Always Learning

Sometimes the world feels especially heavy. Sometimes I struggle with it all.  Always, but especially in those moments, I turn to some of my mentors to help me sort through my feelings, help me know I'm not alone, and find actions that help.  They help me both to remember and to come to new understandings.

As an educator, I follow many other educators. These particular mentors, however, are educators in the larger sense of the word for me. They educate me on life.

Social media definitely has its flaws and limitations, but it also enables me to be inspired by these mentors, most of whom I've never met and none of whom will know or remember me should we run into one another at some point.  I read their work, I follow them on Twitter, I watch for TED talks and interviews.  I learn from them.

So here are 10 of my fabulous mentors:

Jason Reynolds- I just love Jason Reynolds so much.  He is one of my most favorite humans.  I've had the pleasure of meeting him twice, both at Texas Library Association conference author lines and events and he is just... magical. (he told me he like my cardigan one time, so we're basically besties, right?) You feel like a better human just being around him.  His writing and speaking connects people and speak truth. Also, he loves his mama.

Laurie Halse Anderson- Her writing is inspired. She is brilliant and witty and real and her work is so meaningful to me.  She stands up and has those hard conversations. She speaks truth to power.  Man, she is just the coolest. I've been honored to meet her a few times at various author events, also through Texas Library Association committee work, and every time I am more amazed by her.  It's like having a lovely dinner with the smartest friend you have.

Nikki Giovanni--honestly, her poetry is what brought me back to poetry.  She is a woman who has lived life on her own terms.  She has embraced the lessons and she has kept going. She knows who she is and she is unabashedly herself.  One of my most favorite of her poems is Knoxville, Tennessee.  It is warm and cozy and call to mind  precious memories of going to my Mamaw and Papaw's church (he was a preacher) for those beautiful old-timey church homecoming gatherings.  Just reading it, I'm there.  I can feel the sunshine on my face and smell the potato salad, and hear those church ladies as they set the tables up, overflowing with homemade goodness, cause Lord knows you don't bring any old store-bought mess to a church homecoming.

Brene Brown-As a fellow Texan, I can sure relate to being brought up in a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps-and-get-on-with-it mentality. And sometimes that serves me well.  I'm a constant work in progress with vulnerability.  Brene's work is genius and I refer to it over and over again to inform and transform my own life.

Austin Kleon--Austin reminds me to be playful and  to be creative as a daily practice. I love all his work, but dude, his latest work, Keep Going, is filled with so much wisdom. His weekly newsletter is fantastic and chock-full of good stuff each and every week.

The Bitter Southerner--These are, in so many ways, my people. I am not alone. I can love my Texas, my deep Southern roots, my country and see the ugly at the same time.  I can love it enough to choose to take the whitewash off the fence and see the truth of the wood that its made from and then stay here to work to make it better. I can both celebrate the good and speak truth to power about what needs changing--these things aren't mutually exclusive. We can do better, we can be better, and we can be real about the path our South has had while still loving her enough to work toward a better future.

Kiese Laymon--Talk about speaking truth.  I have not walked his path, I cannot fully understand.  BUT.,.I can listen.  I can HEAR.  I can learn.
I do...and I'm grateful.  If you haven't read Heavy, get it now.  I listened to him read it on Audible, and man, this is powerful, powerful stuff.

Lyla June--is an amazing First Nations activist and artist.  She works for peace within, peace with the earth, peace with one another. She isn't just talking the talk, she quite literally walks the walk. She works for forgiveness and reconciliation among cultural groups.  I admire her so very much.

Glennon Doyle-- Glennon just embraces this brutiful life in such a way that is so filled with love and hope it overflows.  She has taught me to be radically forgiving of myself and my mistakes.  I'm not great at it yet, but I'm better than I used to be.  She is funny and real and lives her faith, and writes and adventures.  She is a beacon.

Lin Manuel Miranda--He's clearly a creative genius, and his tweets give me life. The man is amazing.

Gmorning.
Let’s go.
Fear is in the car.
But Fear not driving
or riding shotgun.
Fear can’t touch the radio (we’re blasting Ricky Martin & Bad Bunny today)
Fear is in a rear facing seat in the way back,
And YOU are driving.
You’re a great driver.
Let’s go.

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 17, 2019

Who are some of your mentors?
I'd love to hear about them.

Sonja