Whether we knew them, loved them, hated them, or it’s complicated, our ancestors are carried in our cells, and their stories and experiences have impacted ours. Epigenetic studies are revealing that stressful events can leave a chemical mark on our genes, which can then be passed down to future generations. This mark doesn’t cause a genetic mutation, but it does alter the mechanism by which the gene is expressed. This alteration is not genetic, but epigenetic. In other words, our ancestors’ traumas can still be impacting our behavior today. In nematode worm studies, these trauma-based mutations span up to twelve generations.

That’s a lot of stories!
That’s a lot of ghosts!

This generative class explores our ancestors’ stories and inherited stories through gentle, connected prompts rooted in our own bodies. You don’t have to know your blood family to connect to your stories. We begin with our own breath, blood, bones, and bodies. Together, let’s write our ancestors home.

Recommended Reading: My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathways to Mending our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem

Any required readings will be provided.

Start 4 stories/poems/essays/hybrids in 4 weeks!

The full tuition for this workshop is $275
Asynchronous – no Zoom component.

Work at your own pace. Assignments and readings uploaded weekly.
June 13 – July 11, 2021

A $55 deposit saves your spot. Pay through PayPal at the link below.

Visit the sales page at the Literary Kitchen for more information and to pay deposit.