Writing Your Own Declaration Workshop: A Self-Paced Guide

Summary

What is in a declaration? How do we declare our own values, thoughts, and ideas and share them with others?

We invite you to take a deep dive into self-exploration and public writing. Read, discuss, and draw inspiration from several pieces of declarative writing that emerged over the course of history. Then, reflect on your own values and compose your own “declaration of self.”

Learning Objectives:

Read and draw inspiration from declarative writing from the 18th through 21st centuries.
Understand what declarative writing is and what it’s meant to do.
Consider what a declaration is, (and means) to you; and why do declarations matter?
Write your own declaration of self to take home or share.

Part I: What's in a Declaration?

Declarative writing is writing that:

Makes a statement
Conveys information (a statement of fact)
Reveals an opinion or stance
Expresses a strong emotion or feeling

This mode of writing can be informational, descriptive, argumentative, persuasive, and more.

Declarative writing doesn’t look like just one thing.

Watch, Read, and Reflect

Below are several examples of declarative writing. Choose one or two to read and then reflect on the questions below.

Watch:

"I Am — Somebody" (1972) as performed by Jesse Jackson on Sesame Street [watch on YouTube]

Read:

Declaration of Independence (from the National Archives)
“I, Too” - A poem by Langston Hughes (1926) (from the Poetry Foundation)
No More Miss America! (1968) (from CWLU Herstory Project)
Combahee River Collective Statement (1977) (from Reed College)
Commitments to equity and land acknowledgments (City of Boston)

Reflect on these questions:

When was this text written? Why does the time of publication matter?
What feelings does this piece of writing evoke?
What is important about the text?
What is important in the text? (Think: words/phrases that stood out to you.)
What is missing?
What would you change if you were to write this document now?
What can you take away from this text? How will it change your declaration of self?

Part II: Write Your Own Declaration (1 hour)

Brainstorming

Before you start writing your declaration, try this exercise designed to help you explore your values. On a piece of scrap paper, jot down answers to the following questions:

Think about a time when you were most energized, or when you felt like your favorite version of yourself. Create a list of words and phrases that reflect the activities and actions that made you feel energized.
Now think about your inner critic. What words does your inner critic call your flaws? List them.
For each flaw you listed, write the opposite word in a separate list. These are likely characteristics that are important to you.
If you look at the list of words from the time you felt like your best self and the list of flaw antonyms you might see a pattern of words and themes.

Look at your answers and highlight the key words. What are some words that are coming up on both lists? What do they have in common? Do the clusters reflect your values?

Writing

Use your values map and your reflections on the readings to guide you when writing your own “declaration of self.” Here are some suggestions for forming your declaration:

Focus on one topic
Include your opinion, belief, or views on the topic
Share your intentions or objectives to create change
Explain how your personal experiences shaped your views
Be clear and concise
Showcase your voice and personality

Part III: Next Steps

Exhibition

In Summer 2026, the Boston Public Library’s Community History Department and Revolutionary Spaces are co-designing an exhibition focused on revolutionary writing. Workshop participants have the option to loan their declarative writing pieces for display in the exhibition. Contribution to the exhibition is entirely optional.

Reach out to a member of the Boston Public Library’s Community History Department at communityhistory@bpl.org to learn more.

Submission

Submit a completed declaration by Friday, May 15, 2026 through this submission and application form. BPL staff will review all submissions on a rolling basis by the week of May 25, 2026. Please note that submission does not guarantee that your declaration will be selected.