Transgenerational Trauma and Essay Writing

Class Description

Transgenerational trauma is when the psychological and physiological effects of historical or ancestral traumas present themselves in subsequent generations. Bringing the trauma of our ancestors forward alongside our trauma experiences in writing is often triggering and a difficult challenge for writers. However, we should not use this to silence ourselves as writers or live in fear of writing about it. This workshop will discuss ways to bring our cultural experiences, trauma cycles, and inner wounds into our essay writing.

In a safe and supportive writing space, we'll practice writing in ways that give our transgenerational trauma a home on the page and learn to appreciate the essay's unique ability to shine a light on this topic that too often plays only a behind-the-scenes role. We'll read from essays by Michele Filgate, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Grace Talusan to understand and describe the different ways writers have processed and shared their transgenerational trauma and culture. Prompts and safety exercises will be provided to help writers fight against triggers, anxiety, and more as they venture into writing about the transgenerational trauma our bodies hold.

Class Format

This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

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