3 minute read
Johnston County Writers Group to present workshop in Clayton
from January 2022
by Johnston Now
Submitted by JOHNSTON COUNTY WRITERS GROUP
CLAYTON — The Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library continues its National Endowment for the Arts Big Read exploration of “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros with the second “Write It Out” workshop on Saturday, Jan. 22 from 10 a.m. until noon at the library, located at 100 S Church St.
The NEA Big Read Clayton is presented in partnership with the Johnston County Writers Group and other sponsors, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. “Write It Out: Using Words to Create a Sense of Belonging” will be a free guided writing workshop with Miriam Amado-Lopez. “I will bring my story and experience coming from a family of immigrants into the U.S. to help unravel the human experience of settling into the unknown and finding that sense of belonging in my own world,” Amado-Lopez said.
She is an insurance professional who services all of North Carolina and lives in Smithfield. Assisting AmadoLopez is Pine Level author Cindy Brookshire, facilitator of the Johnston County Writers Group. Workshop participants will be invited to read, reflect and write on prompts from “The House on Mango Street.” Everyone will be encouraged to share their own experiences as well. Each participant will receive a copy of the book, along with a journal and pen.
The Johnston County Writers Group will present two more “Write It Out” workshops at the library. “Write It Out: Using Words to Write a Memoir Your Way” with Goldsboro author Mary Susan Heath and Smithfield author Gary Ridout will take place March 26. “Write It Out: Using Words to Write a Family Poem,” with Benson poet Teresa Blackmon and Clayton poet Leslie Waugh (Write from Your Heart) will take place April 23.
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens understanding of the world, communities, and people themselves through the joy of sharing a good book.
Clayton is one of 61 communities nationwide participating in the 20212022 NEA Big Read. From September 18, 2021 through May 5, 2022, the Clayton community will celebrate “The House on Mango Street” with a full calendar of events including book discussions, art and theatre classes, panel discussions, virtual author appearances, and more.
For more information on this event, please contact Joy Garretson at 919-359-9366 or at jgarretson@townofclayton. org. There is also a full calendar of events for the NEA Big Read in Clayton at claytonnc.org/bigread.
