#tyst

One sleepless night in April, I was lying in my bed thinking about how I wanted to spend the next years at Florida State. The next day, or rather later on that day, Tell Your Story: Tallahassee was born. I did not really have a vision for this video project; I thoroughly enjoyed doing it just for fun. It was not until LeaderShape where I began to think about the potential TYST has to promote social change.

TYST exists to share compelling and complicated stories that promote awareness and compassion in a world that may be too presumptuous, ignorant, or critical. My goal is to remind people that they are not alone, their voice is important, and they have a story worth telling. Sharing stories humanizes people and encourages us not to just tolerate, but to make an effort to truly accept and understand one another. The beauty of stories like is that every single person has one- everyone has gone through something that has made them who they are today. With every video I create, I become more convinced that a story has the potential to change how someone sees the world.

I have LeaderShape to thank for one of the best experiences I have ever had in college. I was able to develop my vision for Tell Your Story: Tallahassee. But more importantly, I learned how to develop a vision. Since last year, I have had several opportunities and have made some life changing decisions. LeaderShape certainly played a role in providing the foundation for bringing any vision I have to life.

Carolina Ruggero LeaderShape Institute 2014