April 23rd is National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Türkiye. It is a holiday that belongs to young dreamers everywhere, and while schoolyards across Türkiye filled with music and dance, our Be the Voice of Girls Zoom room sparked its own celebration of curiosity, courage, and creativity.
Heather arrived online from her living room, Ece balanced slides and song links, and Mirey sported a bright red-and-white T-shirt to honor the Turkish flag. After a quick microphone check (and one opinionated cat) we opened with a riddle of missing words. Ece shared Octavia E. Butler’s famous advice:
“First, forget ____. ____ is more dependable… ____ will help you finish and polish your stories, ____ won’t.”
The girls filled the blanks — inspiration and habit — then weighed their meanings. Habit, several agreed, keeps you writing when ideas feel dull; inspiration, another countered, is the spark that makes the work worth doing. By the time everyone chimed in, Butler’s line had turned into a gentle challenge: nurture both the spark and the routine.
From writing we pivoted to dreaming out loud. Ece introduced “Lions and Tigers,” a lively track by American duo Sleater-Kinney. The lyrics roam from the alphabet to jungle animals before landing on a simple promise: “I’d like to show you a million things… I’d like to make the world for you a better place.” As the song played, screens filled with smiles and a few tentative sing-along lines. When the last chord faded, breakout rooms buzzed with the question Ece posed: “What would you change to make tomorrow brighter?”
The answers were thoughtful and wide-ranging — ending wars, spreading empathy, and even handing out free ice-cream on hard days. One student set a goal of learning three languages by eighteen; another hopes to become a prosecutor to stand up for fairness. Heather reminded everyone that big changes often begin with small, steady habits, harkening right back to Butler’s quote.
Before signing off, the group tried the chorus together. The timing wasn’t perfect, the cat meowed on cue, but the confidence grew louder with each repeat. That shared energy is exactly what Children’s Day celebrates: the right to imagine, to question, and to raise your voice — whether in perfect pitch or brave approximation.
Why it matters
Sessions like these capture the heart of Be the Voice of Girls. English practice blends with music, storytelling, and cross-cultural friendship. On a holiday dedicated to youth, our girls exercised their own sovereignty by debating ideas, singing boldly, and redefining what “better” can look like.
Looking ahead
Next month we’ll transition from the Art of Writing theme to Digital Art, turning stories into podcasts and pixel-paintings. Habit will keep us organized; inspiration will keep things fun. And if a cat decides to join again, well, that just adds to the chorus.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us. If today’s story lifts your spirits, pass it along or drop us a note. Your words might become one more spark of inspiration for the girls who are already hard at work forming habits that last.
