Written by Charis Allen
Merriam-Webster defines diversity as “the state
of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a
group or organization.” Although, Webster dictionaries have been highly
accredited, this definition is not entirely accurate. In this century, the word
diversity has become synonymous with the word “ethnic” and therefore people
associate the word diversity with racial differences. However, I would argue
that diversity is not limited to race. Rather, diversity is differences in
language, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, community origin, or any
other entity in which people can be different in. With this definition of diversity, it is
clear to see why diverse perspectives are significant in public creative
writing. Diversity in opinions and ideas are important because they can raise
awareness about an issue, shape public opinion, and expose people to other
perspectives. I would like my writing to do all of these things.
Poetry, one of my favorite art forms, is often
used creatively to communicate a political or social issue. In a poem submitted
anonymously to the Dare2Care Poetry
Competition, the poet tackles the issue of parents accepting their children
for who they are. The poem titled “With Roses in Hand” talks about the
emotional difficulty of telling your parents, who has assumed you were
straight, that you are not. This creative writing exposes readers, like me, to
the perspective and experiences of another individual. This poem has given me a
deeper empathy for gay teens, who may be dealing with this. Also, the view
expressed in this poem is different than my experiences and of the experiences
of other authors that I have read. The diverse opinion expressed is significant
for multiple reasons. Specifically, for me, this poem had the power to evoke
within me a new feeling, educate me on the issues faced by other people, and
has made me more sensitive.
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| 2015 Teen Writer! Fantastic Fiction |
After the Civil War, former slaves were
emancipated and tensions arose between white supremacists, who sought to
maintain a hierarchy, and African Americans who wanted to reclaim their rights.
In efforts to make white supremacy felt, lynching was used to kill African
Americans. This national phenomenon was written about by authors who condemned
lynching. For example, Ida B. Wells,
born in Holly Springs Mississippi, was a strong advocate against lynching. Her
books On Lynchings and The
Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United
States sent reverberations through the nation. It informed the national audience about
lynching, the hatred that caused it, and how often black Americans were
murdered for exercising their rights. It
caused people to think critically about the social consequences of white
supremacy and made them reevaluate what the phrase “all men are created equal”
meant, for all citizens. In this way, Wells was able to shape public opinion
about lynching. With this book she was also able to expose Americans who were
not aware of lynching, to the issue. “Her assessments of facts on lynching were then interpreted by a national
audience and they then were able to craft their opinion, around her writings. Her diverse opinion was a significant
contribution to the anti-lynching movement. Ida B. Wells had a different
opinion on lynching, than the majority population of Mississippi. Her creative
yet factual portrayals of lynching were a potent shaper of Walter Francis
White’s position on lynching, who later was a strong voice in the Brown v.
Board of Education Case. I want my writing to have same influence on American
history and opinion that Wells had.
I would like my readers to have the same kind of
emotional response that I had, when I read “With Roses In Hand”. Not only did
the poem make me more aware about the struggles other people face, but it also
caused me to reflect on my role in that issue and what I can do to help. I want
my works to evoke emotions and make the reader feel an obligation to the issue
and the people affected by it. Similar to Ida B. Wells, I want my historical
writings to be factual, yet present information in a creative way that engages
the reader. Both of these authors were luminary individuals who had honest
convictions about what they were writing about and had profoundly distinct
writing styles. In order to have the same power that their writing yielded, I
need to find out what makes me a luminary.
Charis Allen