National writing directors visit Cleveland’s Lake Erie Ink, build community around elevating youth voices

National writing directors visit Cleveland’s Lake Erie Ink, build community around elevating youth voices

The Land

9/6/23

“Olga Tokarczuk describes writing a novel as “one of the worst ways of occupying oneself.” George Orwell once described it as “a horrible, exhausting struggle.” Not even writers, it seems, like writing. 

Yet an array of organizations across the country are turning writing into something that is fun and engaging for young people, breathing fresh life into literary culture. These nonprofits reimagine writing as a community process of connection and expression in youth-driven spaces – not a solitary slog or a high-stakes test. 

Leaders from five of these organizations were in Cleveland from Aug. 23-25 for a retreat with Lake Erie Ink , a Cleveland Heights based nonprofit that’s been making waves since 2010 with its youth writing programs. Directors from Pittsburgh, Louisville, Austin, Toronto, and Indianapolis met with Lake Erie Ink and partner organizations, discussing ways to engage youth in writing and the culture of youth voice they’re creating in cities.”