About
Claim Your Narrative is a writing and storytelling workshop series. It is the response to erasure–– the ways in which we as marginalized individuals and communities have been silenced, ignored and dismissed. I created this workshop in light of world events since 2020, personal life changes, and the loss my father, who taught me the value of remembering and sharing our stories.
Storytelling can be in different forms; it can be poetry, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and informal conversations. In many cultures, including my own, it is a tradition embedded in communal gatherings and meals. For me, a good story keeps us engaged and interested. We can do this with creativity, imagination, and using our own authentic voice.
What experiences have shaped your life and how you see the world? How do they help or inhibit you in your life? How would you define yourself if you were to meet one of your ancestors? When was the last time you laughed? These are some of the questions we will explore in in this workshop.
The Workshop: Led by Maria Gregorio
Mondays, 6-8pm EST for 4 weeks
Begins August 5th 2024
$160
This is a 4-week generative writing workshop for anyone who wants to explore their personal identities and histories through narrative and creative storytelling. The themes are Identity & Ancestry.
What are the intersections of your identity/identities and your ancestry? Identity here is broadly defined; it can be by talent, skill, profession, racial, cultural, gender identities and more. We will read excerpts of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to generate new writing, reexamine how we define ourselves, step out of the mundane. I will also provide prompts. This is for new and experienced writers who are interested in generating new work by focusing on characterization, world-building, point of view and voice.
METHOD
Workshops are intimate spaces with no more than 10 people. Sharing what’s written in the workshop is optional but encouraged. My method is an integration of my skills and knowledge as a social worker, licensed therapist, poet, writer and woman of color.
There are three types of workshops depending on what you are looking for. Scroll below to learn more about the options.
We will examine how poets, fiction and nonfiction writers have described worlds which delve into the layers of human nature and the environment. I will also provide reflective prompts to stimulate writing, but participants are free to step outside of any prompt. I encourage people to experiment, uncover, excavate their own stories, whether they are real, imagined, or hoped for. We will explore what might constrain our voices and hold us back. We will stretch our minds.
Currently workshops are online only. I will to do in-person workshops in the future.
For more information about me, please check out my page: maria-gregorio.com
Claim Your Narrative 