Iris Bodre didn’t follow a straight path to the classroom. Before becoming a writing professor at St. John’s University in New York, she worked in crisis counseling, fundraising, and even at a hedge fund. A Brooklyn writing group helped reignite her passion for writing, ultimately leading to a faculty position and the creation of her student-focused e-book, 𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠. In this episode, Iris shares how she turned lived experience into a teaching tool and why she believes writing is a craft that should be accessible and inclusive. Raised in a family of educators, and once aspiring to be a surgeon, Iris now helps students find their voice through the written word. Her journey is one of rediscovery, purpose, and creative return.