"Have you ever thought that having two mothers is better than having just one?" Fredy reflects on the role his older sister Angelica played as a mother figure in his youth and how his life changed when he was reunited with his biological mother. Although he was often confused as a youth about the whereabouts of his mother, he realizes as an adult that both his sister and mother played different roles in supporting him both emotionally and financially. This story incorporates some insightful reflections around motherhood and incorporates a plethora of personal photographs.
This story was created as part of a Year Up writing class. Year Up's mission is to close the "Opportunity Divide" by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Their model is a one-year, intensive training program that provides urban young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of hands-on skill development, college credits, and corporate apprenticeships. Learning Director and Writing Program Leader Melanee Grondahl attended the first MassIMPACT Spreading the Stories train-the-trainer in the fall of 2005, and incorporated digital storytelling into her creative writing class. This multi-week curriculum was based on matching the digital storytelling process to an educational standards based writing instructional plan. These Year Up digital stories were also facilitated with the help of Damien Rudzinski.
