CIDNY Writers Workshop – A Great Outlet for Creativity

Image of a person writing on paper with a cup of coffee in the background.
 Since 2009, CIDNY and the New York Writers Coalition (NYWC) have teamed to produce a Writers’ Workshop for people with disabilities at CIDNY’s Manhattan offices. The workshop provides a safe space for people with disabilities to express their thoughts and stretch their creativity through writing.

Avra Wing, the facilitator for CIDNY’s workshop, said she was, “amazed and astounded and fascinated by the directions people’s creativity takes them.” Avra is a poet, essayist, and novelist and is also a person with a disability.

In 2011 selections from CIDNY’s group were published in a book produced by the New York Writers’ Coalition, Insight Out. The book is available on AmazonThe group has also performed public readings at the Jefferson Market Library on 6th Avenue. 

CIDNY’s popular and highly successful writers’ group welcomes new members at any time. The group meets every Thursday from 3:30-5:30. Watch CIDNY’s calendar for information. Call 212-674-2300 to find out more and how to join.

From time-to-time, we will publish people’s selections on this blog or on our storytelling page. We encourage you to respect the rules of the group – no hostile or negative comments about someone’s writing, but feel free to react to what in the story resonated with you or what you enjoyed about it.

Starting us off is Samaris Ayala, a long time CIDNY participant and volunteer, who sent us this poem:

 

the community

may help

people with

benefits

 

the community

heals itself

by helping

the most

unfortunate

 

nothing 

wrong

with helping 

those who

receive

benefits