Writeability Goes Local: Darebin Writers Group
Writers with disability from Darebin are invited to attend a free facilitated writing group led by an experienced writing mentor, Gemma Mahadeo.
Writers with disability from Darebin are invited to attend the free Writeability Goes Local: Darebin Writers Group. The Writers Group is a series of free skills development workshops open to writers with all levels of experience.
This is a facilitated writing group led by an experienced writing mentor, Gemma Mahadeo. Sessions will include a tutorial with a guest writer with disability and will make use of films and other resources from Writers Victoria’s Writeability Archive.
The group starts during FUSE Spring 2022 on 13 September, with an introductory ‘Our Own Voices’ Forum, followed by monthly writing group sessions held through to June 2023.
The program is for anyone who experiences barriers as a result of their particular condition (such as the lack of physical access, communication barriers, discrimination or other people’s attitudes).
This includes (but isn't limited to) people with sensory or physical issues, hidden issues, ongoing medical conditions, learning difficulties or mental health conditions. If you self-identify as a person with disability, or as someone who experiences barriers as a result of your condition, then this opportunity is for you.
Register for the introductory session and find out more about the monthly group sessions.
Writeability Goes Local: Darebin is a collaboration between Writers Victoria, Darebin City Council and Darebin Libraries. It is funded by the Darebin City Council.
This nine-month creative writing program aims to reduce the disadvantages that disabled writers can face due to social isolation, the expense of professional development and the assumption that people with disability need other people to tell their stories.
Presented by Jax Jacki Brown and Jessica Walton
Introductory session
Tuesday 13 September 2022, 11am–1pm
Preston Library Meeting Room, 266 Gower St, Preston
| GEMMA MAHADEO | Gemma Mahadeo came to Australia in 1987. Their poetry and creative non-fiction has appeared in various print and online publications, locally and internationally. In 2019, they wrote the Australia and New Zealand chapter for the book The Bucket List: Beer by Justin Kennedy, and was a regular contributor to the free Melbourne-based beer magazine Froth. They still occasionally update their ancient food blog, Eat Drink Stagger (eatdrinkstagger.com). |
| JESSICA OBSERBY | Jessica is an emerging writer who believes in the power of stories to change people’s lives. Her work in progress is YA speculative fiction that has a protagonist with mental illness. Jessica is a graduate of the RMIT Professional Writing and Editing degree and in 2019 was a recipient of a Writers Victoria Write-ability Fellowship. She is currently studying Environmental Science and rescued animals outnumber humans in her household 12 to two! |
| JAX JACKI BROWN | Jax Jacki Brown (they/them) is a LGBTIQA+ disability rights activist, writer and educator. Jax has been published widely online and in the following anthologies: Queer Disability Anthology (2015), QueerStories (2018), Kindred (2019), Growing up Queer in Australia (2019) and We've Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents (2022). Jax is interested in how we can build resilience, pride and community for LGBTIQA+ disabled people. |
| JESSICA WALTON | Jessica Walton is a queer, disabled writer and speaker. They co-wrote an episode of Get Krack!n, focused on disability, which aired on ABC in 2019. They are the author of graphic novel Stars in Their Eyes, with artwork by Aśka (Fremantle Press 2021) and Introducing Teddy, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson (Bloomsbury 2016). Jess also has two short stories for teens and kids published in Australian anthologies Funny Bones (Allen and Unwin 2019) and Meet Me at the Intersection (Fremantle Press 2018), as well as poetry in a few anthologies, magazines and journals. |
| CREDITS | Writeability Goes Local: Darebin is a collaboration between Writers Victoria, Darebin City Council and Darebin Libraries. It is funded by the Darebin City Council. |
Event & ticketing details
RegisterAccessibility
Dates & Times
| Free | 13 September 2022 - 11am-1pm |
Tickets
| Event is free and bookings are required | https://writersvictoria.org.au/calendars/events/event/?id=1050 |
Location
Preston Library
266 Gower St, Preston VIC 3072
Get directionsTrain
Preston StationTram
Route 86, Stop 48Bus
Routes 527, 552, 553