Our Story: Women of the Capital Region (2009)

We twelve women, all from the Capital Region, took a course in photography and writing. We learned about art, ourselves, and new ways to use our voices. Our pictures and words will tell you Our Story. 

We share a common need to be seen and heard. Our time together has been rich with stories of family, tradition, travel, recreation, motherhood, strength, and healing. We are reawakened artists. We have waited patiently while rearing our children. We have triumphed through brain injuries, disabilities, and illness. We find joy in our families, communities, flowering vines and, most recently, in one another. 

At some point in our journey through writing and storytelling, it became obvious that this was more than a class. For many of us it was a safe sanctuary where we felt supported and finally able to share our precious memories. Stories poured out of us. It was as if no one had ever taken the time to see or hear our untold stories before, not even us. Our class gave us a place to bring our lives into the light. It awakened something in each of us that won’t ever be extinguished. We hope to keep talking, keep exploring and keep creating. It is up to us to write the next chapters on our lives. 

Workshop facilitated by Erin Shannon, Mindy McDaniel, and Victoria Kereszi in Troy, NY during the Spring of 2009.