The Equality Now Project aims to amplify and uplift diverse voices. In the spirit of achieving this, we’ve conducted four student interviews with authors from this project.
In this interview, we were given the chance to speak with Ariel Santiago, author of the piece “Bloom,” and she expressed herself with vulnerability and passion as she shared what’s next for her.
Author Ariel Santiago
How has your work with the Literacy Services of Wisconsin benefitted you or helped you feel more comfortable with yourself?
Being in the literacy services program was like a new door opening for me. Wanting to finish school and having Kathrine was the biggest motivation for me. I really opened up, I was never good at public speaking. Being able to be vulnerable and say what’s on your mind [in the classroom environment] helped out a lot.
What is the key takeaway you want your audience to get from your piece?
Finding truth in who you are. Everyone has a different journey. Being authentically 100% yourself is key to everything.
Excerpt from Ariel Santiago’s poem “Bloom”
What does getting your GED mean to you?
It means the world to me. Getting my GED was like a boulder that I broke through. Getting to be able to have that education that everyone else had was a big step for me.
What are your next steps in life? Work? More school?
I’ve taken off a bit to work. I’m thinking of applying for cosmetology school, but I’ve also considered graphic design or media outletting.
What are your thoughts on Literacy Services of Wisconsin?
I enjoyed it. Even though it was a classroom, it really felt like a one-on-one with everyone. I recommend it to anyone who is considering it. I went in very closed-minded and scared. Connecting with people I didn’t know through the screen really helped me a lot. And then seeing them in real life was like the world was blooming. You think there are no more good people in the world, but connecting with others showed me people’s true hearts and that there are still good people out there.
This interview was conducted by Press intern Autumn Johnson and edited for clarity by Publicity Director Allie Wendricks
The Equality Now Project is on sale now (click here to purchase).
For more updates about this book, be sure to head over to its homepage on The Teaching Press Blog, found here.
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