More of Our Vision

In a way writing fell on my lap. I hadn't written much in life until a fearless and moral inventory of my wrongs was needed for a fourth step in one of the Anonymous fellowships. I guess I underestimated my wrongs and kept on writing until writing stuck to me, until writing seemed to be writing me, the person, more than me doing the writing. Then I discovered that I liked writing and here I am.

I've gotten some good feedback from my writing, so I'm saying I'm a writer despite the words coming out of my mouth like a tongue twister in Klingon. Like Michael Angelo took to stone to find a David. I took a Time New Roman sledgehammer and chipped away at all those part of me that weren't me until I chiseled through to the person I was meant to be. The cathartic process is over, so now I'm writing for a mission, for a vision for a purpose, for a goal. It's not about me anymore. Writing has found me, and now I want to write for sustainability, to reach someone, to touch someone, to help someone, to advocate.

I've gotten some good feedback from my writing, so I'm saying I'm a writer despite the words coming out of my mouth like a tongue twister in Klingon. Like Michael Angelo took to stone to find a David. I took a Time New Roman sledgehammer and chipped away at all those part of me that weren't me until I chiseled through to the person I was meant to be. The cathartic process is over, so now I'm writing for a mission, for a vision for a purpose, for a goal. It's not about me anymore. Writing has found me, and now I want to write for sustainability, to reach someone, to touch someone, to help someone, to advocate.

I applied for a fellowship a few months ago and was accepted. I will be published for the first time next June in an anthology written by writers impacted by the carceral state. Roots, Wounds and Words is one of the many organizations working on prison reform.

I'm getting paid to write for the first time ever which is why the idea came up to continue looking for organizations and advocacy groups looking to make changes to the prison system. I'm applying for another grant but will not name it since the selection process isn't finished.

My vision is to also use my story, to use my past, and my many experiences with the system to bring awareness to the systemic flaws, and hopefully be part of the many in the middle looking for change. I don't want complaint, play victim, blame, point a finger, or divide. I would love to work with organizations that unite and bring people together to work on finding solutions.

Writing soundly--and not for me--might help me find the courage to tell my story in an inspiring way in front of an audience. this might be another pipe dream but I'm willing to put in the work to see if my story holds the grit and the resilience to show that change is possible. I want to write about the humanity that is seldom seen in prisons.

My vision is to transition in life. I'm transitioning from trucking, to writing, to advocacy. My transitioning is not a daily one a la Dylan Mulvaney in the Bud Light can, but a slower more action oriented transition. My actions today are to create this blog and apply for grants where I can take my writing to the next level.

I'll end this blog post by sharing something about my past. The first time someone told me I was a good writer, I got defensive, I got insulted, I got scared that being a good writer might be seen as a weakness in me. I had written an essay for English composition 101 during my first semester at a college that went to Leavenworth penitentiary to teach inmates. I'm sure the seed for writing was planted back then in unfriendly soil, but now that I get to drive and see this beautiful country, I can see where in the many green fields my writing did sprout and did flourish. The fruits of three years of college from Leavenworth, including an Associate of Arts degree, allowed me to raise a family and puts two kids through college.

Whether or not this trucker's writing propels my rig and me towards my vision remains to be seen, but I've taken the first step.