“Stories Only YOU Can Tell”

 “Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.” — Oscar Wilde 

We all have a story to tell and the sharing of personal stories allows us to realize our common humanity, bridge differences, experience meaningful connection and build community. Urban Media Arts in collaboration with Malden Reads is pleased to present another workshop experience by acclaimed local author, poet, spoken word performance artist and instructor CD Collins.

In this workshop (offered remotely via Zoom), participants will explore their roots and family legacies through in-class exercises and sharing. Several media forms will be explored, including traditional narrative, poetry and even songwriting. Each participant will create a final presentation, choosing one of these forms. A diversity of language expression is encouraged – participants can present poetry, song or short form narrative in their native language with translation provided for the final presentation.

A public performance will be planned for Malden PorchFest on Saturday, June 10.

A commitment to the 5-session workshop and final performance is required. The nominally-priced workshop fee can be waived if it presents a financial hardship. Contact Anne at anne@umaverse.org.

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Malden Cultural Council, a local agency, supported through the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Tuesdays, March 21, 28, April 4, 11, & 25, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Workshop fee: $25

BUY TICKETS HERE

(one ticket covers all five sessions)

* UMA membership not required

Kentucky native CD Collins has three published books and five CDs of spoken word with music. Her album Kentucky Stories won “Best Spoken Word CD” at the Boston Poetry Awards. She has appeared at Berklee College of Music Performance Hall, Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, the New York Public Library, and as a guest at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a pilot conference to advance innovative technologies to support the inclusion of people with disabilities. She is currently writing a collection of essays entitled “The Big Little Town.”