Sophia’s story

I walked into the Traveling Postcards workshop after a busy day on campus. The workshop fell on the week that our campus was flooded with news regarding the Kavanaugh hearings. The college felt heavy with the personal stories of trauma that were sparked by this national call to attention on sexual assault. Many of us found ourselves in a state of anxiety, awaiting how our nation would respond to the bravery of a survivor.

As we began the workshop, a new calm settled in the room. After some conversation, we became quiet and absorbed in our making. I felt empowered by creating something tangible that would express my solidarity with survivors. The week had been time of helplessness, feeling unable to effect the results of the Kavanaugh trial.

Through the act of creating a card, I remembered that a simple expression of compassion and hope can be meaningful. I felt honored to hear the wisdom of my classmates around me. The workshop provided a set-apart time to explore the stories that we don’t always take time to tell. As I walked back to my dorm that night, the word that came to mind was “contentment.” In such an unsettling time for women, I experienced contentment in the ability to effect positive change through traveling postcards.

Sophia Diehl