From Discouraged Writer to Confident Speaker

As I start my week, I begin to think about when I was in 5th grade. My teacher was very quirky and had us doing fun projects like writing an 80s/90s-themed song with graffiti cover art, short stories about any and everything, or listening to songs like "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow.

We would write papers very often and I was always discouraged because she would say "Eternity, this paper is great. I just have a few suggestions". Next thing I knew my paper turned into a bloody massacre from all the red markings she had made. From that point on, I was convinced that I was a bad writer.

Until one day, someone introduced me to poetry and convinced me to start writing again. That writing turned into performing, which has now turned into being a public speaker. What once broke my spirit and kept me from being confident in my writing abilities, became the reason I am a critical thinker and creative writer. This is a mild example of ACEs. ACEs are any Adverse Childhood experiences that occur under the age of 18 that affect who you are as an adult. Other examples include bullying, violence, neglect, mental health issues, etc.  I have the honor to participate in an ACEs Awareness International Conference April 25 - 27. Who knew something so little could have affected me so much?

If you are interested in joining me at the conference, secure your tickets here. Otherwise, I encourage you to learn more about ACEs and reflect on how they could affect you as an adult.

Here’s to clarity and connection,

Eternity Sledge

Multifaceted Black Girl