Warrior Writers Workshop
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On April 21st, 2007, Lovella Calica from Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) conducted a writing workshop at the Green Door Studio designed to help veterans deal with their experience of war through personal writing. Later that evening, several participants shared their words with each other at the opening of the "Re-making Sense" exhibit. A handmade book, Warrior Writers: Move, Shoot and Communicate, created in collaboration with The People's Republic of Paper, was also released and is available for sale to benefit the Warrior Writers project. A second book, Re-making Sense, based on the writing from the April 21st workshop, is expected soon and will be bound at the Green Door Studio using paper made by the Re-making Sense crew.
"The Warrior Writers Project provides tools and space for community building, healing and redefinition for Iraq Veterans Against the War. Through writing/artistic workshops that are based on experiences in the military and Iraq, the veterans unbury their secrets and connect with each other on a personal and artistic level. The writing from the workshops is compiled into books, performances and exhibits that provide a lens into the hearts of people who have a deep and intimate relationship with the Iraq war. It gives the veterans a sense of ownership over their stories and strength in their voice, perspective and power. It is through these workshops and sharing that the reconciliation process can strengthen and continue." - Lovella Calicia, Iraq Veterans Against the War
"We gathered, we wrote, we shared, we grew. IVAW members from as far as Missouri and Chicago made their way to Burlington, Vermont for a powerful weekend. We set up an exhibit of IVAW member art and photographs of members. The art featured works on paper by Aaron Hughes, an installation (of photos, a dissected MRE, 3,500 flags, etc.) by Drew Cameron and photographs of Operation First Casualty by Lovella Calica. On Saturday, we participated in a writing workshop where we read works by other veterans and wrote about what it was like to come home, photographs from Iraq, etc. We opened up the gallery to the public and shared our writing with folks who attended the event. We launched the first book of Warrior Writers, a compilation of writing by IVAW members." - from a brief news article on the IVAW website
Members of the organization, participants of the writing workshops and contributors to the book shared their thoughts. And by sharing created a spiritual connection with one another.
For a more personal view of the war in Iraq based upon interviews with Vermont members of IVAW Drew Cameron, Matt Howard and Adrienne Kinne (including links to audio downloads), be sure to read Cathy Resmer's feature article,
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