Through the passing of history, storytelling has been integral to humanity. Stories were shared through speech before the invention of writing; storytelling has evolved over the years, but the importance of experiencing stories has remained the same. From the biographical to the fictional, people resonate with the passion of the stories being told.
LC is grateful for Writing Center Director Maria Partida’s inclusion in the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Human Library. This opportunity allowed her to share her story with students and community members interested in learning through the art of the story.
Within the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, she spoke about the struggles she faced throughout her life, specifically about the difficulty amid the move from Mexico to the U.S. and the relationship and familial challenges of being a lesbian within the community.
Through it all, Partida said that her experiences led her to become a writer and an adventurer but reinforced the idea of ensuring that she cared for others the way they deserved. In her role as the writing center director, she and her staff created a safe space for students, staff and faculty to rest their minds or talk and be heard.
“I hope that anyone who learns of my story and is going through something similar knows that they are not alone. Sometimes you may feel alone or like you are overreacting, but know that you are not, and there are people out that are here for you and will always be happy to help,” Partida said.
The Human Library started 24 years ago for the purpose of creating a safe space for dialogue where topics are discussed openly between human books and their readers. The organization states that every human book from their bookshelf represents a group in society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin, etc.
