Writing Our Wellness: Welcoming the Upcoming San Gabriel Valley Aquatic Center

Join Jessica Ceballos and Karineh Mahdessian on May 18 for this engaging workshop where we'll discuss and rewrite definitions of health, wellness, and community, centering "us," our backgrounds, and heritage that reflect Puente and San Gabriel Valley while weaving in the upcoming addition to our community — the SGV Aquatic Center! Through decolonized, non-judgmental, wellness, and community-focused themes, we will channel creativity through word collage, imagery, and shared experiences to craft compelling new narratives and meaningful stories that bind us and celebrate our past, moving forward to our individual and collective futures. We will delve into different storytelling structures, explore evocative imagery grounded in intergenerational teachings about our local parks, water, the environment, and our connection to the earth, and learn techniques on how to bring to life the joys of wellness in our writing. All participants will have the opportunity to be published in a culminating book!

Snacks Provided!

Facilitated by:

Jessica Ceballos y Campbell
Jessica is a trauma-informed multidisciplinary artist and cultural programmer and director of the poetry library, press, and resource center, Alternative Field.  (she/they)

Karineh Mahdessian
Karineh is a social worker interested in art. (she/her)

right click on images to download and share or download PDF

Then join us for

Writing Our Wellness: Book Launch Reading Event! —- Anticipated 2025

Join us for the reading and launch party of SGV’s own, Writing Our Wellness,

celebrating the opening of the aquatic center!