This course takes a new look at community based writing practices. We will investigate local literary institutions; explore creative writing from a historical and present day context; learn about activist writers of the Bay Area; and infuse all of these concepts to inform and push the boundaries of your own creative writing.Topic: CREATIVE COMMUNITIES: LITERATURE & CULTURE OF THE BAY AREAWhat does it mean to be a creative citizen in the Bay Area? This seminar takes an experiential approach to introducing students to the diverse, innovative, vibrant literary culture of the Bay Area, past, present and future. Through fun weekly excursions, craft exercises, and interrogation of nonfiction forms, participants will become familiar with local resources and organizations, while practicing the power of the essay in daily life. Texts will include classic writings about the Bay Area by such luminaries as Ishmael Reed, Karen Tei Yamashita, Tommy Orange, Joan Didion, and Richard Rodriguez, as well as films, maps, murals, and performances. Each 3-week unit will focus on a distinctive aspect of local culture and culminate in the production of a practical piece: Interview, Narrative Map, Art Review, Visual Story, and Cultural Narrative. Participants will additionally create community within both the classroom and local literary and art scenes.

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