Events

Events in May 2023

  • - Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


    May 1, 2023

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    (All Levels)
    Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

    In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

    James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

  • - Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke, How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


    May 2, 2023

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    (All Levels)
    Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

    This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

    Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


    May 2, 2023

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    (Beginners Only)
    Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

    Creating Structure
    Language Use
    Point of View
    Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

    “How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

    R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

  • - No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon, Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon

    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon


    May 3, 2023

    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon
    (All Levels)
    Meets Weekly on Wednesdays, 2:00-4:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, and 5/10/23
    Free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Participants will read excerpts from famous memoirs, which we will examine for structure, tone and craft. Each workshop session will include time for writing from prompts, and writers will share their work for feedback if they wish. We will practice editing and revision in the last two sessions.

    Alaina Bixon is a freelance writer, editor, and publisher based in Palm Springs, CA. Her MFA from UC Riverside is in Creative Nonfiction, and she writes personal essays. Alaina has led Inlandia Institute workshops on creative writing, food writing, and memoir. Her company, Tilton Bass Publishing, helps clients launch their books into the world. She has written and lectured on pseudoscience, women at MIT, food history, and New Age San Francisco gurus.

    ​​

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


    May 3, 2023

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    (18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
    Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

    Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello
    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello

    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


    May 4, 2023

    (All Levels)

    Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

    This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

    Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

  • - Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys
    Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys

    Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys


    May 7, 2023

    Inlandia Institute and UCR ARTS Present:

    “Celebrating Ten Years of Inlandia Literary Journeys”

    On Sunday, May 7, join Inlandia at the Culver Center for a special afternoon honoring a major milestone: ten years of Inlandia Literary Journeys columns! For the past decade, Inlandia writers have been contributing to the four Southern California News Group newspapers – The Press-Enterprise, Redlands Daily Facts, San Bernardino Sun, and Daily Bulletin. We’ve looked at all manner of topics and ideas – and offered our observations on the literary life of the Inland Empire. It’s time to celebrate.

    Join column creators Johnny Bender and Cati Porter along with columnists from across the region for a look back at some of the most memorable columns, and a special tribute to our Inlandia Literary Journeys video interview series co-host Orlando Ramirez.

    The program begins at 1:30 PM and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

    The Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts is located at 3834 Main Street Riverside CA 92501.

    Cati Porter is a writer, contributor to the Inlandia Literary Journeys column, and executive director of Inlandia Institute.

    Johnny Bender is past board president of Inlandia Institute, founding editor and contributor to the Inlandia Literary Journeys column, and a retired Southern California News Group journalist.

  • - Writing for Children with José Chávez
    Writing for Children with José Chávez

    Writing for Children with José Chávez


    May 8, 2023

    Writing for Children with José Chávez

    (All Levels)
    Alternating Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, and 6/5/23

    Free and open to the public, but registration may be limited.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW
    This workshop is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to write or are writing for children. We’ll explore the writing voice for children, define a “picture book,” story arc, story introductions, appropriate vocabulary, children’s poetry, and more. There will be time to flex our writing muscles and develop the beauty and strength of our “voice” for children.

    José Chávez is a retired bilingual teacher and dedicates his life to writing. He's had poetry published in the Multilingual Educator Journal, Acentos Review, Inlandia Anthology and has written two award-winning bilingual poetry books for children. He lives in Riverside, CA, is married, and has three grown children.

  • - Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


    May 9, 2023

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    (All Levels)
    Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

    This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

    Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

  • - No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon, All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon

    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon


    May 10, 2023

    No One Else Can Write Your Memoir! with Alaina Bixon
    (All Levels)
    Meets Weekly on Wednesdays, 2:00-4:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, and 5/10/23
    Free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Participants will read excerpts from famous memoirs, which we will examine for structure, tone and craft. Each workshop session will include time for writing from prompts, and writers will share their work for feedback if they wish. We will practice editing and revision in the last two sessions.

    Alaina Bixon is a freelance writer, editor, and publisher based in Palm Springs, CA. Her MFA from UC Riverside is in Creative Nonfiction, and she writes personal essays. Alaina has led Inlandia Institute workshops on creative writing, food writing, and memoir. Her company, Tilton Bass Publishing, helps clients launch their books into the world. She has written and lectured on pseudoscience, women at MIT, food history, and New Age San Francisco gurus.

    ​​

    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle

    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle


    May 10, 2023

    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
    (Int.-Adv.)
    Alternating Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, and 6/7/23

    Registration may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In this multi-genre workshop, participants submit poetry and prose for biweekly critiques and receive feedback from other group members. Discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face. The workshop leader provides biweekly articles and links related to participants’ work, particularly to problems that were discussed in the previous session.

    Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, with fiction and nonfiction published in literary journals and anthologies, including in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. A collection of her short fiction, Acts of Contrition, was published by Los Nietos Press. Her chapbook The Mortality of Dogs and Humans is upcoming from Bamboo Dart Press in February 2023. Previously the managing editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, she helped to establish a yearly teen issue. In a previous life, she was a high school English teacher and librarian.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello
    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello

    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


    May 11, 2023

    (All Levels)

    Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

    This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

    Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo

    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo


    May 12, 2023

    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
    (All Levels)
    Alternating Fridays, 4:00-6:00 PM PT, Zoom, 5/12, 5/26, 6/9, 6/23, and 7/7/23
    This workshop is free, but registration is limited to 12 participants.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In this multi-genre workshop, participants receive bi-weekly inspiration in the form of both poetry and prose. Prompts inspire writing in the genre of your choice. Class discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face in generating poetry, memoir, and short and long fiction.

    Allyson Jeffredo is a poet, writer, and educator from the Coachella Valley. Learn more about her and her work at www.allysonjeffredo.com.

  • - Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


    May 15, 2023

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    (All Levels)
    Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

    In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

    James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

  • - Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke, How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


    May 16, 2023

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    (All Levels)
    Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

    This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

    Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


    May 16, 2023

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    (Beginners Only)
    Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

    Creating Structure
    Language Use
    Point of View
    Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

    “How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

    R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

  • - Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


    May 17, 2023

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    (18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
    Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

    Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello
    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello

    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


    May 18, 2023

    (All Levels)

    Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

    This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

    Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

  • - Writing for Children with José Chávez
    Writing for Children with José Chávez

    Writing for Children with José Chávez


    May 22, 2023

    Writing for Children with José Chávez

    (All Levels)
    Alternating Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, and 6/5/23

    Free and open to the public, but registration may be limited.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW
    This workshop is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to write or are writing for children. We’ll explore the writing voice for children, define a “picture book,” story arc, story introductions, appropriate vocabulary, children’s poetry, and more. There will be time to flex our writing muscles and develop the beauty and strength of our “voice” for children.

    José Chávez is a retired bilingual teacher and dedicates his life to writing. He's had poetry published in the Multilingual Educator Journal, Acentos Review, Inlandia Anthology and has written two award-winning bilingual poetry books for children. He lives in Riverside, CA, is married, and has three grown children.

  • - Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke


    May 23, 2023

    Celena’s Scribes with Wil Clarke
    (All Levels)
    Tuesdays, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM PT, Zoom, Weekly. Workshops resume Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

    This workshop is free, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Named in honor of beloved workshop leader CelenaDiana Bumpus, participants are encouraged to write from a prompt and share their work, with friendly critiques offered by workshop members. All genres are welcome to be explored. Enrollment is limited.

    Wil Clarke tolerates writing, but loves having written. He was born and spent 27 years of his life in Africa. He misses the guidance and wisdom of Celena Bumpus and is attempting to keep her legacy alive in her former students through Celena’s Scribes.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle

    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle


    May 24, 2023

    All Genres Workshop with Victoria Waddle
    (Int.-Adv.)
    Alternating Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, and 6/7/23

    Registration may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In this multi-genre workshop, participants submit poetry and prose for biweekly critiques and receive feedback from other group members. Discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face. The workshop leader provides biweekly articles and links related to participants’ work, particularly to problems that were discussed in the previous session.

    Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, with fiction and nonfiction published in literary journals and anthologies, including in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. A collection of her short fiction, Acts of Contrition, was published by Los Nietos Press. Her chapbook The Mortality of Dogs and Humans is upcoming from Bamboo Dart Press in February 2023. Previously the managing editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey, she helped to establish a yearly teen issue. In a previous life, she was a high school English teacher and librarian.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello
    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello

    All Genres Workshop with Mae Wagner Marinello


    May 25, 2023

    (All Levels)

    Thursdays, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, Redlands, Weekly.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Winter2023CWW

    This ongoing writing workshop meets weekly at Redlands Community Center. Memoir writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing are all encouraged and welcome. Discover the pure joy of writing and creating with others in a supportive environment.

    Mae Wagner Marinello has been a part of Inlandia since a 2008 writing workshop with Ruth Nolan. In 2014, she began facilitating a weekly writing workshop called Joslyn Joy Writers, at the Joslyn Senior Center in Redlands. During the pandemic lockdown, the weekly workshop continued on Zoom; it is now a hybrid class averaging between 10-20 combined participants on Zoom and in-person.

  • - All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo

    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo


    May 26, 2023

    All Genres Workshop with Allyson Jeffredo
    (All Levels)
    Alternating Fridays, 4:00-6:00 PM PT, Zoom, 5/12, 5/26, 6/9, 6/23, and 7/7/23
    This workshop is free, but registration is limited to 12 participants.

