On Friday, November 6, we had an empowering installment in our Friday Night Salon Series, Defiant Dialogue: Writing Conflict with Raquel Almazan.
This was my first time joining a Girls Write Now session. And I am so in love. Thank you for this very engaging, enlightening and beautiful moment. — Bernice A., Salon Attendee
Prompt #1: Speaking Truth to Power
Write a monologue or poem to an adversary with whom you have an unresolved relationship. Think: a family member, ex-partner, friend, politician, past historical figure, etc.The text could reflect what you were always too fearful to state or did not have the access to state. Imagine your words are creating theatrical action and momentum.
Prompt #2: DEFENDING YOUR ADVERSARY
Write in the voice of your adversary responding to your first monologue or poem. Think about full-dimensional characterization and maintain urgency and purpose in their response.
Prompt #3: LISTENING IN THE STRUGGLE
Deconstruct your monologues to create a dialogue. Select one line from each piece to be read in a call and response format. Imagine what theatrical “space” this dialogue can be set in. It doesn’t need to be in a realistic setting.
Raquel Almazan is an interdisciplinary artist, facilitator and activist. (M.F.A. Playwriting, Columbia University). Her eclectic career spans original multi-media solo performances, playwriting, devising and dramaturgy. Almazan’s work has been featured in New York City including Off-Broadway, throughout the United States and internationally in Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Colombia, Chile, Guatemala and Sweden; including several of her plays within the Latin is America play cycle. She has been awarded Professional Development residencies with Bric Arts, The Eugene O’Neill Center Playwrights Conference and The Playwrights’ Center. Recipient of the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture Grant, Kennedy Center’s Latinidad Award, Kate Neal Kinley Playwriting Fellowship and the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Playwriting Prize. Almazan currently teaches playwriting at Marymount Manhattan College. Raquel is also the Artistic Director of La Lucha Arts which collaborates with organizations, social movements and impacted individuals towards providing a platform for marginalized and abandoned narratives and people. (Community Partner Collaboration selections: Pen America, Close Rikers Campaign, Steps to End Family Violence, Brooklyn DA’s Re-entry task force and The United Nations).
Our Friday Night Salons are a space for our community to learn from and write with incredible authors, poets, journalists and novelists. This event is free and open to the public because of generous viewers like you who power Girls Write Now’s cutting-edge programs. If you are able to pay, your tax-deductible donation will help make more events like this possible. Thank you!