Folks, I'm as shocked as you are.
Jess Westoff, the beautiful lady in this video, called me up a few weeks ago on a Friday afternoon as I was leaving school for the weekend, talking about an award... that I had won... except... I never applied for anything like that, and I couldn't make sense of what she was saying.
She had to repeat herself more than once.
The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise had received a nomination on my behalf, along with letters of support, naming me with the Idaho Human Rights Educator of the Year for 2023. Please do the world a favor and click on that green link three lines up. It will give you HOPE FOR THE WORLD, my friends, and that brand of encouragement is something so many of us need.
If you live in the Treasure Valley and have a heart for people who are being targeted merely for their existence on this planet, I encourage you to really look into this organization and see how you can support their efforts.
I'm anxiously anticipating being a part of how they are making this planet a kinder, better, safer place to be.
And speaking of making this world kinder, better and safer, have you all read Ms. Nic Stone's amazing work?
She writes the most amazing books for young people, and meeting her was another incredible honor. Here she is, signing a few of my books and encouraging me on my own writing journey, because she's JUST SO PHENOMENALLY COOL.
I FINALLY got to meet Mr. Brian Holmes in person after sending one sassy text after another to #The208. (He's aired my posts on the news three or four times now, bless his heart.) It was nice to tell him face to face how much I appreciate the way he and his fellow anchors tell it like it is at 5:00 M-F at #KTVB. I swear, it makes a girl feel halfway sane in the midst of all the nonsense out there in the world.
Finally, here is the squad. L>R: Tony and Patti Adams; a new friend, Christina Bruce-Bennion, Executive Director; Yours Truly and Sean-Martin; Victor and Dawn Estrella. (We had a killer brunch the next morning together--Victor made WAFFLES!)
And then there's this guy, my dearest friend and biggest fan, my Sean-Martin. Next March we will have been together for 28 years. We were privileged to be stewards of an outstanding human whom we love with our whole hearts. We share grandchildren, Wiggle and Giggle. We've had wonderful adventures and look forward to many more. He supports me, and I support him. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things.
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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 Right 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.