Everyone deserves a safe space for creative expression, no matter what they’re going through. For those going through difficult times, it can feel particularly challenging to find those spaces. But once they’re found, the benefits are enormous. Hard Times Boulder is one of those safe spaces: it’s a free writing workshop for anyone experiencing things like poverty, addiction, homelessness, health challenges, grief, and other hard situations.
The program is led by local writers and instructors Sarah Elizabeth Schantz and Malinda Miller, who offer engaging prompts and facilitate meaningful discussions. In the span of just two hours, Boulder Public Library District (BPLD) staff, Lighthouse instructors, and community members co-create emotional and literary connections.
Julian Ingram, one of the Programs and Events Managers at BPLD, describes Hard Times as a high quality experience that feels almost academic. “It reminds me very much of college, but intimate,” she said. There are opportunities to learn about the craft of writing, but the focus of these workshops is centered around the personal journey as writers navigate a variety of trying times. Without judgment or criticism, attendees have compassionate and often emotional conversations about each other’s writing. They learn how to grow as writers and that their experiences are valid.
In one session, writers practiced epistolary poems, or poems addressed to someone or something that read as a letter. Instructor Malinda Miller recounted that “several participants wrote pieces addressed to family members they have strained relationships with: one recounting a visit from a sister she hadn’t seen in decades, one to a mother who has Alzheimer’s, another to a father with different beliefs. In each case, they wrote touching emotional narratives, and voiced that it was a cathartic and therapeutic exercise.”
After sharing at a different session, one participant reflected on the realization that they are, indeed, worthy of love. Another attendee chimed in: “But it’s also the awareness that you’re worth it. You always have been.” They smiled at each other, and the mood in the room shifted. These prompts and writing exercises were healing people in real time. Despite all the surrounding chaos, Hard Times was a sanctuary.
One of the most powerful things about Hard Times is its consistency. “It’s here for you when you need it, and if you don't need it, that's okay, too. It’s just always there,” Ingram explained. Miller elaborated on the consistency of Hard Times: “The workshop is set up with established community guidelines and a predictable format. Responding to the prompts allows participants the space to reflect and sort through struggles they may have. Sharing is optional, but I find that the majority of the time, participants want to share their writing. In each of the Hard Times workshops I’ve facilitated for, I’ve witnessed a strong community where they provide each other compassionate feedback that highlights elements of craft. Many times, I’ve heard a participant say, ‘this is what I needed.’”
A writing workshop, a support group, and an opportunity for connection all wrapped in one, Hard Times Boulder is an oasis and literary treasure. When asked what people should take away from this program, Ingram responded: “I want people to know that everyone belongs at our library, regardless of what they’re going through. And that there’s a place for them to be seen and heard, a place for them to process.”
If you’re interested in attending, Hard Times workshops take place on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Boulder Public Library Main location from 3:00 to 5:00 PM MDT. Or find another Hard Times workshop in your area— there’s no registration or experience required.
Want to get involved with the Boulder Public Library District? Join BPLD’s One Book, One Boulder, where participants will read Valarie Kuar’s See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love. To bring these themes to everyone, Hard Times Boulder prompts in April will be connected to the topic of revolutionary love.
Programs like Hard Times are funded through the generous support of community members like you. We’d like to thank everyone who has donated to Lighthouse or BPLD to keep these programs free and accessible for all. To foster more transformative moments through writing, consider supporting Lighthouse Writers Workshop today. Donate now, become a member, or contact info@lighthousewriters.org to learn more about your place in the Lighthouse Writers community.
