I discovered when I was young I loved words. Words moved and move me. They transported me places and introduced me to new people and ideas. I fell in love with books and eventually writing and further down the line speaking out story. Little by little I quieted the words emerging. I sensed they were wrong. I stopped them. Worse, I picked up others’ words and used them as they seemed more suitable to society. Every so often a fight would rise up in me to gain my words back. I would tell myself, I’m going to write! But the idea my words were wrong had grown so big it overshadowed attempts to try and beat down the fight. I escaped and became a whisper…a shadow of the greatness God made me to be. Trouble was, He created me to be a loud voice and trying to quiet such a thing was next to impossible, despite the grown lie of: your words are wrong. This back and forth wages in me still to this day. But the good news is that the lie has diminished. It has dwindled in strength. I learned my words are powerful. They transcend wrong…and also right. They are bigger than that. They encompass me. I’m far greater than wrong or right. I’m a voice that has lived and this sound contains my unique perspective of my experience on this planet. I’m the only one that can share my sound. So, on this day that recognizes a woman who stood up for what was right despite the possible outcome of death I’m deciding to continue on this path of sharing my unique voice with the world. My experience just like anyone’s is mine. It is precious. It is powerful. It has been winnowed and forged in the fires of adversity and challenge, persecution and trial, self-doubt and eventually self acceptance and love. My “why” in writing this is truthfully multifaceted but mostly is born from a desire to rise against all that has stood to silence me all my life, mostly my own self, and share my precious, powerful truth and story with you.