Meet Latonia Francois of Let’s Write Life in Brockton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Latonia Francois.

Latonia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m Latonia Francois, Trailblazing Owner of Let’s Write Life and Mental Health Advocate. My story is very unexpected, new, evolving, and ever-changing as the pages of my life continue to turn. A few years ago, in the midst of a tough period of my life I reached a breaking point that turned my world around. Let’s Write Life is an unplanned business that came at the crossroads of my life somewhere between happiness, passion, purpose, darkness, light, and hope. Early in my youth and into my adulthood, I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety. There were a few times in my life I got to a real dark point of loneliness thinking I no longer wanted to be alive. I wasn’t able to see the value of my life, who I was, and I felt very limited in my ability to achieve goals. In 2013, I found myself so stuck in life and defeated by my depression that I decided I had to make a choice on how I was going to move forward and overcome this struggle I was fighting internally for so long. I asked myself this question, what does it mean for me to be happy? I started journaling and that question led me on a journey through journaling that changed my life.

In 2015, I started Let’s Write Life (LWL). My advocacy for mental health and passion for helping others is the motivation behind Let’s Write Life. My life is a good example that even when times are tough, good things can still come out of bad situations in ways you’d never expect. Let’s Write Life is an education-based journaling company that partners with self-development organizations and mental health professionals to incorporate journaling into their programs as a positive form of healing and self-expression that leads woman and youth suffering from mental health issues to know their worth, achieve personal growth, and embrace life change as they rewrite life. I’m the author of, “The Best of Me” Guided Journal and Four Week Empowerment Journaling Program. I have launched a line of seven inspirational journals I specifically designed to support mental health. This year, I’ve brought to life an art print called, “I AM ANYA; Woman of Hope.” It’s an art print that is completely new to my world. I’m not even to a point where I fully see or know myself as an artist, but the art speaks for itself. It speaks to the journey of my life, who I am, who I am becoming, and where I am today.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Although I have been extremely blessed to overcome my struggle with depression and I was able to make life choices that really worked out for me to move forward and be an entrepreneur, it has not been an easy road. Even still today I have moments when depression or anxiety will arise that makes me feel discouraged, doubt myself, negative thoughts will stop me beyond my own control and make me confused about where I stand in life. I’m also a mom, a wife, a sister, a mentor, a mentee, and a woman who wants to help others. Mental illness is hidden in plain sight. It’s like wearing a cast no one can see, so even when I feel horrible – or feel my ultimate best, no one can ever see how much of a struggle depression and anxiety can be for me. The balance is sometimes overwhelming, but what helps me stay focused is not losing sight of my goals and the things that matter to me when I write.

I share my life and my story to empower others who can relate and break the stigma of mental illness with those who are unfamiliar. The hope I have in getting LWL to a place of stability is what I base my life around and it’s why I do what I do everyday in order to give-back to the cause. We’re looking for more program partners that want to bring journaling into their programming, services, or events. Teaching, building partnerships, and getting journaling workshops coordinated with self-development programs and mental health professionals is a lot of hard work and can be a bit of a process. Right now I am focusing my energy on establishing more of these connections in the Boston and South Shore area as teaching journaling is at the heart of my work.

Please tell us about Let’s Write Life.
As you can see, my business is a big part of my life, lol. With Let’s Write Life, I get to do what I love! My work is all about educating women and young adults how to achieve personal growth and life change through journaling; which is what sets us apart. I mostly teach journaling workshops and run journaling programs day to day for women based self-development organizations and mental health professionals. I recently began running LWL journaling workshops ONLINE (Woo-Hoo!) not only to make learning about journaling more accessible, but to really allow the LWL community to become a part of my life too. Although I am teaching, I am still on this journey of personal growth and life change with my students!

What I am most proud of with the company is the recent launch of the “I Am Anya” art print. It is how I am able to fully share my story in ways I have not been able to articulate in words as it relates to mental health, my students, and how journaling restores hope. I am hoping this art piece will open the doors to more conversations between program instructors and their students or therapist with their clients around mental health and expressive art therapies by having the art piece within classrooms, colleges, counseling offices, shelters, museums, hospitals, and more to talk about the story of “ANYA” and how she relates to their life. With the art piece, we now have a way anyone can give back to supporting mental health of the women we work with through the “I AM ANYA; Woman of Hope” Campaign. You can get involved and learn more about the campaign here: https://www.letswritelife.com/i-am-anya/.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
To be honest, if I had to start over I would’ve faced my struggles with depression earlier on. I was afraid to face the fear and struggles from my past that hurt me, so I keep burying my pain. Looking back I realized holding on to that pain became the root of the triggers in my adulthood that caused me to feel extremely stuck in life. Journaling greatly helped me begin to let go of all those things and move on to making better choices that motivated me to reach a place in life I wanted to be.

Pricing:

• Let’s Write Life Inspirational Journals $20
• Invite Latonia to Speak – Starts at $600
• Become a Sponsor of “I AM ANYA; Woman of Hope.” Art Print – Starts at $135.00
• 10% of all Art Print purchases will be given in support of the “I AM Anya” Campaign.

Contact Info:

• Website: LetsWriteLife.com
• Phone: 508-535-5315
• Email: Latonia@LetsWriteLife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letswritelife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letswritelife/videos/

Image Credit:
Herkins Francois
Photography: @HLImprints IG & FB, www.HLImprints.com

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