Creative Writing Hosts Story Circle Gathering
On December 6th, the Creative Writing Program presented a Story Circle event where students shared personal stories as an act of power, empathy, and community building.
The readings began with a story by Fordham’s 2019 Writer at Risk in Residence, Felix Kaputu. His story centered on his experiences growing up in Congo, from his political and educational environment to the influences of his family members on his development as a storyteller.
Maggie Rothfus, FCRH ‘20, a student in Dr. Elizabeth Stone’s Writing for Publication class, enjoyed the opportunity to hear his story.
“I really appreciated being able to hear about an experience totally different from my own, personally and culturally,“ she said. “I’m glad that Fordham gives people this kind of space to be heard.“
Presenting work from their creative writing classes, eight student readers took the stage: Patrick Raneses, Gabrielle Mrijaj, Issa Gonzalez, Joergen Ostensen, Mike Byrne, Brigid Lynett, Daejah Woolery, and Camille Hermida-Fuentes.
Their stories tackled a wide range of personal experiences, from complicated relationships within their families to struggles with mental health. After each story, the speaker received a heartfelt wish from the next speaker.
Rothfus appreciated the space the event provided to share meaningful stories.
“I liked that the event gave people a platform to share their stories in a positive environment,” she said. “It was nice pairing the readers up and having them respond to what they heard before moving on to their own pieces.“
Click through the gallery below to see the speakers and their class selfies!
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