“I write about black girls because this world would like to keep us invisible.” –Jacqueline Woodson
Yesterday we had the privilige of hearing Jacqueline Woodson, multi-awarded author, share her work and life story with us. We gathered at the Johnston Middle School in Houston to be enchanted about Jacqueline’s life experiences. No one could ever tell us she was 52 years of age by her appearance, but the moment we received a glimpse of her wisdom, we knew that it must have come with time.
It was amazing to see an audience diverse in gender, race and age. The excitement of the students was immeasurable. Ms. Woodson was unapologetic about her authenticity. The richness of her experiences reminded me a lot of myself.
She shared with us about oral history she learned where one of her relatives was a soldier in the Civil War and her angst when she was with NPR at the Civil War museum. The reporter covering her story went ahead of her to look for her relative’s name. She had anxiety as she never verified the story that was passed along orally in her family. Thankfully, the oral history aligned with written. A common misfortune in African-American history is that our history is rarely documented. I felt the same way when I learned I was related to a founder of Morris Brown College. It was not until I saw his name and picture in a book that I finally believed it was true. My family is also blessed that he wrote several books (despite being born into slavery).
Jacqueline shared many nuggets of wisdom while reading her work to us. One that stood out clearly was the disclipline it takes to be a writer. As soon as her children are off to school, she begins writing, often several stories simulataneously. Another tip she provided was that in order to be an effective writer, you must also read just as much. If you are a poet, you should read poetry ferverently for example. It is interesting how we think artists wake up and magically perfect their art. Often, it is from years and years of dedicated work that is often unnoticed.
What an honor it was to have Jacqueline in Houston. She inspired the entire audience to live their dream to the fullest. She encouraged us to support our children’s dreams despite our agreement with them. So, the next time my brilliant son mentions he wants to be an NBA player, I will smile as suggested and only nod.