Hola Amigos & Fellow Writers,
I am writing to share with you our trials and triumphs in our first weeks of being Barrio Writers. We launched our first workshop on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Since then we have had some issues collecting supplies, having a key to our classroom which led to having our workshop in a hallway and conflicting scheudles with staff, students and guest lecturers.
We have spent afternoons reading Pat Mora, Malcolm X and Frank LaPena. We were honored to hear Sandra Lopez read from her book Esperanza after giving us advice on writers block. We marched down Main Street united as writers to explore the free cultural arts offered in our community.
But our biggest accomplishment has been sharing the works from our new voices in Santa Ana. Just to give you an idea of what makes up Barrio Writers, here are some excerpts:
"I will not do that I will not change.
My life is mine, not yours to rearrange.
I hope one day that you will see
This isn't a phase. I'm being me."
"When I finally reach the end of my food journey I should be able to leave the house a few pounds lighter and with self-assurance that I’m not that tubby girl people make fun of. I’m the girl people are in awe about because she lost weight and seems so much more confident then when they first met her. "
"I am a writer because...when I write it helps me breath."
Now, we still have a long ways to go, but we have 28 talented teens - from bright redheads with artisitic makeup and piercings to shy ones with more words to share on paper than any famous public speaker - each spending at least 2 days a week finding a way to express themselves. I hope you will read what we have to share throughout the upcoming weeks. Our next workshop is Wednesday, July 8th at Libreria Martinez!
Please Save the Date: 3-6pm Sunday, August 23, 2009 @ Libreria Martinez - Barrio Writers Live Reading!
Con mucho orgullo,
Barrio Writers
PS - Special Thanks to El Centro Cultural de Mexico, Libreria Martinez, OC Children's Book Festival and OC Image Xpress for supporting Barrio Writers!