MSU Denver

2022-2023 Essay Contest:

1Book/1Project/2Transform is MSU Denver’s university-wide common reading program and the 2022 common reading book choice is Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob. Good Talk is a graphic memoir that depicts a series of difficult but transformative conversations between a mother and her young son.

As part of this year’s program, the 1Book/1Project/2Transform program invites MSU Denver to submit their stories about a difficult but important conversation that they have had in their lives. This year, 5 MSU Denver Students were awarded prizes for their creative essays.

“Tell us about a transformative conversation you have had in your life.”

NOV 2022 Contest Winners

Jay Drago

Briana Rendon

Yamilez Venzor Orona

Sarah Blair

Don Seven

Jay Drago, Essay Contest Winner

“Dynamics of mother-child, love-pain, individual-collective were among the interlocutors of that phone call. She is my mama; I am her youngest kid. She is a human, and I am a human. Imperfect, uncomfortable dialogue can be an alchemist, which, that July evening, transformed a veil of grief into an invitation to share in my joy”

Briana Rendon, Runner-up

“…if there is a constant pressing concern in the world, we all, parents, friends, family, and society as a whole need to talk about how these concerns should be handled. Even if we all do not fully understand what is going on, at least having a conversation starts the gears turning in all our heads”

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