{"id":929,"date":"2026-02-10T12:13:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?p=929"},"modified":"2026-02-10T12:14:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:14:04","slug":"more-people-write-than-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/more-people-write-than-you-think\/","title":{"rendered":"More People Write Than You Think"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by L\u00e9na Roy, Chief of Education and Program Innovation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we braved frigid temperatures yet again and hosted another Teen Open Mic: the first one in Westchester since the pandemic. We were invited to collaborate with Mt. Kisco Arts Council and were hosted by a boutique bookstore called Curio Room<\/a>. Stepping into Curio Room was a bit like stepping into a magic shop, piles of new and used books everywhere and all sorts of curiosities abounded. Some bookshelves were moved from the center of the shop, and voila\u2026A performance space appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the cold weather kept some away, the space was filled with support from the community, including five Writopians from our Creative Portfolio program:\u00a0 Sonali Browning, Nila Shaines, Ellie Genitrini, Zoya Bhandari, and Alice Bediski. Nila emceed for her first time, hosting the evening beautifully with Sonali.\u00a0 We had everyone in attendance participate in adding to a joyful group poem, and had our usual writer Q&A at the end. One audience member asked: \u201cBesides the workshop, how do you find people like you who write? Isn\u2019t it rare?\u201d I was so moved by the generosity of the collective group’s answer. Alice started the response by suggesting that more people write than one may think, either to vent or to figure things out. The others agreed and added that unless you identify as a writer, you\u2019re not going to lead with that when you meet people, \u201cPeople don\u2019t ask out of the blue, \u201cso, do you write?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was so moved by their genuine curiosity and positive outlook\u2014that we all are more alike than we think. As always, I left the Teen Open Mic with a full heart and faith in writing as a path to authenticity and connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCurio Room was founded by artists and writers with shared interests in literature, fables + folklore, alternative histories and ecologies, mysticism and music. We co-create the space with intention to share stories that expand minds and bewilder borders, and to showcase artwork from those who inspire us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by L\u00e9na Roy, Chief of Education and Program Innovation Yes, we braved frigid temperatures yet again and hosted another Teen Open Mic: the first one in Westchester since the pandemic. We were invited to collaborate with Mt. Kisco Arts Council and were hosted by a boutique bookstore called Curio Room. Stepping into Curio Room …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-events","entry entry-center"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9aRpX-eZ","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":955,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/winter-brooklyn-reading-celebration\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":0},"title":"Freedom and Possibilities: A Celebration in Brooklyn","author":"Bianca Turetsky","date":"April 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Written by Bianca Turetsky, Director Of Programs and the Brooklyn Region\u00a0\u00a0 On Tuesday evening, a small but mighty group of young writers and their loved ones battled subway delays, spring break plans, and joined together in the basement community room of the Park Slope Library to celebrate the end of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young writer speaking into microphone on stage","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7977.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7977.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7977.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7977.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7977.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":706,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/teen-open-mic-april-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":1},"title":"Teen Open Mic – April 2025","author":"L\u00e9na Roy","date":"May 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By L\u00e9na Roy, Director of Teen Programs, Writopia Lab On Saturday, April 26th, Writopia hosted another Teen Open Mic event in partnership with the esteemed Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Writopia has long partnered with the Nuyorican, but it wasn\u2019t until a year and a half ago that we were approached with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screen-Shot-2025-05-01-at-1.31.51-PM.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screen-Shot-2025-05-01-at-1.31.51-PM.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screen-Shot-2025-05-01-at-1.31.51-PM.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screen-Shot-2025-05-01-at-1.31.51-PM.png?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":558,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/turning-the-page-virtual-cozy-crafts-on-saturday-february-8th-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":2},"title":"Turning the Page – Virtual Cozy Crafts on Saturday, February 8th, 2025","author":"L\u00e9na Roy","date":"February 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Written by Lena Roy, Head of Writopia Lab\u2019s Creative Portfolio Program Turning the Page (TtP) hosted a Virtual Cozy Crafts event this past Saturday afternoon while many of us in the Northeast were preparing for a snowstorm! TtP is a literary social justice committee started by members of the Creative\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":908,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/nyc-teen-open-mic-1-24-26\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":3},"title":"The Importance of Live Gatherings","author":"L\u00e9na Roy","date":"January 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Written by L\u00e9na Roy, Chief of Education and Program Innovation Even with frigid temperatures and excitement about Sunday\u2019s snowstorm, teens still bundled up and came out to La Marqueta in East Harlem for a Teen Open Mic. In concert with the Nuyorican and hosted by Yesi\u2019s Bookstore and Giftshop, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Staff Voices"","block_context":{"text":"Staff Voices","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/staff-voices\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_3310-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":486,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/the-art-of-losing-how-a-botched-game-of-literary-bingo-inspired-an-educational-forum-with-our-moms\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":4},"title":"The Art of Losing: How A Botched Game of Literary Bingo Inspired An Educational Forum with Our Moms","author":"Matthew Jellison","date":"May 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Matthew Jellison We were losing literary bingo when the thought hit us. We were surprised to be losing. After all, Malcolm and I have spent the better part of a decade working in literacy, and Yael about a decade and a half. We are (affectionately speaking) literary nerds. In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EduPolicy"","block_context":{"text":"EduPolicy","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/edupolicy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/momspic.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":892,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/teen-open-mic-with-the-nuyorican-poets-cafe-saturday-november-22nd-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":929,"position":5},"title":"Finding Community in a New Space","author":"L\u00e9na Roy","date":"December 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Written by L\u00e9na Roy, Director of Teen Programs Saturday, November 22nd, 2025 marked Writopia and the Nuyorican\u2019s new partnership with Yesi\u2019s Book Store and Gift Shop, where we had our first Teen Open Mic since July. Under the Metro North train line in Spanish Harlem, Yesi\u2019s is part of a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/F02A3609-CDB3-4F0B-8387-8009A6269241-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=929"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":931,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/929\/revisions\/931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}