In the coming weeks, I will dedicate my daily drafts to reflections on my ongoing project of telling the stories of Hispanic immigrants in Northwest Arkansas.
What started as a personal project, hoping to better understand the journeys of those who arrived in my community, and to learn how to become a better storyteller, is now becoming a community project that people are supporting and following along.
I’ll admit, I didn’t see this coming. But a series of events has made me reflect on what I wanted out of this project and what it would mean for the people of Northwest Arkansas, particularly for the Hispanic population.
This morning, I was waiting to meet someone who works for the local news station affiliated with NPR (National Public Radio) and is also an expert in audio-related projects, to discuss my current project.
While waiting for him, I received a call from one of the most visited Catholic Churches in Northwest Arkansas, asking me to schedule a time to meet with them about what I would like to do with the project.
While on the call with them, the person I was waiting to meet called me, and I found myself in a situation I had never been in before: two people from separate organizations wanting to talk to me about this project.
And while this project is still in its very early stages, with only one interview already conducted and at least six more scheduled in the coming weeks, the fact that people are showing interest is a good indicator of the potential impact it could have on our area.
There is still a lot of work to be done. Dedicating this space to reflect on its work, however, is something I’m willing to experiment with, as it could help clarify the following steps and remind me of why I’m doing this.
So, let the experimenting phase begin! For both the project and my writing, I’ll discover what works and what doesn’t, and make the necessary changes accordingly.
Better to fail fantastically in obscurity so that you may triumph gloriously when the curtains open.
And even then, it’ll be entertaining for the audience to see the performance of an individual trying with all his might to tell a grand story.
Yes, there is still a lot of work to be done. But, through it all, I’ve never felt more energetic and curious about the unpredictability of a project.
Will it fade into obscurity, or will it rise to the occasion?
Regardless, I’m internally content with having finally taken the first step towards my larger vision.
Regardless of the outcome, I’m fortunate to feel this way.