Event Details

Date/Time: 

Sep 26 2010 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Price: 

$40, $45 at the door
($36 LCC members and students with I.D. in advance, $40 at the door)
Buy Tickets »

Where: 

Levantine Cultural Center
5998 W Pico Blvd

Los Angeles CA 90035
street parking
located one block east of Crescent Heights

"Cultural Memory" by Neda Dana HaeriWhether you and/or your family immigrated by choice, were exiled or displaced as a result of war, revolution, occupation or political suppression, you left one world behind and crossed a threshold into a new one. You may be living a life with the body in one place and the heart in another. The experience of being between worlds is increasingly common and is the basis for an entire body of literature, representing many world cultures that are adapting, for instance, to life in the U.S., and in other countries (recent examples include Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Firoozeh Dumas' Funny in Farsi which has been adapted into a TV series).

This workshop will offer inspiration from literature, art and music to usher you into a story that positions the personal against a historical/ political/ societal background—composing in memoir or fiction formats. It is suitable for both new and experienced writers, and is limited to 10 participants.

Writing with compassion toward yourself and your life's story, writer's block and limiting beliefs will diminish, resulting in authentic literature, self-knowledge, new insights into your family, community and culture, and in cathartic healing. You will learn and explore the skills of creative writing as you write and read your work in the group, receive effective feedback and partake in insightful discussions.

In the safety of the writing group, we take one moment from our lives and enter it fully. We slow down and look at it through the lens of the writer, allowing the story to emerge from the silence within. Learning to follow rather than lead the story, our writing is fresh, free, original, unexpected.

About the Instructor

Elana Golden, MA, writer, director, educator, founded the Writing Studio^TM in 2000, and has taught since then nearly 3,000 classes and workshops to new and experienced writers from a diversity of cultures. A student of eastern philosophy and meditation, peace and human-rights activist, Elana creates workshops that nurture the soul and are an exceptional educational experience in the art of creative writing. Elana holds a BFA in film from New York University and an MA in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica. 

Previous Workshop Attendees Have Said:

"I attended Elana's writing classes at Levantine Cultural Center in May/June 2009. It was so uplifting. I had so much to release, and with Elana's facilitation and direction my writing poured out effortlessly. This tidal wave of writing and the support from other participants were truly healing, and inspired me to make serious decisions about my life. I am grateful to Elana for opening this door." —Bita Sharif, multimedia artist

“I really enjoyed the workshop. It was a safe and cathartic experience. I would love to see more of this.”

“I loved [the workshop]. Elana wholly dedicated the hours with care so that I felt secure with her, with the group, with the space. I would absolutely recommend it to friends.”

“Thank you again for facilitating the creative writing workshop.  I very much enjoyed it and would like to see more this type of cultural/artistic event at the center.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and the group…Personally, learning a craft and creating together is a very good community builder, much better than readings, etc. which are less interactive. At the end of the workshop, it was incredible to see everyone exchange their contact info voluntarily. I am assuming this sort of ‘feeling close’ and ‘offering personal information’ is rare to none during other types of events.“

“Thank you again so much for the wonderful workshop.  It was very healing and uplifting.  I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to friends.  I have been talking about it to everyone I know.”

To register, please call Levantine Cultural Center at: 310.657.5511, or Elana Golden at 323.936.2601 or email elanaji@earthlink.net.