Hi everyone,
As you probably know, NY Writers Coalition started in a corner of my apartment, almost ten years ago. It is kind of hard to believe how much has happened since then: moving to our office in 2004, adding more staff members and most recently, hitting the amazing milestones of more than 1,000 people attending our workshops each year!
NYWC remains a labor of love for me. Some of the accomplishments that have meant the most to me recently include:
-- launching a number of workshops in Rikers Island Jail, and in programs for people recently released from incarceration
-- training 2 formerly incarcerated people to lead NYWC workshops
-- publishing our workshop members in Dig Deep, our online literary magazine
-- partnering in the Fort Greene Park summer Literary Festival this summer, our SEVENTH year of the event
But beyond all that, at the heart of NYWC are small moments that take place countless times a week. As one of our writers, a 15-year-old girl living in public housing, told us, our workshop . . "Is an escape from my home, my building. It’s my favorite day of the week because I get to meet up with my awesome friends. There is almost no limit to the imagination. Unlike in other places like school, I have a voice and people listen. In writing workshop, I am not alone…"
A big part of my job is keeping NYWC afloat financially, and words like that keep me motivated to make sure our work continues. So once again, it is time for me to participate in the NY Writers Coalition (NYWC) Write-a-Thon. This daylong writing marathon and festival will benefit NYWC's free creative writing programs. I'll join other writers at Manhattan's beautiful Library of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen to write, attend workshops, and meet other writers.
i hope you will be able to make a donation, no amount is too small! And for those of you in NYC, join us that day!! It will be a lot of fun!
Thanks to all of you that have provided so much support of all kinds over all these years!
Love,
Aaron
P.S. Don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too! Thanks again.