    To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In this multi-genre workshop, participants receive bi-weekly inspiration in the form of both poetry and prose. Prompts inspire writing in the genre of your choice. Class discussions include the craft of writing and the challenges writers face in generating poetry, memoir, and short and long fiction.

    Allyson Jeffredo is a poet, writer, and educator from the Coachella Valley. Learn more about her and her work at www.allysonjeffredo.com.

  • - “What is Anime, Anyway?” A Conversation and Cosplay Mixer Hosted by Sebraé Harris
    “What is Anime, Anyway?” A Conversation and Cosplay Mixer Hosted by Sebraé Harris

    “What is Anime, Anyway?” A Conversation and Cosplay Mixer Hosted by Sebraé Harris


    May 27, 2023

    What is anime, anyway? And by the way, what is manga? And why are all those people wearing costumes? Over the weekend of May 27 and 28, the second annual Riverside Anime Con (anime convention) is happening at the Convention Center in downtown Riverside. In conjunction with this event, stop by Riverside Main Library Community Room from 12:00-2:00 PM on Saturday, May 27, for a conversation and Cosplay (costume play) mixer. Discover the differences – and similarities – between anime and manga, graphic novels and comics. Come dressed as you are, Cosplay costumes and street clothes alike, and be part of the conversation!

     Riverside Main Library is located at 3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501. This event is free and open to the public.

    Sebraé Harris – AKA “StarLite Crystal” – is an African American artist, entrepreneur, and professional mangaka. He started drawing at the age of four, and began taking art seriously when he was eight. Sebraé is a graduate of Riverside City College with degrees in Fine & Applied Arts, Animation, and Business & Entrepreneurship. The Vermillion Speedateer is his first manga/comic series.

  • - Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats


    May 29, 2023

    Does it Make Cents? The Business of Writing with James Coats
    (All Levels)
    Alternating Mondays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15, 5/29, and 6/12/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    In partnership with Inlandia Institute & Lift Our Voices Education

    In this 5-session professional development workshop for writers, attendees will learn about the business of being a writer, the professional expectations, how to create their own opportunities, where to find funding or events, brand development, community resources and much more. If you are a writer interested in turning your words into more dollars this workshop is for you.

    James Coats is an author, poet, and educator born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire. He received his BFA from Cal Poly Pomona and his MBA from Cal State San Bernardino. As a creative change agent, he believes the arts can inspire youth and influence positive change in the world. His first poetry collection, If I had Lived, was published in 2018. In 2021, he founded Lift Our Voices Education, which hosts the monthly “Be The Change: Social Justice Writing Workshop.” His newest poetry collection, Midnight & Mad Dreams, is published by World Stage Press. Follow him on Instagram @MrLovingWords.

  • - How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley


    May 30, 2023

    How to Get Started Writing When You Don’t Know Where to Start with Renee Gurley
    (Beginners Only)
    Alternating Saturdays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM PT, Zoom, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, and 6/10/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    Do you want to start writing, but don't know how to get started? In this course, Renee Gurley shows you how to get your thoughts down on paper -- and then grow from there. Learn the basics of:

    Creating Structure
    Language Use
    Point of View
    Journaling, memoir, stories, and more

    “How to Get Started Writing When You Don't Know Where to Start” gives you concrete tools to help you become the writer you’ve always wanted to be. It's a fun and exciting class for all aspiring writers!

    R. Gurley, MA, MFA, is a writer and English teacher with over 20 years of experience with words, whose works have appeared in Coping Magazine, Lehigh Valley Woman’ s Journal, and Budget Press.

  • - Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson


    May 31, 2023

    Poetry for Young Adults with Cait Johnson
    (18 +, College Students, Graduates, Young Adults)
    Alternating Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM PT, Zoom, 4/19, 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, and 6/14/23

    This workshop is free and open to the public. To register: https://tinyurl.com/Spring2023CWW

    This poetry workshop is aimed to support young writers in refining their poetry for publication through a feedback-based workshop setting. Community care and trusted feedback will be fostered in a welcoming environment. Each session will create a space in which participants can relate to each other’s unique experiences as young writers. The authenticity of the writers’ work will be emphasized in a free, non-competitive setting.

    Cait Johnson is a poetry and nonfiction writer with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from CSULB. She credits much of her writing growth to leading and participating in writing workshops over the last 5 years. Workshops helped Cait build the confidence to share her work with the public. Cait's poetry has been published by Picture Show Press, Left Coast Review, and Literary Alchemy Press. She has also created two zines of original poetry and serves as a co-founder and editor of Art of Nothing, an annual zine that showcases up-and-coming young artists.