This is a creative exercise that has no rules. A space that gives me hope for people to have an opportunity to connect with the freedom of storytelling. Taking time out of a very busy day to write can seem like a another challenging task. Most of the time we can't accomplish everything because of the stress of so much to do. Our frustration from the world's pressure can be very toxic to the processes we try to fulfill on a daily basis. That stress can cause depression and cause self-destruction. Where do we go from here? That question is constant. No longer should we let pain and trauma rule us in times of weakness. With that being said, our thoughts create our reality. All things that we have experienced came from someone's mind, then inspired someone to bring their ideas into reality. Something as simple as a question can change someone's mind. That question can tell a story that can  inspire others. That's one reason for this artwork, and that can be a reason for people to enjoy the little things in life that can happen when we stop to enjoy the moment. 

I wanted to start with these two groups because of the connection I have with the communities they’re growing up in. With my experience growing up in Avondale and still residing there I felt the importance of telling these stories with my community and Alton Park first. Both communities are similar and serve as a platform for the personal growth that myself and these young creatives share. By having these young and creative minds tell their stories I feel inspired and more alive. I hope others gain a similar inspiration and get a feeling of connection to make this experience possible for years to come. The future of our city is brewing in the minds of these young individuals. Although these stories don't express plans on how they will change Chattanooga, it still serves a purpose to express the creativity that lives within them. The youth of our world have so much more accessibility to information and technology than I did growing up. I felt the biggest challenge of this experience would be disconnecting them from the advantages of using technology to tell their stories. I understand that phones and computers make our everyday struggles a lot easier, but I love the energy that analog gives to a creative process. I want that energy to live throughout the work you see in this exhibit. Writing their stories gives the project a power that we all have without technology. Instead of typing their stories, I found writing them gives the art its own identity that's valued by the writer first. The natural handwriting you see is another language that expresses who these individuals are. The connection of a landline phone and cell phone are far in between but are connected to people in ways we overlook. It creates a connection to the past and present. Just like the stories being told from young and older generations in this creative experience. I believe in that same connection when Capturing these workshops on VHS and polaroid film. It minimizes the filtering that takes away the natural look of a simple image you might see on instagram or facebook. Social media is the biggest space for communication in this day in age, and the overindulgence of disposable content and misinformation is causing our society to change in ways that are socially destructive. In the past we only had letters, rotary phones, and community to socially connect us.

By all means I respect the evolution that has rapidly changed in our society, but we cant go further into the future without understanding that all these devices and networks should connect us just like writing a letter, using a house phone and payphone did in a time where a cell phone wasn’t available. How is all of this information that is so accessible to us changing the way we grow up? How do we feel about ourselves and the people around us? Most of my questions for this writing process stem from the depths of my vast imagination and are prompted in a poetic manner. I want people to challenge themselves through creative writing.