"Being safe is about being seen and heard and allowed to be who you are and to speak your truth." ~Rachel Naomi Remen

As infants, we had no problem using our voice to tell everyone within earshot what we needed without hesitation - hungry, tired or generally discontent. At age three, we spoke our minds.  As teens, are we able to take that same confidence with us into the world? Do we proudly and assuredly raise our voice to share our beliefs and fight for the inclusion of others? At Women Writing for (a) Change®, we take an intentional approach to inspire young people to listen to each other, and use their voices.

During this 6-session class, teens and young people in grades 8-12 will use poetry, writing, listening, art, readings and activities as a means of tapping into the courage to believe in their own voices, ‘turn it up,’ let their voices be heard and speak their truth. We’ll share ideas on how to: hone our communication skills (assertiveness, listening and speaking); stretch ourselves to speak up outside our comfort zones; think critically in the face of conflicting messages; and join our voices together to harness the power of a unified voice to effect change.