Dara's Story
Jones, Dara (2009-04-23)

>>DARA:  Well I think the first time I actually sat down to begin to write outside of maybe class work was around my sixth birthday. And I wrote this real silly little story about a witch and a daughter that she had who ran away because her mother, the witch, was wicked, and it was just some real elaborate story that my six year old mind was able to come up with. And I got all kinds of praise from my mother. And she ended up being the biggest influence for me, whether it was school work or just life in general, but especially in writing.

She actually graduated with a degree in social work and then she continued with a master's in business. She also received a master's in just mathematics. She has another degree in English. She's one of the most highly educated women that I have ever met. And so education was very big for her. 

And when I wrote this story when I six, she was ecstatic. She was actually working in an adult education department for a college in my hometown and she printed it up for all her co-workers and they posted it up on walls. Just everyone gave me a lot of praise for it and that was the first time that I remember writing outside of practicing my letters in school, really enjoying it and kind of finding myself in it. 

And from that, I think I became my own little writer of sorts, and enjoyed expressing how I felt through the words that I could find to write. And being able to feel like these are my words and however they come out, however they get on this page, it's real. No one can take it back. It's purely me.

So I attribute that experience, or being able to connect with that part of myself, to my mother and I carry that passion for writing into my college career. And I find it very therapeutic now just to write. I keep several journals.

I mean I also influence people in my life. If you are frustrated or struggling or can't quite find the words to say, then write it down. And several people in my life have also identified with that being very therapeutic for them. So I think that's kind of how I broke into literacy at some levels, at least from writing. I just give that back to my momma.