriage was in shambles. All I cared about was my peace of mind and getting to the next day. But the way the crowd roared made everything okay, I knew I was in a safe space. I knew I mattered, my feelings mattered my hurts and pains mattered and I was free to step into the best version of me unapologetically. Thank you for offering this space to share, the story of my voice.
Hi Latisha, Thank you for sharing your story of how you found your voice. I totally resonate with you that a lot of how we understand our voice is shaped by our environment and experiences. I happy to hear that you are finding ways to have your voice be known. I feel that it often times easier for me to share my stories with people who may not know me. I feel that I can let the words fall how they fall without thinking about what others may think or feel. Interesting how that works. I hope that you continue to share the story of your voice because you have great things to share.
Wow! You are so talented, I could feel all of your words coming off the paper, I could hear your voice and see your movements. I followed each story to the last word magnetically. I’m inspired.