"VOF Week 2: (Ma Vie en Rose)"

My parents met in a plane above San Fransisco. Two merchant seaman from Pennsylvania, their love story would began in the air and grow on the sea as they traveled across the world by ship, tug, and tanker; sometimes together, frequently apart, but always finding their way back to one another. I'd like to think this is where I got my sense of adventure, a desire to see every corner of the world, and a deep-seeded resistance to ever planting my feet too firmly on the ground.

I had a relatively charmed childhood where my greatest concern was whether or not I would win the local track meets on the weekend. My younger sisters and I were raised vegetarian and frequently reminded to respect all living things and to tread softly on the earth. All pets were rescues, recycling and composting were non-negotiable, and spiders and various insects that made their way into the house were gently escorted into the woods. It was a house full of love and laughter and chaos-- it was lovely.

Social justice and tolerance were intrinsic to my childhood and from a very young age I felt empowered to speak out. I went to my first protest at the age of five when the Ku Klux Klan came marching through Newark, DE. Alongside my Mom with a rainbow painted on my face, we manned a soup kitchen with family friends. At the age of ten after my favorite cat was mistakenly shot by a fox hunter, I sent a passionate letter to every house in my neighborhood advocating for animal rights and gun responsibility. These actions were indicative of the values that would help shape the person I have become and part of the passion that would lead me to World Pulse.

I was drawn to the Voices of the Future application for a number of reasons, not the least of which is my love of language. I firmly believe in the transformative power of words that convey our common human experience. As a young woman, it seems premature to "write my story", if for no other reason than it has only just begun. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to share pieces of the first leg of my journey with this inspiring community.

The best is yet to come!