“Where I’m From”

A TLA artist shares the origin story behind her popular Instagram Live series

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In 2021, screenwriter and essayist Alyson Shelton got an idea. At the time, we were still navigating life with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was feeling really powerless—similar to how I’m feeling now, in a lot of ways,” she shares.

Then, while in a workshop, she came upon a prompt created by Fred First, using George Ella Lyon’s iconic poem, “Where I’m From.” As she listened to others in the workshop share their poems, she was struck by the power of the prompt.

“I was really moved by what people were able to do in such a short time, and how vulnerable people were willing to be. And maybe they were always willing to be that vulnerable, but they just didn’t have the container for it.”

Alyson began inviting people to write their own version of “Where I’m From,” and then join her for an Instagram live session where they’d share their poem and discuss the process of writing it.

“I wanted people to feel free to just show up as themselves and know that they would be accepted and heard. That felt important to me,” says Alyson.

The poem serves as the ideal container for these deep dives; each interview tends to last about 20 to 30 minutes.

Alyson has a rare gift for creating space for people to share about themselves. She and I were mere acquaintances through social media when she hosted me for her “Where I’m From series.” I was struck by how carefully she listened, and by the thoughtful follow-up questions she asked. We went on to become close friends– and even edited an anthology together.

Like many writers, Alyson prefers to skip over the small talk and go straight to a deeper connection. She’s found that when people share about their childhood, that connection happens almost organically.

“I think that hearing about where people are from—getting to know that childlike part of them. There’s some like vulnerability there that is more difficult to find when you’re like, ‘What do you do for a living?’”

While many of Alyson’s guests are writers, not all consider themselves to be.

“Sometimes people will ask if I have edits. No. I mean, it’s your own-- you are the arbiter of what you want to share,” she says.

To date, Alyson has hosted more than 200 guests on Instagram Live, including Freddy First, who created the rich writing prompt, and George Ella Lyon, the author of the original “Where I’m From” poem. In August, Alyson launched the “Where I’m From” podcast. And, at the suggestion of a friend, the poem also provided the infrastructure for her memoir.

Alyson says that beyond the feeling of connection sparked when she interviews people, the project has enhanced her own writing skills. “I understand in a cellular way that the concrete sensory details matter. Because I listen to them every week and it’s like–oh, I connect to that little thing that’s so specific,” she says.

As any TLA practitioner will affirm, sharing our stories connects us, allows others to feel seen, and ultimately, it can transform our lives.

“I truly believe that the more that we know and own our stories, the more healed we become, and the less likely we are to inflict the pain and trauma we’ve experienced on others,” Alyson says. “We’re living in a really dramatic moment where I think we’re feeling pit against each other,” she continues. Listening deeply to someone else’s story can counteract that feeling.” It’s a way of saying ‘Okay, you matter. We all matter.’ We’re interconnected.”

Lynn L. Shattuck writes on topics like grief, parenting and mental health. Lynn co-founded the website lossofalifetime.com, a hub of resources and community for those who’ve experienced sibling loss. She co-edited the essay collection, The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, which was released in June of 2025.

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    07 Dec 2025 5:00-6:30 PM (EDT) • online • Free and open to all • Performances and presentations of their work by TLAN members followed by an artist talkback. Join us!

• Classes and Workshops beginning in January 2026

  • New Years Revolution: Writing Toward the World We Deserve // with Tasjha Dixon

    07 January 2026 (CST) • Online • 8 week course

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    07 January 2026 7:00 PM • online • 90 minute workshop

  • Future Casting: Writing Towards a Just World Vision // with Caits Meissner

    14 January 2026 • Online • 8 week course

  • Writing for Transformation For Yourself & Your Community // with Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg

    17 January 2026 2:00 PM (CST) • online • 2 hour workshop

  • The (Extra)Ordinary Moment: The Art and Craft of Micro-Memoir // with Elizabeth Lukács Chesla

    28 January 2026 • Online • 4 week course