Valued Voices: Purpose & Path
Designed for writers of all genres and experience levels aged 50+
Constellation Energy Clasroom, 3rd Floor
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21201

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What does it mean to write from a lifetime of lived experience, and why does that voice matter now more than ever? Join Tribe 55+ for a dynamic, interactive workshop that centers the wisdom, clarity, and creative energy of writers aged 50 and beyond. Through a blend of a panel discussion, small-group conversation, and a guided writing exercise, participants will engage with Tribe 55+ literary artists whose work reflects truth-telling, resilience, and purpose. Writers can expect to explore how memory becomes story, how silence transforms into voice, and how creative expression shapes legacy. Practical, easy-to-implement tips and resources to elevate a writing practice will be shared, no matter what experience level. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions, exchange ideas, and respond to a writing prompt. Sharing is encouraged in a supportive, welcoming space. Stacey Cruise is a grants writer, arts organizer, visual artist, and cofounder of Tribe 55+, a collective of Black women artists and writers 55 and older across five Maryland counties, grounded in storytelling, cultural memory, and intergenerational collaboration. Denise Pasour Leftwich is an emerging writer who began attending writers’ workshops in 2024 to develop her work for a multimedia memoir combining text and photography. Baltimore-based author, Petula Caesar (She’s Such a Bright Girl: An American Story), her work explores Black women’s interior lives, cultural memory, and the complexities of identity. Cheryl Hinton is an artist, storyteller, African dancer, fabric sculptress, and author of a children’s book called Kayla’s Magic Eyes. Naomi Rivers writes lesbian romance and women’s fiction. They are a local wife writing team who believe in romance, fairy tales, and happily ever after. Deirdre L. Clawson, a careful observer, is currently working on a novel detailing the Sampson family’s riveting diaspora as well as a collection of personal essays. Cherrie Woods is a book publicist, PR consultant, and communications professional who has worked with 100+ authors and led 50+ PR and marketing workshops. She is the author of Where Do I Start? 10 PR Questions and Answers to Guide Self-Published Authors. She serves on the board of Baltimore’s CityLit Project.

Visit the News Section for detailed information.

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CityLit Project in partnership with Maryland Center for History and Culture present Bearing Witness: Literature as a Revolutionary Act. This celebration of the arts showcases a bevy of leading poets and writers on April 11, 2026. We’re talking fiction, nonfiction, poetry galore, and ways to up the ante on your craft.

Download the CityLit Festival: Bearing Witness flyer with the schedule.

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