384: Writing Personal Essays with Honesty, Authenticity, and Hope - Interview with Marcus Harrison Green

Today, I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Marcus Harrison Green.

Marcus is the publisher of the South Seattle Emerald, and a columnist with the Seattle Times. 

Growing up in South Seattle, he experienced first-hand the impact of one-dimensional stories on marginalized communities, which taught him the value of authentic narratives. After an unfulfilling stint in the investment world during his twenties, Marcus returned to his community with a newfound purpose of telling stories with nuance, complexity, and multidimensionality with the hope of advancing social change.

This led him to become a writer and to found the South Seattle Emerald. He was awarded the Seattle Human Rights Commissions’ Individual Human Rights Leader Award for 2020.

On a more personal note, Marcus is a word nerd. He is part of our community, and when he reached out to share that he would be publishing his first collection of essays—Readying to Rise—I knew we had to have him on the show.

• How he achieved a unity of voice as he put together his debut essay collection.
• The importance of looking honestly at ourselves and how that can make society better.
• Why he loves living the life of the writer and what it allows him to do in the world.

Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/384