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Millvale writing workshop provides safe space for young women

A writing workshop at the Millvale Community Library is allowing young women to stretch their creative muscles.

The Inside/Outside workshop, run by Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellow Tess Wilson, is aimed at providing a safe space for young women to express themselves.

“It's important for girls and young women these day to have an outlet not only for creativity but to express the difficulties they face in today's society and find support in not only overcoming hurdles but in becoming the best people they can,” library director Jason Vey said.

Open to girls and women ages 14 to 21, the workshop runs from 3 to 5 p.m. every Saturday. It began in the fall and will continue through the end of spring.

Participants read a few pieces, usually poetry, selected by Wilson; discuss the readings; and then write their own works. When they're done, they can share their work with the others if they're comfortable. Wilson, 24, of Wilkinsburg, said most end up sharing.

“I think, socially, it's making them maybe do something they're not comfortable with,” she said. “And that's important. Being able to read a poem aloud and to talk publicly about poetry and about writing, just to be able to express yourself better with people, is something that I've been able to make a difference with, especially in Millvale.”

The Schweitzer Fellowship is dedicated to improving the health of people in underserved communities. Wilson, a creative-writing student at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, runs similar workshops in the East Liberty neighborhood and Braddock each week, she said.

As a heavily youth-focused library, Vey said, this workshop is just one of many programs for children and teens. Wilson has been an excellent mentor and facilitator for the group of teens and young adults, and they've already talked about continuing the workshop into the summer and fall, he said.

“After a slow start, we are starting to gain some real momentum on the workshops,” Vey said. “While in many ways it is still in its beginning stages, I think the potential for greatness is present, and the growth of it has been beyond encouraging.”

Attendance has varied each week, especially considering the winter's harsh weather, but, Wilson said, she does have some regulars and averages about two participants each week. Usually they are girls in middle school or the early grades of high school.

“The class has taken directions I didn't think it would, especially with the younger crowd,” she said. “But it's something I'm really happy with.”

Rachel Farkas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6364 or rfarkas@tribweb.com.