Taina Asili is an experienced poetry workshop facilitator. She has an MA in Transformative Language Arts from Goddard College. Working with non-profit organizations and schools she has facilitated poetry workshops for both youth and adults, including: the co-facilitation of a bi-monthly poetry workshop series in a women’s correctional facility; and the co-facilitation of 2 10-week poetry and photography workshop series for refugees living in Albany, NY. Her workshops can be tailored to fit groups of any age and reading/writing ability, and can be modified in length and focus as needed.

Taina Asili’s poetry workshops, such as Reclaiming Raices (Reclaiming Roots) and When Words Run Dry, focus on using the reading and writing of poetry as tools for bringing about individual/community awareness, individual/community actualization, creative expression, and community connection. The purpose of these workshops is to offer the use of the Word as a tool of connection to participants mental, physical and spiritual selves, and a medium for strengthening community and challenging oppression.

In these workshops we work to create and maintain an affirming space where participants can voice emotion, articulate values and beliefs, and tell their stories. Poetry is and always has been a medium for voice. In a world where the voices of many have been pushed to the margins, these workshops not only seek to offer participants means to connect with their individual poetic voice, but to demonstrate the power of the collective voice and active listening. We will use poetry as the vehicle to explore the myriad of feelings which come about from participants differing and shared lived experiences. Ultimately, these workshops seek to allow poetry to be the medium to speak our own truths, creating our own media, influencing a new culture inclusive of everyone.

To organize poetry workshops in your school or organization, or to find out more info about upcoming workshops contact Taina Asili at 518.817.8617 or info@tainaasili.com.