Hello Big Bad World!
(Photo Taken of My Graduating Class from Stage by Wyatt Pace)
So it’s official, I’m a college graduate! I’m actually having difficulty processing that after four years of working my butt off through two majors, 100 plus hours of service, a catering job and working my way up to the role of Editor-in-Chief of my college newspaper, and a very active and fulfilling social life, I’m done.
I’ve earned my degrees and had four amazing years. It literally seems like only a few months ago that my parents dropped me off outside of my freshman dorm and I had to say goodbye. But it’s been four years and I’ve grown so much in that time.
I’ve become the woman I (more or less) always wanted to be. And while a large part of me wants to deny I’ve graduated and sneak back into classes in August, to feel like I’m still part of my amazing college, Warren Wilson, the other part of me is calling me to run forward into this new world and new stage of my life.
To embrace everything college and Wilson specifically has taught me and use it to create motion in my life. To apply everything four years of studying, working, serving, partying and loving has taught me in order to make the next parts of my life the best yet.
That being said I may only be a few days out of college but I already have another project and it’s a great one. When I was thinking about this year and how many changes I was going through (with graduation and becoming an American citizen earlier in the year) I wanted to do something that not only reflected that change but also served as an ode to where I am in my life and where I’ve chosen to be.
I didn’t chose to come to this country when I was a child. I was brought by my family but as I’ve grown into the woman I am today I’ve made the decision to call this country home. I will always be English and will always consider England a home but America is where I’ve chosen to be now, where I’ve chosen to create a life and where hopefully one day I will raise a family.
And America is a big country. I’ve been blessed to experience living in two different states, Florida and North Carolina, but there is so many different place and cultures within America’s borders. That is why I want to Meet America, in its entirety.
Therefore my sister and I have created Meeting America. Meeting America is an interactive book project centered around a 45 day road trip, which will hopefully happen in July. During this 45 day road trip I will be interviewing people in each stop, sort of like Humans of New York but the entire country, and my sister will be taking photographic portraits of each person I interview.
I will be asking questions like what does being an American mean to you, what is the greatest strength of this country and what is its greatest weakness? If you could change anything what would it be? What’s your happiest memory? And so on and so forth. Interviews are very organic things, therefore the questions will change with each interview. I’m incredibly excited to get to know so many people in so many corners of this country.
After the road trip ends we will compile all the portraits and interviews into a book format that will be a testament to the diversity, frailty and beauty of these United States.
HOWEVER in order for this project to happen I need your help. The cost of setting off around the country and producing a book is not small so we’ve set up an Indie GO GO campaign to help fund the project.
You can check it out HERE https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/meeting-america-an-interactive-book-project
As a supporter you will help us design this trip, meaning you will become a voter and get to vote on where we go and what we do at each stop. We will also be attempting to volunteer at each stop so your votes will also help us decide on where we should be volunteering.
In order to make the trip and the production of the book happen we need at least $5,000, which I know sounds like a lot but the great thing is that there is strength in numbers.
That’s 500 people supporting us with $10
Or 100 people supporting us with $50
Or 50 people supporting us with $100
Or 10 people supporting us with $500
And every supporter gets something I return, check out the awesome perks HERE https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/meeting-america-an-interactive-book-project
This project is very dear to my heart and I honestly think it can be a unique, authentic and moving portrait of the American people that has never really be done before. However in order for it to happen we need the funding.
Anything will help, $10 can go a long way, and by becoming a supporter you will be helping to create this project and in turn create a book that helps to show just how stunning the people of this evolving country truly are.
Plus you will have my gratitude forever and ever. And that’s pretty great.
Become a supporter HERE https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/meeting-america-an-interactive-book-project
Until Next Time,
Be Blessed, Stay Strong and Never Give Up,
Grace
P.S – If you need further convincing of how excited I am about this project, watch the video below.
What Am I Doing After Graduation?
Grace Hatton the Author's Blog 