“Why should I not sit every morning of my life, on the hillside,
looking into the shining world?”
—Mary Oliver, from New and Selected Poems, 1993

Closing Out a Joyful Year of Shining Light

Dear Friends,

As the year draws to a close, it’s good to take the time to reflect on the joys and sorrows the year has given us and be grateful for both.

We have much to celebrate this year at Women Writing for (a) Change, Jacksonville: Our new 501(c)3 non-profit status (it’s official!), an outstanding series of classes this fall (more women than ever!), and a spectacular art show, RISE, through which we sold more than a dozen pieces, created our beautiful new line of journals, and raised money for our outreach programs.

We also lost members of our writing circle at the jail to their addiction. We heard the stories of many women’s personal losses in our circles. We held space for those who were greatly distressed by the current state of our country. We also miss Buster.

And yet, we go on, as we must, wiser because of all this. We have a full set of new writing programs planned for the new year, an increased number of outreach programs, and a brand new art show, SHINE, opening February 15. Plus, we look forward to many new emerging community partnerships, including with Community First Credit Union, Yellow House, FemArt Gallery, and many others. We are committed to increasing the diversity and accessibility of our writing programs and lifting the expression of the feminine in the world.

So, I hope you take time to pause, to look into the shining world, to express gratitude, and then, go back to work, changing the world, one written word, one shared story, one human connection at a time.

Happy holidays.

—Jennifer Wolfe
Founder of Women Writing for (a) Change, Jacksonville

Sneak Peek: New Programs for 2019

Read the entire newsletter here for photos and more.