By: D’angelo Smith, Contributing Writer
Have you ever wanted your story told? If so, then you need to familiarize yourself with the “Dear World” project. On Jan. 24th, “Dear World” came to Saint Leo University. This project started by Robert Fogarty, is a big event that allows students to tell their stories through just a few words that they write on their body traditionally with a black marker.
The project originated from a New Orleans fundraiser to bring attention to the world’s most tragic causes. It is a nonprofit storytelling organization and at its bare minimum, they ask people just one question: what is a story that only you can tell? This story can be the most significant moment of your life or it can be a small minuscule memory of something that you will never forget. The only requirement is that it is meaningful to you.
Student enjoys his story being told.
For a lot of people, this could be fun, exciting, or it could be about a dark time inside of their lives. But it is a very cathartic movement that they have done and allows people to express their emotions that they have bottled up, which in return can be seen by other people going through something similar and hopefully have a positive impact on them. According to Anthony Marchitto, a Senior, CAB Arts and Speakers Charmin, and a Healthcare Management major. He went on to say
“I encourage everyone to come out and support the event, even if they think that what they write is meaningless, it might be meaningful to someone else.”
Taliyah Carey, a Freshman and Developmental Psychology major, also had similar enthusiasm and optimism of the event stating
Director of Dear World brings their own equipment to take pictures.
“I think the event is fun and exciting and is one of the more unique and interesting ways to bring awareness to the problems people face in the world.”
When asked why Saint Leo out of all the places Dear World could have decided to go to, chief photographer Christopher Crews responded by saying:
“We chose Saint Leo to come and celebrate the diversity of the students on campus.”
He went on to further say
“Dear world has done a lot of work all over the USA we have traveled to multiple countries, most recently we will be going to Spain next month.”
Students can expect Dear World to come again next year and can go on their website to view photos taken at the school and witness the vast amount of others who have contributed to making sure their voices will stand the test of time.
