Voices of the Present Times is a collection of stories from 11 people on themes of leadership, transmission, culture, and identity. The 11 authors in the collection use a wide range of processes to convey their stories: creative nonfiction, biography, discussion, interview, poetry, essay, fragments, and memoir.
Now it’s your turn to express yourself! Write your own story on the theme of leadership. This exercise is designed to help you see yourself as a member of a society that you have the power to influence, while giving you the opportunity to try out different storytelling techniques.
- Explore the genres of writing listed above.
a. In the book, which genres did you find most interesting, or compelling?
- Choose the form you want to use. Now you’re ready to write your own story that answers the question: “How am I a leader in my community?”
a. Variation: Choose 1 person (in the class, or in the community) and write a text based on their life.
b. Variation: Hold a random draw to select the form of writing to be used (use the slips below).
c. Variation: Change the question to read: “How could I become a leader in my society?”