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By Brianne McClaflin / Asst. News Editor
Writing club recieves gift (Stacey Patino / Staff Illustrator)
By Brianne McClaflin / Asst. News Editor
Riverside City College is attracting attention from famous writers and poets around Southern California.
Some of these writers are scheduled to visit the campus this fall to give readings and answer questions.
The National Organization of Poets & Writers received a grant from the James Irvine Foundation, in which Poets & Writers distributed money to RCC’s Stay Classy Creative Writing Club.
The grant will go to funding the September and October literary readings. The club received $100 each reading, which provides a modest stipend for the writers who volunteer to read at the college, and participate in question and answer sessions.
The James Irvine Foundation gave a grant of $40,000 to Poets & Writers in June 2011 for a term of 36 months, to support P&W’s re-granting program for funding writing events. P&W’s main goal is to provide fees to writers who give readings or conduct writing workshops.
The grant allows for these events to be of no cost to RCC students, faculty their our community. In fall alone there will be five different literary readings with writers, poets, and novelists.
Students of the club are excited about the grant and the future it provides. They are already making preparations for incoming writers who plan to speak to students.
“I love interviewing people,” said Alexandra Contreras, club president of the Stay Classy Creative Writing Club. “I love introducing people and understanding people; finding the essence of who they are, getting the concept of their work, and understanding their character. In a sense, they become almost a part of me. They influence my work.”
The club is focused on providing a supporting outlet for RCC writers. This allows writers to come together and share their work and to be a part of a community where people share the same passion and love for writing.
The activities provided by the club includes readings, creative writing exercises during club meetings, planned club outings, and open mic readings off-campus. These activities provide an opportunity to be surrounded among the artists and the art itself.
“Writing has so much to it. It’s a way to express myself. It is a key, an escape, a meditation; a way to get to know myself. Writing is a masterpiece that is so much a part of me,” Contreras said. “You want to do it, you are passionate about it. You want to meet authors and go the extra mile for it.”
If you want to learn more about the Stay Classy Creative Writing Club, or about future events the club is hosting, don’t hesitate to drop by a club meeting. Meetings are located in Room 212 of the A.G. Paul Quadrangle, on any Tuesday during college hours from 12:50 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.. They will also have a booth at Club Rush.
“We’re always excited to have new people on board,” said Joe Scott-Coe, adviser of the club.
