The Writing Barn was privileged to host GirlForward Austin as part of the first-ever Camp GirlForward Texas. Camp GirlForward Texas is a cultural and academic education program that provides girls a unique opportunity to build English skills and community with a social justice-based curriculum. This year, Camp GirlForward Texas served over 15 refugee girls from high-poverty households in North Austin for eight weeks in June and July. We got to meet this incredible group of young women on July 22nd for a day of reading, writing, and inspiring strolls through the Writing Barn property.
Writing Barn founder Bethany Hegedus opened the day with an author talk; she shared the story behind her Grandfather Gandhi series, particularly her upcoming new book, Be the Change. Hegedus told the group how she overcome her own fears to meet with Gandhi’s grandson Arun and collaborate with him on the first picture book in the series.
She and the GirlForward participants discussed how we can channel negative or fearful energy into positive change, especially as writers. Hegedus read a free-write on this very subject and inspired the GirlForward writers to explore their emotions in a free-write of their own. The group broke for lunch and a stroll about the grounds–they enjoyed meeting the resident family of deer and chatting as they walked the tree-lined paths.
When the writers returned, Program Manager Claire Campbell shared a Mary Oliver poem with the group along with a writing activity that focused on place. The girls wrote incredible lines of poetry inspired by the natural world and the Writing Barn environment. They composed their poetry in multiple languages, and after writing individually, worked in two teams to combine their favorite lines into collective poems. The first group, authors of the the poem titled “Nature Zone,” decorated their poem with the word “deer” in six languages.
Here are both poems, written by the fabulous writers of GirlForward Austin:
Nature Zone
On a windy afternoon I walked on a dead path where wind was pushing the trees. I see many trees that give us oxygen to breathe and the wind make me relax.
I was entertained by the deer family.
I named the baby deer “kayome.”
Among the trees make feel like I’m part of them and they make feel like my home country. When the deers are running. His (or It’s) make me also running.
The place where I never try to visit is where the trees are existing.
Inquisitive Now
I am happy with my friends.
I see deer one big and two small under trees.
The tree which I don’t know the fruit.
A good sound makes me feel peaceful.
The brightness of the light makes me want to fly.
After the GirlForward writers presented their collective poems, the Writing Barn surprised the group with copies of the soon-to-be-published Be the Change, donated by Simon & Schuster. Hegedus sat down for an author signing and dedicated the books to each individual writer.
For more photos of our day with GirlForward Austin, check out our Facebook album!