Literati!
I am pleased to announce that our friend, my friend–social activist, novelist, educator and journalist Jonathan Freedman is on board to judge our contest “The Drinking Fountain.”
Jonathan won the Pulitzer Prize for a series of editorials that led to the first immigration reform bill in 34 years, which prompted Ronald Reagan to grant amnesty (yes, amnesty) to 3,000,000 people living in the shadows who had crossed our borders from Mexico in search of work. Jonathan’s citation read, in part:
For distinguished editorial writing, the test of excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction, due account being taken of the whole volume of the editorial writer’s work during the year…
Jonathan has been a life-long activist, currently compiling the stories of the kids detained in Texas who had come up from Central America.
“Can one person change the world?” asks Jonathan.
“I believe:
Words change lives.
Stories change the world.
Every person has a story to tell.”
You’ll be hearing more about Jonathan and his work over the course of our contest. We will allow our entire readership to help select finalists, and Jonathan will then determine a winner, based on clarity, moral purpose, sound reasoning and–slightly different from the Pulitzer Prize, PASSION!
Join Jonathan, join us. Submit your story inspired by the prompt “The Drinking Fountain” ( https://awordwithyoupress.com/2017/11/10/the-drinking-fountain-healing-history/
Be a pebble in the pond.
Bravo Mr. Sully and Mr. Freedman for being voices spoken, actions taken and words printed for social justice. It is with humility, gratitude and resolve that I have written and submitted two different 500 word stories, one fiction, one non-fiction for both of your discerning considerations.
I pray three things which are: 1) The continued healing of your daughter Mr. Sully. 2) The pleasure of meeting you someday Mr. Freedman as well as your humanely gifted wife. 3) The encouragement for other writers to enter as well with their own inspiring and personal words.