INDIANAPOLIS — An 11-year-old girl is on a mission to help other kids express their feelings.
“You are unique and special in more ways than you think,” Journee Majors read.
Majors decided to create “You’ve Been Dared Journal for Tweens” as an outlet for kids to express their feelings and discuss their mental health.
“I really wanna make these journals because a lot of teens and tweens out there suffer from peer pressure and this can help build their confidence,” Majors said.
“She would get in my car and say, ‘Guess what happened today’ or, ‘Guess what happened with my friends,’ so it seems like it’s just been building,” Shar’ron Mason, Majors’ aunt and publisher, said.
Mason says Majors used personal experiences and turned them into positivity for others.
“These were things taking place on her bus. She loves to have conversations about what’s going on with her,” Mason said. “She sees her peers going through a lot of different things and struggling and wants to be able to help them.”
"What inspired me was my auntie and my dad because they made their own books and inspired me to make my own journals," Majors said.
Majors designed the cover and came up with dares for the writers as a fun way to keep them engaged.
Mason hopes the journals help more children open up and know it’s OK to talk about their struggles.
“We need it now, we needed it then,” Mason said. “Thinking about if there were kids sharing those types of messages when I was coming up, how impactful that would’ve been.”
Mason says she is proud of her niece.
“I am extremely proud. I didn’t publish my first book until 40, she’s 11,” Mason said.
It’s an accomplishment Majors is also happy about.
“I’m proud of myself,” she said.
Her message to others is:
“Be your own person, be a leader,” Majors said.
Her book release celebration is happening this weekend at the Arts for Lawrence Juneteenth celebration.
The event starts at 4 p.m. at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus.
