60 episodes

We are a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation. We do this at five sites, including our newest weekly workshop with incarcerated adults at the Skagit County Community Justice Center.

The Underground Writing Podcast Underground Writing

    • Arts
    • 4.9 • 8 Ratings

We are a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation. We do this at five sites, including our newest weekly workshop with incarcerated adults at the Skagit County Community Justice Center.

    Kite 9

    Kite 9

    KITE:
    A. A NOTE PASSED FROM AN INMATE TO AN INMATE IN ANOTHER CELL OR TO A GUARD
    B. UNDERGROUND WRITING’S AUDIO ZINE FEATURING STUDENT WRITING
    Jen Bradbury, UW Teaching Writer, shares student writing from What No One Ever Tells You.


    My Cell -Victor
    I Won’t Front -J.S.
    I Am Not What You Think I Am -Luciean
    Nascar Dialogue -Josh
    Survival -M.
    We Sit Here Together -Students and Teaching Writers, in a circle, one line each

    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-need communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 6 min
    I Know You Remember

    I Know You Remember

    Yesica joins Matt and Alvin in the park on a sunny day. She shares new work and updates us on her journey. Matt gives updates on workshops, events, and amplifying voices.

    LINKS OF INTEREST:
    Podcast Review: Underground Writing

    Dear America chapbook

    The Change - Book Pipeline

    Marilyn Montufar

    Jacob Lawrence Gallery

    Claudia Castro Luna

    Letters to a Young Inmate

    The War and Peace of Tim O'Brien

    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-need communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 32 min
    A Good Remedy

    A Good Remedy

    We’re still here. Matt and Alvin read excerpts from DEAR AMERICA, the newest collection of student writing, packaged as our latest chapbook. They check in on the state of… everything, having made it into the new year. Matt gives updates on writing workshops and amplifying voices.

    LINKS OF INTEREST:
    DEAR AMERICA CHAPBOOK
    THE CHANGE - BOOK PIPELINE
    MARILYN MONTUFAR
    CLAUDIA CASTRO LUNA
    LETTERS TO A YOUNG INMATE
    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 22 min
    Kite 8

    Kite 8

    KITE:
    A. A NOTE PASSED FROM AN INMATE TO AN INMATE IN ANOTHER CELL OR TO A GUARD
    B. UNDERGROUND WRITING’S AUDIO ZINE FEATURING STUDENT WRITING
    Matt shares student writing from the e-workshops at the Skagit County Community Justice Center site.


    Finding Hope (excerpt) - Garrett

    Helping - C.

    Seven Aphorisms - Michael

    I Need You to Unlock Heaven's Door - Kyle

    Being locked up - Leland

    Fulfillment of Last Laugh - Joshua

    My Answer - Brian


    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 9 min
    Recollection

    Recollection

    It’s been something—this year of 2020: the pandemic, the quarantine, the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, the wildfires currently occurring up and down the west coast, the looming November election . . . It’s been a year of great challenges, and a year of hope for true and lasting change.  How will this year—and how will we—be remembered?  In this episode, Matt and Alvin read pieces circling the theme of remembrance, written before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Additionally, they share a summary overview of the situation for Underground Writing, as well as program updates, forthcoming projects, and great news about a just-announced grant.



    LINKS OF INTEREST:



    'Last Will and Testament' – Sherman Alexie 

    'No Many of Them, It's True' – Gregory Orr (part of the “The World Has Need of You” collection)

    'Orpheus and Eurydice: A Lyric Sequence' – Gregory Orr

    'Poetry as Survival' – Gregory Orr

    'Orpheus, Eurydice, Hermes' - Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by Steven Mitchell)



    Hope in These Times:  e-deliverable writing worksheet



    Underground Writing’s active writing workshops:


    Mount Vernon Migrant Leaders Club in the Mount Vernon School District
    Skagit County Community Justice Center
    Skagit County Juvenile Detention
    Skagit Valley Recovery Site (hosted by Brigid Collins)
    YMCA Oasis Daylight Center



    The Change list of suggested books 


    Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds
    I'm Still Here: Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - Austin Channing Brown
    The Vintage Hughes - Langston Hughes
    Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
    The Winter of Our Discontent - John Steinbeck

    Letters to a Young Inmate is in the home stretch, launching later 2020



    Academy of American Poets

    Community of American Magazines and Presses

    National Book Foundation



    COVID 19 pandemic

    PNW wildfire smoke



    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 29 min
    Separate Rooms

    Separate Rooms

    To say that the Coronavirus has changed things is an understatement. The world is in a state of forced improvisation. Things have been quite different for us, too, during the quarantine. In this episode, Matt provides a summary overview of the situation for Underground Writing, program updates and adaptations, and shares new student writing created in response to the current COVID-19 era.

    LINKS OF INTEREST:
    The Decameron – Giovanni Boccaccio

    David Budbill

    Lucille Clifton

    Underground Writing News & Photos

    What No One Ever Tells You

    Underground Writing: a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington through literacy and personal transformation.

    • 14 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
8 Ratings

8 Ratings

Top Podcasts In Arts

Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
The Magnus Archives
Rusty Quill
Poetry Unbound
On Being Studios
Articles of Interest
Avery Trufelman