Writing Home Outside & Within: A poetry Writing and Publishing Program for Middle School Students
A brave and loving space created for us and by us to learn about ourselves through creative writing and poetry. Through art, craft, writing, reflection, movement, storytelling and poetry we will explore the things that bring us joy, inspiration, meaning and connection. Through creative practice and collaborative activities we will build our self-esteem and develop our skills as writers and poets. By the end of our time together, each participant will have the chance to publish a poem in the form of a handmade letterpress broadside. Teaching Artist Belinda Bellinger will guide participants through creative practices to jump-start your imagination and whimsy while grounding you in words that feel real, stable, and whole. Each participant will receive personal mentorship around their writing!
All experience levels are welcome. If you are a poet or if you’ve never written a poem before, you are welcome in this workshop!
This project is a part of our Write, Speak, Heal partnership with Youth Speaks and Divine Radiance funded by the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth.
Program Details:
Day/Time: Thursdays, 4:00pm-5:30pm
Dates: September 24, 2026-December 17, 2026
Students: 6th-8th Grade
Location: 546 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607 (in Bookmaking Studio)
Cost: $300, no one turned away for lack of funds (see sliding scale options at the bottom of the registration form)
Teaching Artist Bio: Belinda Bellinger (Be, they) is a writer, educator, organizer. They hold a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and a Single-Subject Teaching Credential in English from Loyola Marymount University. They are a teaching artist at Chapter 510. They are currently working on a project of poems and essays and their work has been featured in RaceBaitr and The Seventh Wave.