Hi friends. Meet @arielleestoria, she is a writer, poet, leader, thinker,doer and changer. She likes to dance in her car and works with incarcerated teens helping them to seek clarity through their words. Ari is a lighthouse sending rays of hope, change and growth through the darkness. I am very honored to be sharing her story this week. There are some sweet jewels of wisdom, pay close attention this weeks interview is life changing.
Why do you write?
Because I don’t know how to process life or the world around me without doing so.
I write because I was made to.
What advice would you give your younger siblings?
That they are enough, that they do not have to strive to be anything but their best and even still they are enough.
I would tell them not to try so hard --- that what comes to them is meant for them and what passes them wasn’t meant for them so don’t try too hard to keep things that are meant to be let go.
I would tell them to dream bigger, that they’re made for more than they could even imagine.
Can you tell me a bit about the work you are doing with teenagers?
Sure! I teach poetry to youth, youth who are in the incarceration system, youth rehabbing from drug addictions and youth who are in the correctional education system.
I have the opportunity of delving into content, conversation and creation with those who are considered nothing but statistics and “lost causes.” but they are not even close to being that, they are brilliant, raw and unapologetic and teach me to be the same.
What experiences in life shaped you the most?
Wow. the first one was a backpacking trip I took in college as a part of leadership development. It was when I learned the most about the capability and marvelousness of my own physical body and also how to see myself through not my own pretty negative view of myself but in the eyes of others and the one who created me. This trip lead into a year of advising forty-freshman girls and that year we talked about the parts of us we hide and are ashamed of and ultimately experienced a lot of freedom.
The second would be working with a non-profit in New york for two weeks, leading an arts-impact workshop with women in jail. It was the most significant way I could have used my gifts and talents.
Who is your biggest influence and why?
AHHH. this is tough….
• Shonda rhimes: she is brilliant and creative and making moves that are transforming not just television btu storytelling in general. She is shattering the black woman box and stereotype of success as we know it.
• Sarah kay, one of the first poets i stumbled on in my beginning journey and to this day one of the most impactful forces to why I do what I do.
What do you feel is your mission/purpose in life?
To spread magic.
With glitter….with words
But seriously, lately i’ve been feeling like --- I’ve been put here to change environments, to create intimate spaces in people's lives that are inviting, safe and transformative and do that through storytelling and words.
Sing or dance?
SING...AND DANCE of course
How can you do just one?
Favorite word and least favorite word?
Current Favorite: wild I.E “how’s life?” “it’s wild.”
Least: moist (gag)
What will destroy the world and what will save it?
Our inability to see each other and treat one another as fellow human beings will destroy the world
What will save it? Kindness, grace, change
When is the last time you danced?
Today. At work while filling up the water pitcher…to beyonce
When do you know if it is the right time to change things up and why?
My spirit is really sensitive to transitions, I start to feel them pretty deeply,
I can almost sense when a change is coming--usually it elicits anxiety, doubt and restlessness
Or --it feels like growing, like becoming too big for a space you’ve outgrown
What does unstuck mean to you?
It means --there’s an effortless flow of something
Of acceptance, of creativity, of opportunities
It’s that exhale of relief, as if you’ve held your breath for a really long time and can finally breathe
Unstuck to me means there’s a certain level of freedom and whimsiness
What are things that bring you joy in the world?
Coffee!!
Brunch with people i adore
celebrating: birthdays, promotions, making it to friday, babies, weddings
Those conversations that have you sitting with them for days, weeks, months on end and sit in a really sweet spot of your soul because something you took away from it gave you a better understanding of yourself
Ice cream. Teaching.
What does being a woman mean to you?
It means...being unapologetic in everything that makes you feminine and strong
From curves, to our ability to nurture, to our innate nature to see others before ourselves
Being a woman to me, means understanding and embracing our gift of giving life not just physically but in so many other ways, emotionally, physically, mentally
It means... sundresses, soprano and alto songs, empowerment and community
I imagine greek pillars-- strong, tall, and necessary to society, to culture, to history
When you look in the mirror what do you see?
I see a woman who has really grown into herself
I see tired eyes because life is moving faster than her ability to keep up
I see curves and a long awaited sense of acceptance
How do you keep yourself psychologically healthy?
I practice hot yoga for my sanity, for my strength and to keep my skin glowing
I take time for myself through the day---whether that's a nap in my car or cancelling plans when I feel overwhelmed
I also drive to the beach a lot and just sit---it reminds me it’s okay to be still sometimes
Mantra of the moment?
What’s for me will not pass me and what passes me was not for me
Favorite quote?
So hard!!
“Legacy? What’s a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you’ll never see.” - Hamilton
“I don’t dance now I make money moves.” - cardi B
What is the best advice you have ever received?
“You don’t have to be strong right now.” my mentor told me that on the way to the hospital to see my grandpa before he passed. I remember almost biting my tongue to keep from crying and he said that to me and I just lost it.
“You are deserving of a beautifully handcrafted love story.” After a silly college heartbreak, sitting in the car with one of my mentors and it has affected so much of how I see dating, myself being loved and loving others.
