It’s always nice to be able to offer programming in my own city, and especially after the last few months, my hope is that these two offerings can be useful. They’re also free! Here are the sign-up links, and I’ll share some more info below.

QUIET & LOUD: A Poetry Circle for Introverts – Three Sessions

SATURDAYS, MAY 2, 9, 16: 1-4pm: Creative life can sometimes privilege people with a lot of social energy, those who thrive under the pressure of deadlines, workshopping, and networking. And those people are lovely! But sometimes, the rest of us can feel left out. This series is built for those who aren’t usually the loudest voice in the room, but still have a lot to say. Over three sessions, we will do some of the traditional poetry workshop activities (exploring examples, sharing tools and tactics, responding to writing prompts, etc), but it will be set up intentionally to be more relaxed, “opt-in,” and low pressure, allowing for multiple ways to participate (or not!) beyond live discussion. Register – Free!

POETRY, PROTEST, AND POSSIBILITY – One Session

SUNDAY, MAY 24; 1-5pm: Whether or not we believe that our writing can change the world, there are deep, powerful connections between artists and movement-builders, historically. This interactive workshop will highlight what powers these connections, as well as what specific tactics artists (especially poets and writers) might use to most effectively advocate for our values. What kind of work can writing do, and what can’t it do? What are some favorite examples of writing that “meets the moment?” What makes those examples powerful? Over four hours, we’ll have space to explore those questions, respond to some writing prompts, and add a few tools to our creative toolboxes. Register – Free!

ABOUT THE NEW CITY CENTER FOR HEALING JUSTICE AND THE GRAPEVINE COLLECTIVE

The building: A historic church known for its activist bent – now, a community center, an incubator space, a collaborative ecosystem, a site of spiritual inspiration and dreams for a liberated future.

Our community: This space is run by and for the people: we are an intergenerational, multi-racial, cross-class, queer and accessible community that is rooted in struggles for dignity and justice in South Minneapolis.

Our vision: We believe in a world that has the inborn ability to heal itself. We cultivate community healing by practicing solidarity, wholeness, and presence, which lead to justice, abundance, and a resilient future.

Accessibility info + More at gravevinecollective.org.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Kyle Tran Myhre is a poet and activist based in MPLS. He’s contributed to a Grammy-winning album, performed at the United Nations, been a member of two National Poetry Slam championship teams, and visited countless colleges, conferences, and festivals, using spoken word and storytelling as doorways into critical dialogue. Find his poems, music, zines, and more at http://www.guante.info.

RELATED NOTES

As always, if you’re interested in this kind of thing but don’t live here, and/or just can’t make it to these specific workshops, I also offer an asynchronous workshop series here.

Also, if you’d like to bring this kind of programming to your community, get in touch with me here.