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9th annual Community of Writing

The 51�������� Learning Inside Out Network will host the 9th annual Community of Writing on Saturday, Nov. 20, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This is the second year for LION to co-host CoW on Zoom with the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. This year’s CoW also features hosts from the Noel Wien Library, NAACP, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the 51�������� English Department. 

CoW is a series of creative workshops that connect community members. Writers, visual artists and other storytellers will begin CoW with a mindful writing session led by Jody Hassel. After the general session, participants will select two breakout rooms with choices that include meme making, an impromptu writing session that asks storytellers to respond to a photo prompt, a read and “mooove” session for younger storytellers, and comic book making. CoW ends with an optional show and tell for storytellers to share their work. 

CoW also connects community members to projects led by LION, a group dedicated to education and creative collaboration between people who are inside and outside Alaska’s jails and prisons. As a grassroots group, LION catalyzes community wellness projects and advocates for individuals and families affected by incarceration. During CoW, participants will learn about donating books to the Fairbanks Correctional Center, an effort to bring internet access to Alaska’s prison facilities, and another grassroots organization with the goal of keeping kids reading. 

Each CoW has a unique theme, and this year’s theme is “mooshrooms.” Motifs of cows and fungi depict connections between generations, between those inside and outside of Alaska’s facilities, and even between people and the natural world, and the networked, technology-centered nature of life during the pandemic. 

to learn more about the breakout rooms and resources offered by LION. Participants will receive the Zoom link after completing the registration form on the website. For questions, call 907-799-5075 or email sstanley2@alaska.edu.