May 23, 2016

Writing Toward Healing

Tomorrow night's guest reader, Michelle Nelson Giorno, was born to hippie parents with a zest for life and adventure. Traveling repeatedly between Florida to Arkansas, the South was home for her first thirty years. Then, twelve years ago, she began her own adventure and moved to the Northeast, where she currently resides in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Suffering sexual assault at age five and again, at 20 during a home intrusion, Michelle struggled over the next 16 years transitioning from a victim to living life as a survivor, adapting her experiences in support of others as a speaker for the Rape Assault Incest National Network (RAINN) in 2009. The following year, she extended public outreach through The Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education in Stamford, which hosted a series of healing-oriented writing workshops she took part in with poetry therapist Dr. Marianela Medrano (a PoemAlley program implemented last December through a CAPP grant from the City of Stamford).

When Michelle is not engaged in her advocacy work (including as a founding member of Survivors Helping to Inspire New Endings [SHINE]), she enjoys spending time with her family, in the natural environment, reading and writing poetry. She is currently writing a memoir.

Michelle’s talk will be followed by Curley’s poets, reading material touching on depression, grief, and sorrow, as well as sharing views on how the writing craft helps them understand pain and sometimes overcome it.

May 21, 2016

A May Celebration Of Poetry And Music

Jane Wickham once again invites poets and poetry fans in and out of the PoemAlley circle to Mapleview Towers for a free-form afternoon of readings and music, this time honoring the spring season.
Jane Wickham

May Celebration is part of PA/Curley’s Poets’ ongoing outreach to the senior community of Stamford, following on 2013’s winter gathering (serendipitously accented by a weekend snow storm), followed the next year by a fall Halloween reading (with costumed appearances). Jane’s programs are highlighted by a spontaneous mixture of readings, singing and piano accompaniment.

Jane has been regularly involved with PoemAlley for several years and is a resident of Mapleview, located across from the Macy’s end of the Stamford Town Center.

Bring your favorite poem to read, or just come and listen and join us for lots of fun and refreshments!

Presented by PoemAlley and Curley’s Diner, this public event is free; only on-street parking is permitted, unless you have a Mapleview Towers Parking Permit.

 
Where:
Community Room
Mapleview Towers
51 Grove Street (Corner of Broad and Grove)

When:
Sunday, May 22, 2016
3-6 pm

Contact:
203-274-5474, Jane Wickham