Creative Empowerment

In today's world of heartache, struggle and strife, it is important to shine a spotlight on a non-profit arts organization that offers a salve for some of the world's pain. Amherst Writers and Artists, located in Amherst, Massachusets believes that "a writer is someone who writes," and it reaches out to fold its arms around many underserviced populations here and around the globe to tell them so.

Teachers, psychologists, writers, clergy of various faiths and others join their training classes to become ceative writing workshop leaders, taught to nurture and cultivate the creative spirit. They then go out and hold workshops across the country and beyond to empower people to express themselves and build self-esteem.  Some people never thought they could write,were afraid to try, had no time except for work and family, could not afford it before, or hesitated because of various other life situations. Writers and Artists has outreached to low-income women, children and youth, bereavement groups, participants in recovery programs and others in need and who thirsted to get what they wanted to say out on paper. Workshops can be found in living rooms, prisons, hospitals, church basements, homeless shelters, schools, universities and retreat centers. The results for both students and leaders prove to be enriching, exciting, rewarding, and well worh the time, regardless of educational level or experience. Having been certified as one of their workshop leaders some time ago, I still consider it one of the most rewarding experiences of my writing life.

In the middle of all this, Writers and Artists somehow manages to produce books of poetry and prose, as well as a yearly journal of poetry and fiction.

Pat Schneider author of Writing Alone and With Others, Oxford University Press, founded Writers and Artists over thirty years ago. I don't think she would mind my quoting her basic philosophy at the very foundation of this shining light of an organization. She says, "You have a voice, just as surely as you have a face, and it is already full of character, passionate and nuanced and beautiful."