Community Opportunity: Write It Out!

Post created 4 months 4 weeks ago by The Well Project

Every person living with HIV has a story to tell.

Founded by award-winning Poz playwright and advocate Donja R. Love in 2019, Write It Out! (WIO!) uses art, advocacy, and accessibility to provide a space for people living with HIV and AIDS to tell their stories. Holistically, WIO! uses the power of imagination and healing to help shed the shame of living with HIV and combat stigma. Artistically, through writing initiatives, WIO! strengthens participants’ artistic voices and works to transform society and the theatrical landscape into a more equitable and stigma-free space for people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Program

The Program consists of free virtual writing workshops for a diverse group of adults (18+) from across the country living with HIV. The workshops are 5-6:30pm EST on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September 19th - December 1st. Anyone can apply; the only requirement is applicants must live with HIV. Participants are selected from an open, barrier-free application process. Participants learn the craft of playwriting and discuss literary work about and by people living with HIV. Then, participants create their own short-form play, which includes a rigorous rewriting process after group discussions. This prepares each participant and their work for a rehearsal process with professional directors and actors. The program culminates in an in-person final sharing (public reading) of each participant's work on World AIDS Day in NYC.

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A Girl Like Me

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1 comment

Write it Out

Submitted by Valerie • 4 months ago

This literary program sounds wonderful. I've always loved to write, writing flows out and is a form of therapy. Always wanted to write the story of my life. Something to leave behind for prosperity. Something to say I was here and I mattered.

I was a victim of receiving the hiv virus as heterosexual female when it was called G.R.I.D. It was incredulous of any doctor to order the hiv test for me telling me " I do not fit the category " each time I had a yeast infection. Went to a different gynecologist each time and always requested the test only to be denied. We have come a long way since the mid to late 80's.

My story is individualized yet common. Each person has their own unique journey seeing their life pass by with their own unique twist of their personality lens. Having the gift of living to write then tailoring it down to be palletable for the masses sounds like the red carpet is calling me to create my calling by telling my story as I've always dreamed of doing. What a crazy life this has been!

The cycle ending in standing up at a podium on World Aids Day in my native NYC sounds fantastic but daunting.

I will have to think about it although this sounds like a great program for me, I am frightened by public speaking.