Good art and writing draw us into the experiences of another. But what if it jolts the reader or viewer out, making them feel othered instead? We will explore blind spots, stereotypes, and biases in popular media (and ourselves) that may alienate audiences. We will then explore techniques to create, instead, authentic inclusivity to draw and maintain a wider audience. Bring a sketchbook and/or notebook.

Born in Egypt, Mary Silwance lives in Kansas City and is a mother of three daughters. She works in adult education and facilities workshops on writing as well as ecology. Mary serves on the editorial teams of Whispering Prairie Press and Flying Ketchup Press. Through FKP,  she conceptualized and was editor of Of Our Own Accord, an anthology of women’s embodied experiences. Mary recently published her first full-length collection of poetry, We Remember Ourselves. You can find her publications, radio, and zoom presentations as well as workshop offerings at https://www.marysilwance.com. Mary’s work focuses on the intertwining of personal and collective emancipation to create a lush future for all beings.