For as long as I can remember, I have been inspired by my mother’s ability to craft words into beautiful stories and articulate articles. Throughout high school, my Mom would help me write all of my essays by giving me feedback and helping me through the editorial process. However, the biggest impact my mom made on my journey as a writer happened when I was in fourth grade. After reading the sixth installment of The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes: The Pen is Mightier than the Sword, my mom bought me my own diary in which I could record my feelings, memories and experiences.

As an insecure adolescent, I was ashamed to tell people about my love of writing and kept my diary a secret. I was terrified someone would find it and would tell me my thoughts and feelings were not legitimate. However, the more I wrote, the more pages I filled, the more confident I felt. I continued to journal throughout all of middle school, completing countless notebooks full of thoughts.

When I finally started high school, I felt secure enough to try out for the school newspaper. I was quickly granted a position on the staff and my passion for writing flourished. Writing catalyzed and expedited my transformation from a child to a young adult.

However, writing is not just a personal tool for change; writing can change the world. Writing, and more specifically this fellowship, has given me the opportunity to explore my own identity as a feminist and a Jew, granting me the confidence and tools to express my opinions. Yes, pictures may be worth a thousand words, but words will always be vital to the progress of our world. Communication is a very powerful tool and when used both to its best and worst abilities, writing can create great global, lasting change. 

As I prepare to graduate from high school tomorrow and complete my final blog post for the Rising Voices fellowship, I feel ready to now spread my wings and stand up for what I believe in the years to come. If I feel to nervous to do so verbally, I know that I will always be able to express my views and opinions through my writing. Perhaps that will be even more powerful. The Rising Voices Fellowship has opened my eyes to the world of journalism and blogging and inspired me to explore these areas in college, and beyond.