Cooper Street Workshop: Memoir Writing as Resistance

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

In times of collective upheaval, why write intimate personal stories? This workshop will explore memoir writing as a political act – one that can ground us in authentic truth, encourage essential inquiry, and foster deeper connection to issues that matter. Together, we’ll consider brief readings of contemporary work through the lens of resistance, including essays by writers like Alexander Chee, Annie Liontas, and Esme Weijun Wang. Then, we’ll experiment with generative prompts that apply resistance as a lens on our personal histories. Participants will leave this workshop with the beginnings of a new memoir piece, plus courage to write it and commitment to its impact.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Leah Pellegrini (she/her) is an essayist focused on chronic illness, queerness, and other ways the body reflects and resists the myths of dominant culture. Her writing is informed by her background in organic farming and astrology, and it’s oriented towards advocating for deeper inquiry, integrity, and liberation on both individual and systemic scales. Leah’s work has been published in Compound Butter magazine, Medium’s Human Parts and Curious Publications, mindbodygreen, The Fold Magazine, and more. She is currently an MFA candidate in Creative Nonfiction at Rutgers University-Camden.

This is a virtual event. To facilitate community-building, please plan to have your camera on during the workshop.

Register

$20 General, $5 Camden residents & Rutgers-Camden students