Atlantic Books Today ESSAYS & POEMS
HerStory Reflections on being the inaugural writer-in-residence for YWCA & APMA by Abena Beloved Green
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hat is it to be a writer-in-residence? For me, it means to work with a particular group or organization and use writing to engage with that group’s clientele, or with the public. The purpose can be to generally promote the role of literary arts in the community, or, it can have a more specific focus of producing works as well as offering mentorship to others. Often, the role is a combination of all of these. As the very first HerStory writer-in-residence, I am excited and honoured. This is my first writing residency as well, so this role and I are firsts for each other. When I think of my path as a young and emerging writer, I always have to go to those who inspired and encouraged me. Even though the desire to write was a seed planted from a young age, which I began to explore on my own, it still helped tremendously to be watered with exposure to other writers and literary events, encouragement and guidance. Whether it was seeing local poets on stage, or being encouraged by a community member to submit poems for a contest or for publication, these waterings affirmed my desire to write and become better at the craft. As writer-in-residence for YWCA Halifax and the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association (APMA), I am delighted to be in a position where I can be the one who waters others, young or older. I may not be working with aspiring writers per se; some people may even groan at the idea of having to take part in a writing workshop, but I do believe that everyone in those workshops has a story to tell. And I believe those stories will do some good for the teller and the receiver. I hope that the telling of their stories will bring awareness to societal issues, create community and offer a sense of freedom, accomplishment and self-awareness for those to whom these stories belong. Of course, the participants whom I will lead in workshops
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