Book rec + owning our stories

Victoria Wang, Advisor + Researcher

After years and years of so many people recommending it, I finally read Tara Westover’s memoir, Educated. It was so much better than I expected (and I already had high expectations)!

It reminded me of the moment I decided to leave the classroom and create a podcast sharing my experience as a teacher and connecting with other teachers to elevate their stories.

That was my first foray into storytelling (which now looks quite different, working in policy research, but is still at the core of my why).

I distinctly remember the overwhelming sense of empowerment and confidence I felt when I shared my decision to leave the classroom. I received dozens of messages from other teachers who had similar struggles. Just as Tara reflected in her journals, those interactions planted a seed for me to begin speaking up and seeking out a career path where I could amplify the voices of others.