Becoming Part of the Story

My first word was “read,” and I’ve never known a time in my life when I couldn’t read. It seemed I was set to get a doctorate in English, which I did in 2013, from the first word I spoke. But in the process of getting the doctorate, I lost the pleasure that came from reading. In hopes of remembering why I loved to read, I decided to volunteer with a community literacy project. That decision changed the course of my life, ultimately driving me to understand how I myself am part of a much bigger story than I ever realized.