Pt 1 II Me
There are many things that make me the person that I am. My passions, my dreams, my inspirations. To begin I am a self-proclaimed dreamer, writer and feminist. While you read this, you’ll discover more about that girl with wild, curly hair that sits in the back of the class. You will discover more about who she is, what she loves and what she dreams. To be honest, I have yet to discover everything about myself, but for now here is what I know.
Pt 2 II Know-It-All
One of my favorite singers, Alessia Cara, has a song titled ‘Seventeen’ in which she sings the lyric, “I’m a know-it-all, I don’t know enough”. That lyric has resonated with me ever since the day I listen to it. Frankly, I think that lyric can relate to every single teenager out there. Each one of us like to pretend as though we know everything, but we have yet to discover so much. That’s why I have plans to make a magazine dedicated to teenagers who want to have a platform, and who want express their creativity. Teenagers who are so-called know-it-alls. I want people to know that teenagers are much more then the media says we are. During my life I’ve been afraid of something that I couldn’t prevent from happening; growing up. When I turned thirteen I had been very anxious. I felt as though I would change into someone I wasn’t. I felt so isolated. I don’t want other teenagers to constantly feel like this. I want them to know that there are people out there feeling the exact same. What a lot of adults think about teenagers is that we are all bad-choice making machines. We are aware, and although we are aware, we do feel alone. I want to be one to help with that.
Pt 3 II Gloria Steinem
I find that in life we are supposed to have people that we can look up to. People that can keep our eyes on our goals. One of those people for me is Gloria Steinem. I am currently reading her book, “My Life on the Road”. When I read about Gloria’s accomplishments during her life, I feel as though my dreams aren’t so far fetched. I want to one day become a journalist. Similar to Gloria. I find that everyone -needs to find someone who’s life they’d want be happy living. When I decided that I wanted to be a journalist, I researched everywhere for someone that I could look up to. A journalist that didn’t just report what many saw with their own eyes. I didn’t only get someone who had an opinion. I got someone who had lived my biggest dreams. Someone who’s stood up for what they believe in, who has travel to many places, who’s brought something new to journalism. To me, that makes me what those dreams to come true even more.
Pt 4 II Books
When I learnt how to read, I ditched toys and picked up a book instead. I have always found something so magical about reading. Being able to transport myself into a different world and forget about how mundane mine is. Each time I pick up a new book, I’m able to gain a new perspective. I’ve learnt something new about life from each book that I have read. I think that books can teach us so much. They teach us life lessons that have taken some people to learn. I really do think that it is such a privilege to be able to read. To breath in the smell of the old pages and know what each word means. It makes me upset when I realize that there are people that are not able to read the words.
Pt 5 II Trees
Usually when people say they want to see the world, they don’t mean the alley behind their house, nor do they mean the bridge down the street. We dream of different, but what we don’t realized is that “different” is everywhere that we turn. Different is in every crinkled smile on every face, on every leaf of ever tree. Different is in every word spoken in every voice. Where I live is absolutely beautiful and although I’ve lived here my whole life there is still so much to see. Eventually as I grow, I will see more of the world. For now, each time I look out of my window and see those trees, I’ll pretend as though it’s my first time looking at them. When I walk into the forest I’ll breath in the fresh air that not every place has. I’ll take a bite out of my mom’s homemade suppers as the flavors all burst onto my taste buds. The flavours aren’t the only thing that I taste. I also taste her love and her dedication. I’ve learnt that I have to see the beauty of the world that I am in, instead of wishing I were in another. I have to discover each and every part of it, before heading to a different one.
Pt 6 II My Brother and Sister
The world is magic. I can thank two little beings for letting me know, for I don’t think that I would see this world as magic anymore if it weren’t for them. My brother, Amani and my sister, Felicia are two of my favorite people. It’s funny how such young people can teach you so much. I heard that as we get older, we lose hope. I find that with optimism we will strive. When I see my sibling’s hopeful eyes looking into my worried ones, I remember a time when I thought that the world I lived was amazing. Then I feel myself gaining more hope. Although there are so many problems within this world we have to remember the good. There’s still lots of it (although it’s hard to find). The good is in those who fight using peace, not war. The good is in those helping the less fortunate. There is good in books and in movies. It’s in trees and rivers. I find where most of the good is hidden, is in children, for they have yet to be taught to hate.
Pt 7 II Record
In my opinion, there is no better remedy to a bad day then some good tunes. Music has always been such a huge part of my life. I love songs that vary from different genres and different decades. I lay on my bed with my earphones in my ears. I press shuffle on my favorite Spotify playlists, “In My Life”. This playlist has music that I’ve loved at some point in my life. They are not only songs that I’ve loved. They are songs that remind me of those I love. When I listen to these songs, I feel nostalgic. So much variety, but in the end, they’re all a part of me.
A Few Favorites on “In My Life”
Hotel California – Eagles
Dedicated to the One Love – The Mamas & the Papas
He Can Only Hold Her – Amy Winehouse
Killing Me Softly with His Song – Fugees
Little Me – Little Mix
Pt 8 II Fist
I write this as Beyonce’s ‘Flawless’ plays into my ears. I am at the part of the song when Chimanda Ngosi Adichie recites her speech, “We Should All Be Feminists”. “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller” she speaks. I was twelve years old when, not only did I discover feminism, but it was how old I was when I became a feminist. I found myself learning about the inequalities around the world. I learnt that even in first world countries, there is still a lot to be fixed. I remember typing ‘feminism’ in the Google search bar and staying up to educate myself on my privileges and the oppression of different cultures. It was only last summer when I attended my first protest. It was a peaceful one in response to the horrid acts happening to black people in the United States of America. I am half black. Seeing this happening to people of my culture is terrifying. Seeing this or anything like this happening to anyone of any culture is terrifying. It needs to stop. I decided to go, even if my voice is quiet. When I marched in a crowd of people with my fist facing the sky, I felt power. I found it absolutely empowering how minorities were demanding their rights. Around me were people demanding justice. “Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter!” they chanted, I chanted. This moment opened my eyes up to activism. I don’t want to grow up and watch the world as it falls a part. I want to be a part of the movement. I’m tired of turning on the news to hear about refugees fleeing their own countries, or hearing about the 60 million girls that don’t have access to education. I’m sick of starvation and poverty, of wars and injustice. It needs to stop. We have the power to turn this anger and this frustration, into action.
Pt 9 II Journals
I discovered my love for writing nearly two years ago. I fell in love with the idea of documenting my life. When I start a new journal I flip through the pages. In the pages before me lies my future. My highs and my lows. I’ve sworn to always keep my journals, for when I’m old and forgetful, I’ll always be able to take a journal and see life through the eyes of 12-13-14 year old Isabella.
I open my journal and stare at the pages that only my two eyes have seen. I grab the pen I almost always write with, decorated with roses and a picture of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I touch my pen to the flat surface that is paper. I feel free. For when I write, there is no filter. Words travel from the top of my head down to the tip of my pen. Behind me I grab my first journal. I wrap both my hands around the book. I can feel the cover falling a part between my two hands. My thoughts, my dreams, my memories all bound between two cardboard covers. It’s irreplaceable. That’s why I will continue to write.