Spring Sampler: Radical Self Love

"Radical self-love demands that we see ourselves and others in the fullness of our complexities and intersections and that we work to create space for those intersections.”

—Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

Spring Sampler: Radical Self Love

This spring we will continue to riff on the the theme of our current art exhibit, "Bodies and Faces," featuring artist Suzanne Pickett, but with a new inspiration. We'll be reading The Body is Not An Apology, by Sonya Renee Taylor, which not only will give us perspective on loving ourselves and our badies (Our Bodies, Ourselves!), but also devler solutions on how our own radical self-love can be part of the world's healing process right now.

This class is a “sampler” of a longer series inspired by our year-long theme of “bodies and faces,” and precedes our longer 12-week series on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Join us for an early start to the semeter but also a taste of what our circles are all about.

The year will culminate in an international retreat to Italy for those who want to take their writing and sense of adventure to new heights; of course, we will be seeing "bodies and faces" in the museums of Florence but also conducting our own healing work through writing, in a ahealing garden.

Register soon for this Sampler—seats are limited! This course is open to anyone who identifies as a woman. Class size is intentionally kept small to ensure personalized attention. Facilitator: Jennifer Wolfe, Executive Director. We hope to see you!

I am somebody. A body. A difficult body, to be sure, almost too weak not to stand, increasingly deformed, wracked still by gut spasms and headaches and menstrual miseries. But some body. Mine. Me. In establishing myself as a writer, however modest my success, I have ceased to be nobody. I have written my way into my embodied self, and here I am at home.

—Nancy Mairs, Remembering the Bone House

***** Scholarships Available; request application***** Do not let finances get in the way of this expereince for you. We have resources and scholarships avaialble through donations, fundraising, and grants. We'd love to have you.

MORE DETAILS

New writer? Remember, you don’t have to be a professional writer to join in. Use this class to find out more about Women Writing for (a) Change’s amazing process, used by thousands of women across the country since 1991 to express their authentic selves through writing and community-building. We'll use prompts, poetry, and prose to practice many different writing techniques.

Experienced writer? If you decide to take the follow-on series, you'll have a chance to sharpen your craft and technique in our small-group circles. You can bring whatever project you're working on and expect good feedback from people you can trust. But if you just stay for the Sampler, that works too! Whatever helps you enliven your writing life.

BACKGROUND

The Women Writing for (a) Change® school was founded in 1991 by Mary Pierce Brosmer, a practicing poet and former English teacher. She developed WWf(a)C to encourage women to find their voices, speak their truths, and tell their stories in a world in which they were often silenced. (womenwriting.org).

The Jacksonville-affiliated school was established in 2014 by Jennifer Wolfe, evolving into a non-profit in 2018, and adding 11 certified facilitators in 2019, 2023, and 2025. Our intention is to expand our outreach and accessibility to a larger, more diverse audience.

“A circle of women may be the most powerful force known to humanity. If you have one, embrace it. If you need one, seek it. If you find one, for the love of all that is good and holy, Dive in. Hold on. Love it up. Get naked. Let them see you. Let them hold you. Let your reluctant tears fall. Let yourself rise fierce and love great. You will be changed. The very fabric of your Being will be altered by this. If you allow it. Please, allow it.” — Jeanette LeBlanc