Hi! Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Simran Chugani. I believe in fairies. I believe that tire swings and monkey bars can cure an afternoon low. I believe a good poem is the greatest magic in the world, and a bad movie is the greatest way to make a friend. I believe in humanity. I believe we can be kinder, fairer, compassionate-er. I believe I am not the only one to hold this belief and that, together, we can actually make progress toward a better world. I would not be who I am without language, without books, nor without those who support it.
When I moved to Florida three years ago, I was scared I wouldn’t find a community that would believe with me. The Florida Writers Foundation (FWF) — the support they provide to schools, writers, and literary nonprofits — is an antidote to my fear.
As part of their impact, FWF helps make sure everyone has the tools to be good critical thinkers. Tools such as books and literary councils enable us to identify how we can make our communities cleaner, safer, more just. And, further, storytelling often gives us a blueprint to imagine something better.
Efforts to limit access to books limit access to critical thinking which, in turn, allows oppressive practices like racism, sexism, and homophobia to persist, unquestioned. Tools like books give us the language to question injustice and address it head-on.
So, when I feel hopeless, I turn to literature. Stories remind me I am not alone. They remind me that others before me have addressed injustice and come out on top. They remind me that it’s worth believing in the good, and have a conviction to build the good if I’m not able to see it, even in the darkest moments. That hope is what FWF protects. That hope is what comes from support for greater access to stories.
