Cuéntame!
Tell me!
I want to hear your stories!
Every one of us has a story. Your story started when you came to this place. It continues--twisting, turning. Sometimes tumultuous, sometimes tranquil. And someday, your story will come to a close.
It is the people who walk with you in this life who will share in all of it. If you write your story down, and I hope you all do at some point on your journeys, you'll leave a part of yourself to the rest of us. The impact you've made will linger on for a little while longer, bringing comfort to those who loved you--and love you still.
May I tell you a story? It began when I met the wonderful lady posing with me underneath the title up there, Meg Medina. She was my first advisor at Hamline University when I was working on my MFA for writing children's books through young adult books. (While I've finished a couple of promising projects that came from that whole chapter of my life, I do have to admit that I am the worst poet to ever come out of Hamline... but that's a story for a different time. *Sigh*
The chapter of Meg's life at this particular time and place is spent in service to every child, every educator and every librarian in the United States as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Her employer is the Library of Congress, and her office is located just underneath the flag in this picture. She stands at the helm of our nation promoting literacy for America's children, and she's incredibly good at what she does. Do you know how I know this?
Because Meg Medina came to Nampa, Idaho, and she introduced us to Cuéntame. With the powerful magic inside her, she turned us all into Cuentistas. Story tellers. Lore masters. Sharers of this life we've been given.
Truly, a person could heal the world with a skillset like that.
Meg has created many, many stories (Click here, and you can read them all) and those stories have touched the lives of a multitude of people in a powerful way. In fact, the middle school where I work was able to get a $1,000 grant and donate over 200 of Meg's books to the Family Justice Center for kids, zero to eighteen, who have suffered some type of family trauma and need an extra dose of love and hope.
Imagine that part of your story is that you had to flee your own home because you were not safe there--but the place you ran to received you with open arms and offered you safety. A blanket. Something to eat. A place to go... and Cuéntame... a book. Stories of people whose lives have also taken unexpected turns but got through it--and sent you off, strangely strengthened, believing you could do the same.
Meg's impact on Nampa and this entire Treasure Valley will reverberate in the lives of children long after she goes on to do her good work in the next city to make more and more Cuentistas, empowering them to make connections with others who also have important stories to tell.
She brought Cuéntame to the Nampa Public Library and our very own middle school. She taught us how to give a proper book talk--Cuentistas aren't always expected to tell their own stories, you know. We can tell the stories of others that we've discovered in books that speak to us and stay with us and maybe even changes us.
Another important skill set.
Meg ignited a passion in reluctant readers to find the stories they love and reignited a passion in those of us who already love them--in whatever platform, whatever medium any of us prefer, and to share those stories with others.
To understand.
To reflect.
To connect.
And there was great joy in the land.
#HamlineMFAC #LowResidencyMFA #HamlineUniversity #LibraryOfCongress #WritersOfInstagram #WritersOfTikTok #FamilyJusticeCenter #NampaPublicLibrary
Daisy Rain Martin has spent over thirty years in the classroom and managed to preserve her sanity—mostly. Actually, she feels quite fortunate to be doing all that she loves--teaching, speaking, writing and, as often as possible, laughing. She has earned three degrees: Bachelor of Sociology (1990), a Master of Curriculum and Instruction (2004) as well as a Master of Fine Arts in writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota (2021).
In 2023, she received the distinct honor of being named Idaho’s Human Rights Educator of the Year.
In the summers, you can find Daisy in her gardens with her husband or in her office writing. As often as she can, though, she loves spending time with her grandson, Wiggle, who was born on her birthday and her grandniece, Giggle, who was born on Christmas Eve. Truly, she writes for them.
If you are interested in having Daisy speak for your school district, provide professional development for your staff, or visit your school to talk to students, please contact her through this website.
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