Dear Community,
I had a fear that had followed close on my heels when I arrived at Women Writing for (a) Change. The fear? That I would run out of things to write about. (or that you would judge me for ending my sentence with a preposition). My last job had run me dry on content. I would feel joy returning to me every time I got even a bit of a new poem in a core class, and poetry is my mother tongue.
Within the first year, I felt my mindset shifting. Turns out there is a well of inspiration that doesn’t run dry inside of me. The world is ever changing, and the connections one can make seem to be endless. This place taught me a new kind of abundance.
Bounty of Words names what happened inside of me here. Bounty of Words also names the phenomenon that is Women Writing for (a) Change. This mindset that we are all writers for one simple reason….We Write. And Write we do! And yes, it’s the name of our fall FUNdraiser.
Can you even begin to imagine the quantity of words, word connections, written pieces, and spoken words that have flowed through this place? What a Bounty! I have feasted on so many stories, essays, poems, and authenticity here. It seems to be infinite. This quote jumped out at me this week:
A choir is made up of many voices, including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent then all that will be left are the soloists. -Vera Nazarian
Bounty of Words is a place for us to come together in this mindset of abundance. I won’t stand by and let only the loudest voices prevail. Every scholarship and outreach program that we do is lifting voices like it lifted mine when it was dimming. Let’s continue the Bounty. Join us.
We believe bounty comes in many forms. Your presence is a bounty to us. If money isn’t your bounty, join the event by volunteering! Email [email protected] to get involved. Or [email protected] to get a discount code for tickets.
With Gratitude,
Christine Wilson
WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S INSPIRING ME LATELY?
I’m Currently Reading:
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, a historical novel about a friendship on the Korean Island of Jeju where women lead in fascinating ways.
A Podcast You Should Listen To:
The new This American Life called How are you not seeing this? Is a crash course in empathy. The first story includes men finding out how period pain feels. The second is a man with a neurological disorder where he genuinely sees faces differently. One of our values at Women Writing is Presume Good Will and this was a reminder that we just never know what another person is experiencing.
Poetry Obsession Right Now:
José Olivarez’s poem Ugly in his new book Promises of Gold. This poem reminds me that ugly can be beautiful.
The poem Ugly names things that are ugly including the author’s feelings about his own face. Then, it pivots to an understanding that the author finds these things beautiful, like a crooked tooth smile is still a smile, a gift.
Name a thing that feels ugly to you right now, go all out. Then, pivot, and begin to name the beauty available to you either in that ugly thing you named, or somewhere nearby if need be.