When our 2018 winter contest judge Kelli Agodon awarded 3rd Place to Morgan Baker’s personal essay “Talk Much?” she commented:
As someone who loves finding words inside of words and who has struggled with dyslexia, I thought “Talk Much?” was an intriguing look at what the world (or the words) look like through dyslexia. The author’s joy in her own misreading and mistakes made this an engaging read where I found myself looking forward to what she would share. This essay worked as a smart reminder how dyslexia has nothing to do with intellect, but also an authentic account of how uncomfortable it can feel to mispronounce words. The author’s thoughtfulness in how she practices students’ names to names to get them correct was both endearing and inspiring to me.
It takes courage to write about one’s disability. The result, however, is an invitation to readers to experience the world differently and to understand that experience.