South Berwick, ME- Queer writers of all levels are welcome to sign up for Community Word, a free ten-week writing class, co-hosted by Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance and Historic New England, Wednesdays, September 14-November 16, 4:30-6:00 p.m. at Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum.
Community Word will bring together LGBTQIA+ youth and elders to express and share stories, words, and moments from their lives.
Instructor Jan Bindas-Tenney will support participants in considering queer friendship and the fierce bonds, sadness, and light of queer chosen family by reading letters between Audre Lorde and Pat Parker, poems by Cameron Awkward Rich, Danez Smith, and CA Conrad among others.
Participants will experiment with creative writing, generate new work, pursuing and polishing at least one selected piece to be collected with other participants’ work in a published chapbook at the end of the class.
Iconic Maine author Sarah Orne Jewett (1849 - 1909) found the love of her life in Annie Fields. Theirs was a mutually supportive and committed relationship that allowed each to pursue their passions. Jewett was born in her South Berwick home and as an adult spent several months there each year, most of that time devoted to writing. The house was a constant in her life.
Participants must pre-register for the series. To learn more and register, go to https://www.mainewriters.org/calendar/communitywordsarahornejewett.
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Taryn Bowe at taryn@mainewriters.org.
Made possible in part by a donation from The Fabulous Find to Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum.
Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum is located at 5 Portland St., South Berwick, Maine. 207-384-2454, email JewettHouse@HistoricNewEngland.org
www.HistoricNewEngland.org
Historic New England is the largest and most comprehensive independent preservation organization in the U.S. and welcomes the public to thirty-eight exceptional museums and landscapes, including several coastal farms. The organization operates a major collections and archives center in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and has the world’s largest collection of New England artifacts, comprising more than 123,000 decorative arts and objects, and 1.5 million archival documents including photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, and ephemera. Engaging education programs for youth, adults, and preservation professionals, and award-winning exhibitions and publications are offered in person and virtually. The Historic New England Preservation Easement program is a national leader and protects 118 privately owned historic properties throughout the region.
