Reclaiming Our Voices & Crafting Impact
Dear readers of Our Wave, this is our second edition of The Curve in the Wave: Reclaiming Our Voices & Crafting Impact. This August, we are focusing on identity and community as a way to craft and share our stories. When telling stories of violence and trauma, it is important to note that no one’s story is the same. However, there is also great healing in coming together and hearing one’s story of survival. There might be similarities or empathy that we can use to support one another and drive lasting change.
Take the entirety of the #MeToo movement. In 2017, the #MeToo hashtag went viral shaking the world of the epidemic of sexual violence in every community. Stories spanned globally, and the need for resources and healing, like the work of Our Wave, was ignited. But even as millions from all walks of life were saying, “me too,” not everyone had — not everyone needs to.
The point is storytelling is all about what one feels empowered to do. Some find healing in sharing their story. Some do not. Some dive into grassroots advocacy work, and some work to bury their trauma. Healing is not a linear line, and the way we express our story is, and always must be, our own. Having control and the power to shape our understanding of our trauma is vital in the healing process. It allows us to listen to others, find solidarity, and use empathy to inspire real change in eradicating violence from society.
Each month, Our Wave presents, The Curve in the Wave, a series that will curate a collection of essays, books, podcasts, or media to empower our audience in crafting their own wave, their own narratives. In addition, we will share a writing prompt for readers to utilize and reclaim their voices. The purpose of this series is to create an impact that is distinctive for each individual. Your story holds immeasurable power, and it is entirely within your control to unleash it.
August Collection
Book Pick
Our August book pick is, In Our Shoes: On Being a Young Black Women in a Not-So “Post-Racial” America. From debut author Brianna Holt, this part memoir, part cultural critique uses pop culture and Holt’s own experiences in understanding and dissecting stereotypes, bias, and trauma that many Black women in America are forced to overcome. Holt interviews hundreds of Black women’s experiences to create a reported work that acts as a two-fold criticism and a call to action. In a blended genre of nonfiction, Holt puts forth a timely exploration of race, womanhood, and what it means to elevate the stories of a community.
Media Pick
In the podcast, Pockets of Knowledge with Desiree Stanley, she interviews our very own Director of Research and Evaluation at Our Wave, Dr. Laura Sinko, Ph.D., MSHP, RN.
Dr. Sinko is an assistant professor at Temple University College of Public Health in the Department of Nursing. In this episode, Sinko discusses the mission of how Our Wave aims to bridge the gap between survivor-lived experiences, the scientific community, policymakers, and the general public. Sinko is an amazing voice to describe how the world of advocacy and storytelling can lead to change and empower survivors of sexual violence.
Writing Prompt
Make a list of your favorite hobbies.
Make a list of things you know (examples: The multiplication tables up to 12, the pledge of allegiance, etc.).
Make a list of stories you were told as a kid (Santa Clause is real, The Tooth Fairy, Cinderella).
From your three lists, choose two things that do not feel connected and write about them. Can you get these things to connect in your story? What aspects of them do not connect?
