Although International Women’s Day is months away, plans for the Women on Writing conference are gearing up for the third annual celebration on March 5, 2005.
Professional writers have been invited to speak, read from their work, and lead writing workshops on a variety of subjects including fiction, poetry, drama, journalism, children’s literature, and screenwriting.
“It’s a celebration of International Women’s Day, designed for readers and writers, women and men, to spark their creative spirit,” said Marijane Datson, assistant professor of English and conference coordinator. “It brings people together and allows them to share their stories.”
ZZ Packer, author of “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” will be the keynote speaker for this event. Packer has won prestigious writing awards for her work and received critical acclaim from editorial reviews such as Harper’s, The New York Times Book Review and The San Francisco Chronicle.
Oprah Winfrey’s magazine, “O,” describes Packer as, “…a writer whose voice sounds thrillingly new and different.”
Other authors include Ginu Kamani (“Junglee Girl”), Noelle Oxenhandler (“The Eros of Parenthood”), and Michelle Tea (“Rent Girl”).
The conference will hold approximately 16 workshops, designed for readers and writers to express their creative abilities. The workshops are a great way to get to know one another and often lead to the creation of writing groups, Datson said.
A new workshop, Youth Speaks, will be added to the upcoming event. Youth Speaks is hosted by Skyline English teacher Roxanne Morgan and Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC) Senator Valerie Higgins. The workshop will feature hip-hop.
Word for Word, a Bay Area performing arts theater company, will hold a morning workshop for attendees to explore literature in a theatrical sense. Writers will have an opportunity to turn short stories into live theater pieces.
Suzanne Pullen, performing artist and staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, will hold an afternoon workshop on character performance. The workshop, Empowering Yourself: Performing Herstory, will allow the readers to develop a deeper understanding of historical characters and to express them through performance.
The third annual WOW! is presented by the language arts division, Creative Arts and Social Sciences Division, and the ASSC. It promotes reading and writing in students and the community. “National reports indicate literacy is declining in the U.S.,” said Anita Martinez, dean of language arts and the prime mover behind WOW! “We hope to increase reading pleasure and edification.”
Funding for the conference comes from the President’s Innovation Fund.
Morgan is looking for students to usher, host writers, set up and clean up, cater lunch, and guide participants around campus to events. The benefits of volunteering for the event include free student admission and a chance to participate in WOW! events.
The conference will take place in the Main Theater at Skyline College. Following the conference, a reception will be held at the Gallery Theater featuring the artwork of Skyline faculty women.
For more information on WOW! call (650) 738-4324.
