2020: The Rising Loaves

Video of the final reading:

Dear Rising Loaves Community: While we lost the 'place' in our placed-based summer program, we created a new virtual space in which we all came together to share our lives ... Our theme this year was “Telling Our Stories: Past, Present and Future”. Students wrote personal stories and learned about the stories of people who have come before through oral histories like Daniel Murphy, Jr (Interviewed on September 29, 1993, including memories of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic) held in the Lawrence History Center collections. Over the three weeks our writers and leaders shared their stories through poetry, art, games, and historical research. The Anthology they are creating will give the reader a glimpse of the incredible work our writers have done! There were many people who helped us with our work. Amita Kiley introduced us to the historical archives in a virtual tour. Our guest poets -- A Scribe Called Quess?, Anthony Morales and Ummi Modeste inspired us with their poetry from different cities across the United States. Educators Genithia Hogges, Lou Bernieri and Richard Gorham, along with Ceci Lewis in Arizona, ran writing workshops. Lee Krishnan ran our first writing workshop from Mumbai India. Christine Jee from the Addison Gallery led us in a discussion about what we can learn from an image. On final day of the program, students and writing leaders read their poetry and shared their artwork and experiences (video above). A Facebook photo album with screen shots of ZOOM presentations may be found HERE. Lastly, our thanks to Susan Grabski, Lawrence History Center director, our program co-directors Mary Guerrero, Sheila Barry, and Lee Krishnan, and to our writing leaders Destiny Medina, Christian Pimentel, Noelia Mason, Katerina Guerrero, Jackie Shierembergg, Bryce Shufro, and Francina Tshimbalanga for sharing their talents with our students! Until next summer! 


"Lawrence Student Writing Workshop: The Rising Loaves” is hosted (virtually in 2020) by the Lawrence History Center, developed in collaboration with Andover Bread Loaf, and funded in part by the Catherine McCarthy Trust, the Essex County Community Foundation Greater Lawrence Summer Fund, W. Dean and Sy Eastman, the Pringle Foundation, the Stearns and Russell Trusts, Rogers Family Foundation, and Andover Bread Loaf.