dic●tion |ˈdik shən|

noun

1 the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing : Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction.

2 the style of enunciation in speaking or singing : she began imitating his careful diction.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (denoting a word or phrase): from Latin dictio(n-), from dicere ‘to say.’

DIKSHEN founder, Keith Martin, worked as a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 17 years until getting laid off in June of 2009 due to budget cuts.  Keith began his career in 1992, teaching first grade at Winnetka Avenue Elementary in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of L.A. 

Having possessed a deep love of story since childhood, it seemed a perfect marriage when, in 2007, Keith was hired by LAUSD’s Arts Branch to be a Theatre Arts teacher for elementary school children, K-5.

In what was to become his final year of teaching, Keith was given a new assignment that took him for the first time out of valley schools and moved him to inner city schools, heavily impacted with underserved children.  To see the disadvantaged life circumstances and harsh reality so many of these students faced was difficult, but Keith felt confident he could make a positive difference.  Not surprisingly, many of these kids struggled with issues of anger and sadness, acting out with inappropriate behavior at times.  But what stood out more than anything was their passion, their enthusiasm, their talent and their promise.  Almost immediately, Keith fell in love with these children, and saw clearly they could achieve great things when given the opportunity and proper guidance.

Said Keith, “...I sensed a different type of energy coming from the kids in the inner city schools that seemed all pervasive.  I think they thirst for expression, and crave for an opportunity to be truly seen and heard.  And when it happens, it’s an amazing and powerful thing to witness.  For a child to get such an opportunity... it’s liberating, it’s confidence-building, and perhaps even life-changing.” 

Keith found the sentiment, “Children don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” applied more than ever.  Once the children knew Keith cared and trust was earned, the impact and influence he

was able to have on their young lives was extraordinary.  Keith taught his students the expression, “knowledge is power,” is certainly true.  But implicit within this truism is the importance of words, because it is through words that we most commonly express our knowledge and create opportunities.  Words, therefore, possess incredible power.  It is through words that a great story is told; it is words that make up a speech that may end up having the power to change the world.  “Right or wrong, the words you use will affect how you are perceived and received in the world, so choose them carefully,” Keith would often echo to his students.

In June 2009, along with countless other teachers, Keith was laid off from District employment.  Having had the privilege of teaching amazing inner city kids, feeling he had made a positive impact on their lives, Keith was devastated by the loss of his job.  The situation in California was dreadful.  Teachers were losing their jobs all over because of the  State budget crisis, so landing a teaching position in another district was not an option for Keith. 

It was at this time that he began thinking long and hard about how he could make a living and still empower the lives of children at risk of falling through the cracks, at risk of not receiving the advantages and care and opportunities they deserved.  With this in mind, combining his passion for story and fondness for words, and possessing a new-found desire to be his own boss, DIKSHEN was born.

In a time bombarded by texts and tweets and hastily written emails rife with inventive abbreviations, something has been lost.  In the current form of our truncated language, the younger generations are missing out. 

DIKSHEN celebrates wonderfully delicious “five cent” words.  We celebrate how mellifluous and intricate and mysterious language can be. 

Most of all, DIKSHEN hopes to shed light on the needs that underserved children possess and help as many of these lives as possible.  Through books and the power of story, our mission is to facilitate a command of language, build confidence and critical thinking skills, create pathways of opportunity, help these kids to find their voice, and ultimately empower underserved children through literacy.

One book at a time.