What We Carry: Writing Ancestral Memory Through Story, Image, and Inheritance

We inherit more than stories.

We inherit gestures, silences, recipes, heirlooms, landscapes, fears, languages, family myths, and the physical traces of those who came before us.

In this two-session generative workshop, we’ll explore how contemporary writers transform ancestral memory into compelling poetry and prose. Through discussion, readings, prompts, and writing exercises, participants will generate new work rooted in family stories, inherited objects, body memory, photographs, language, and cultural history.

We’ll read and discuss work by writers such as Joy Harjo, Li-Young Lee, Natalie Diaz, Safia Elhillo, Aracelis Girmay, Grace Talusan, Kiese Laymon, Mira Jacob, Terese Marie Mailhot, and others.

The first session will focus on generating material through memory, objects, family stories, and the body. The second session will explore image systems, gaps in family history, and transforming memory into literature, followed by a supportive sharing session.

This class is open to poets, memoirists, fiction writers, and hybrid writers interested in exploring ancestry, inheritance, family history, and belonging.

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