Jose Torres
josetorres.blog/now
I have a lot, as I've been keeping a notebook around to record my thoughts. But I suppose my most recent idea is that everyone should write their family history. There are a lot of interesting stories that go unmentioned, so recording your family's stories prevents them from being lost. The best part of writing your family history is that you're helping generations build their identities and clarify their perspectives by seeing themselves as part of an extensive lineage that has sacrificed a lot to get to where you are now. Understanding this will change how we see our place in history and where to go from there. More importantly, you'll discover not just a family lineage that deserves to be told but also a lineage of possibility that won't go unrecognized. Your ancestors deserve that much for what they've done.
Location:
Farmington, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Professional title:
Writer/Storyteller
What do you do?
I'm writing about history and sharing interesting stories with others.
Why?
To become a great storyteller and remain curious. I create narratives to bring me closer to my North Star.
What should we read?
History Matters by David McCullough is a must-read for those who want to understand the future by understanding the past. I've been obsessed with history (especially Latin American history) lately, and this book helped me figure out why. It is a posthumous work of his essays and speeches on history throughout his life. Some were published and some were not, but they were all carefully collected by his daughter and his longtime researcher and published altogether earlier this year to share his strong belief in the vital role history plays in understanding ourselves, our country, and the values that unite us.