You’re Invited! Join us on Monday, March 30, for a workshop on teaching therapeutic writing for youth, led by Richard Gold of the award-winning Pongo Teen Writing Project!
According to Richard Gold, director of the Pongo Teen Writing Project, “the act of writing is an act of resilience”—resilience against pain, exploitation, depression, and tragedy, among other abuses. Gold and the staff of this Seattle-based non-profit believe that everyone has a story to tell, and that poetry has the power to transform. Using intentional teaching techniques with teens that are on the streets, in jail, or leading difficult lives, the Pongo Teen Writing Project helps young people express themselves in new ways.
Richard Gold working with a young man at a county jail in Seattle.
On Monday, March 30, from 3-5 pm, Richard Gold will be leading a workshop on youth engagement strategies and practical skills for facilitating poetry at the Public Defender Service (Moot Courtroom, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.). Gold’s teachings will center on his book, Writing with At-Risk Youth: The Pongo Teen Writing Method, which can be purchased online for $25 (or for $30 at the door). Teachers, students. social workers, attorneys, and other professionals working with youth are invited to attend. Make sure to join Free Minds on March 30 in learning how to better encourage teens to speak from the heart!