Barrio Writers (BW) was founded in June 2009. The BW program consists of free workshops & additional
"Café Hours" (one-on-one tutoring) during the academic summer break
& monthly cultural arts events & university visits for teens.
Through these workshops & events, students will build their skills
in reading, grammar, creative writing & freedom of expression through
the cultural arts while discovering a path to higher education.
One goal of the program is to publish an anthology collection of written
works demonstrating the diverse backgrounds of youth (13-21 years old).
All profits from the book will be returned to the Barrio Writers
program for future years. The long-term goal is to publish a new edition
each year with hopes that more neighborhoods will adopt the program.
The writing workshops are designed to empower the teenage community
while establishing a self-sufficient educational program that will
represent community pride, perseverance & endless possibilities for
following generations. Please visit our website for more info:
www.barriowriters.orgOur History & FutureSince 2009, the BW program has served over a hundred diverse youth,
including Chicanos/Latinos, Vietnamese & African-Americans.
2011
we established a chapter in Austin, Texas and partnered with UT at Austin & California State University, Fullerton in
2012. Spring 2013, we released second-third and fourth editions of Barrio Writers book which are currently sold at
Resistencia Bookstore & on our website. The funds are used to support the various BW
chapters with writing supplies, snacks & bus passes.
The
current focus is building partnerships with colleges, universities and
probation departments to establish a pipeline to higher education through
writing programs, preparing students for college
via access to university resources such as literature, professors, role-models,
on-campus student organizations and empowerment by seeing themselves as
writers, scholars, & leaders. Barrio Writers’ goal is to reinforce the program through community
partnerships leading to student success.
Recently,
the program is partnered with the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, we
offer free creative writing workshops. Our goal for the partnership is to bridge the gap
between underserved youth in Travis County and institutions of higher learning.
In
addition to serving youth, it will also provide youth an opportunity to obtain
community service hours while developing reading and writing skills.
Additionally, we also offer opportunities for other role
models of similar backgrounds and youth to develop into writing advisors and
community leaders. By establishing the idea
that it takes a village to raise our youth, the concept not only teaches youth
that others before them have succeeded but also helps them develop their
passion & culture as a path to higher education.
Through this experience we have learned the
importance of passing down information and evoking a voice from the next
generation. By promoting cultural pride and higher education as tools to
obtaining community empowerment, we build leaders that represent the
people of our diverse society.
Our committed community partners include El Centro Cultural de Mexico
and the OC Dream Team, Chicano & Chicana Studies Department at California State University, Fullerton & the Center of
Mexican-American Studies, the Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS at University of Texas and Resistencia Bookstore in Austin. Guest authors have included
Gustavo Arellano, Sandra López, Lorna Dee Cervantes & David
Bueno-Hill.
