Creating and Sustaining Human Connections

By Joan Kwaske

Writing matters in countless ways. We use it to tell stories, to pass on traditions and history, to advocate for ourselves and one another, and for so many other reasons, but I think most of those reasons are tied together with one overarching goal: to create and sustain human connections. Whether sending a text to a friend, jotting down a recipe for a family member, working on an essay concerning a topic we feel is important, drafting a screenplay, or emailing a representative to express concerns about issues in our communities, our most important writing is that which speaks to our bonds with those we care about and those we don’t yet know. Writing matters because the people, ideas, and sentiment behind it matters.