“Writing is musical.  It has a rhythm. It’s the voice in your head, so take your whole self and put it into your work.”  So said best-selling author and award-winning journalist Solomon Jones before a rapt audience of workshop participants.

Jones, the guest speaker during Week 2 of the Acel Moore program, implored students to make a difference in their stories during a moving one-hour talk in the Public Space.

“It’s not just about you.  It’s about the community and the people coming behind you,” said Jones, author of 10 books and a radio talk-show host on WURD.  “You are Acel Moore’s legacy. He had to hustle to make things happen, so do you.”

Much of Jones’ speech centered on politics and the 2020 elections, the theme of this year’s workshop.  Students were able to glean useful information from his address for their First Take news articles and multimedia projects.  Later in discussion groups, workshop participants said that Jones’ take on the presidential election helped them to sharpen the focus for their stories.

Jones, who escaped a life of drugs and alcohol on the hard-scrapple streets of Philadelphia, told students that they are at the center of this year’s elections.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re into politics or not; politics is into you,” said the nationally renowned motivational speaker.  “Through your vote, we can take our power back.  Whoever wins Philly should win Pennsylvania.  We really do hold a national election in our hands.”