What Happens at the Power of Words Conference: 2019 Summary

The 2021 conference summary will be posted in early summer, 2021. To give you an idea of what happens at a TLA Network Power of Words conference, below is the 2019 summary. Please note that the 2021 conference will be held online.

Thursday, September 26th

Pre-Conference

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Arrival and Check-in (for pre-conference events)

6:00 - 7:00 — Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 — Evening Program of Storytelling

Friday, September 27th   Read the Session Descriptions

8:00 - 9:00 AM — Breakfast

9:00 - 12:00 — Morning Keynoter Pre-Conference Workshop

P1.  Stories Old and New: A Path to Healing and Resilience — Noa Baum

12:00 - 1:00 PM — Lunch

1:15 - 3:15 — Afternoon Keynoter Pre-Conference Workshop

P2. Courage and Clarity with Your Right Calling — Gregg Levoy

3:30 - 5:30 — Late Afternoon Keynoter Pre-Conference Workshop

P3. Fetch the Fire: Writing the Ghazal — Usha Akella

Conference

4:00 - 6:00 PM — Arrival & Check-in (for conference)

6:00 - 7:00 — Dinner

7:00 - 9:30 — Welcome to POW!

Keynote Presentation: — Gregg Levoy

Right Livelihood Panel — Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Laura Packer, Liz Burke-Cravens, Caleb Winebrenner, Rachel Gabriel

9:30 - 11:00 — Night Owls Open Mic Reading

Saturday, September 28th

8:00 - 9:00 AM — Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00 — Talking Circles

9:15 - 10:45 — Session Series #1

1A. "Bad Asian Daughter:" Transforming Shame Through Embodied Storytelling — Lisa Chu

1B. Pathstone Writers' Group: Gathering and Sharing the Lived Experiences of Individuals Residing in Assisted Living — Diana Joseph

1C. Walking Fields and Streets to Find Poems and Stories — Loren Niemi

1D. Fostering an Enduring CommUNITY — Alec Esparza

11:00 - 11:45 — Keynote Presentation: Matwaala, the Birth of a Festival— Usha Akella

12:00 - 1:00 PM — Lunch

How Can I Learn More About the Network Luncheon: Please join Liz Burke-Cravens and other council members to find out more about the network, what it can offer you, and how you might get involved.

1:00 - 2:30 — Session Series #2

2A. Sacred Earth, Common Ground — John Genette, Doug Bland

2B. Creating Online TLA Classes that Inspire, Build Community, and Transform Our World — Liz Burke-Cravens

2C. The Path of Needles or the Path of Pins: Other Ways of Seeing "Red" — Lyn Ford

2D. Heroic and Healing Journeys for Contemporary Times — David Kopacz

2:45 - 4:15 — Session Series #3

3A. Building Community Through Narrative: Facilitating Story Circle and Performance Events — John Genette, Doug Bland

3B. Fight Back Any Adversity in Life: Overcoming a Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis, the Pink Hulk Will Help You Find Your Inner Superhero — Valerie David

3C. Writing as Refuge in Times of Disruption — Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg

3D. Writing Memoir for Empathy and Inquiry — Rachel Gabriel

4:30 - 6:00 — Open Mic / Council Interest Meeting / Break

6:00 - 7:00 — Dinner

7:00 --- Improvalooza: a wildly fun, fast, and fabulous fundraiser featuring TLAers of many stripes and spots making up poems and stories on the spot -- Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Lyn Ford, Laura Packer, and friends.

7:15 - 8:45 — Keynote Performance: A Land Twice Promised — Noa Baum

9:30 - late — Poolside Hangout

Sunday, September 29th   Read the Session Descriptions

7:30 - 8:30 AM — Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00 — Talking Circles

9:15 - 10:45 — Session Series #4

4A. Telling this Truth: Creating Social Justice Theatre with TLA — Vanita Leatherwood

4B. Transformation through Professional Vocal and Body Expression Skills — Karla Huntsman

4C. Deeprogramming through Embodied Play, Poetry, and Hypnotic-Induction — Sarvenaz Moshfegh Asiedu

4D. Purposeful Memoir as a Path to a Thriving Future — Jennifer Browdy

11:00 - 12:30 — Session Series #5

5A. Stand Up and Speak Out: Using Storytelling Techniques to Change Yourself, Your Life, and the World — Laura Packer

5B. Here to There: How do I Get? — Elizabeth Turner

5C. Self-Imposed Administrative Leave: Self-Care in Freelance — Tiffany Vakilian

5D. Aim for Astonishing: How Writing from Your Photo Stream Awakens Healing — Kelly DuMar

12:30 - 1:00 PM — Lunch

1:30 - 2:00 — Closing Circle