Teens’ writing will appear in upcoming Cheyenne River fine-art photography book; all participants will receive gift cards and enjoy a pizza-and-movie party!
The Cheyenne River Youth Project® is inviting teens from all communities on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation to attend a special writing workshop at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17 at its Cokata Wiconi Teen Center. The workshop is the first in a series scheduled for this year, and all sessions are open free to participants ages 13-19.
The workshops are a critical element in an upcoming fine-art photography book that will celebrate Cheyenne River’s landscapes, its flora and fauna, its communities, its traditions and its people. Production on the coffeetable book is already under way; photographers Richard Steinberger and Matt Normann completed trips to Cheyenne River in August, October and December of last year. This week’s writing workshop coincides with the creative team’s first visit to the reservation in 2012, and the team expects to make at least three more trips this year.
According to Megan Guiliano, CRYP’s youth programs director, the youth project hopes to have young people participating in a weekly writing group at Cokata Wiconi throughout the year as well as attending periodic workshops like the one scheduled for Saturday.
“We hope to build a body of work that includes every possible form of creative writing — from creative nonfiction and essays to poems and flash fiction,” Guiliano explained. “Then, once the book’s photography is completed this fall, we’ll work with the creative team to identify the strongest pieces of writing, edit those pieces and pair them with appropriate images in the book.
“That way,” she continued, “Cheyenne River will be introduced to general audiences by those who know it best — its youth.”
During Saturday’s workshop, teens will participate in writing activities centered around a special “Storytellers” event with local elders, photography from the book and a few group exercises. When the workshop concludes, the teens will turn in the day’s writing projects and then enjoy a pizza party and a movie.
“We won’t be open to the public that night, so this is a special event just for workshop writers,” Guiliano said. “We’ll also be giving each participant a $5 gift certificate to Taco John’s, Dairy Queen or Subway.”
To learn more about the fine-art photography book project, visit www.cheyenneriverfineart.com.
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project® and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s Facebook “Cause” page. All Cause members will receive regular updates through Facebook.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project®, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.