Bent Writing Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and encourage written and spoken word among LGBTIQ people and in our communities.
Bent began as the dream of a queer poet longing for a bigger community of queer writers. The concept and work of Bent began August 2000, in the living room of Tara Hardy, Seattle-based writer, performer, and Slam Champ. Five classes filled up quickly, and soon the institute was too big for Tara's living room. In May 2006, Bent moved to the LGBT Community Center in Seattle.
Bent currently resides in the Madison Non-Profit building, near the Capitol Hill Trader Joe's, at 1620 18th Avenue, Suite 10, Seattle, WA 98122. This space, which is located just between the Central District and Capital Hill, brings Bent the opportunity to reach out to neighbors and invite new voices to the Bent community.
Bent writing classes are an extremely supportive environment encouraging participants to take the risks necessary for their writing to grow. Classes offer support, instruction, and community for queer writers of all levels.
There are affordable weekly classes offered in fiction & memoir, performance, poetry, and general writing. They are taught by Seattle's 2002 Poet Populist, Tara Hardy.
Contact us at info@bentwriting.com for more information about classes!
our last day of summer... :((( but i will swim today :)) and put my pumpkins by my door and welcome fall with open arms...for all its colors and beauty....and changes....... every season has something for each of us .....
tears of love like a river flow from a place i've never known....MS
WHEN WILL OUR SOCIETY GO BACK TO LOVE? LOVE SELLS TOO!!!!!!! PLEASE NEED WANT DESIRE REAL LOVE NOT JUST PHYSICAL LOVE. I BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS ANIMAL RIGHTS TREE RIGHTS BUT DON'T WE FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THE BODY? AND NOT ENOUGH ON THE SOUL? WHEN WILL WE WAKE UP AND REALIZE IT MAY BE YOUR RIGHT YOUR BODY BUT A MOM WHO KILLS HER BABY IS ALSO KILLING A BABY BODY & HEART.WHAT ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS? WHAT ABOUT THE LOVE OF A MOTHER..THE MOST UNCONDITIONAL SACRED LOVE THERE IS EVEN FOR THOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR HURT...THEY WERE TOO :( THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOVERNMENT THIS IS ABOUT KINDNESS AND LOVE FOR OTHERS ABOVE OURSELVES.....WHEN WILL WE WAKE AS A SOCIETY ????? STOP BEING SO SELFISH CAPITALISTIC AND DEPRAVED???? WHEN THERE ARE HUNGRY CHILDREN AND SUFFERING ILLNESSES AND ILLITERACY AND POVERTY ALL OVER OUR WORLD... IS OUR PERSONAL PLEASURE REALLY WORTH ALL THAT ????? ASK YOURSELF PLEASE........AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE... GIVE FRESH WATER TO A VILLAGE, GIVE UP YOUR LUXURY CAR FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, STOP ENCOURAGING PROSTITUTION OR SEXUAL INDUSTRIES WHEN OTHER JOBS COULD BE CREATED FOR THOSE THAT ARE DESTITUTE..WOMEN DO IT OUT OF NECESSITY NOT OUT OF LUXURY.....THE LUXURIES WE ENJOY ARE THE THINGS OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD DO WITHOUT!!!! PLEASE WAKE UP AND MAKE YOUR TIME AND MONEY AND MY SPACE MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SOMEONE OTHER THAN OURSELVES...... I HUMBLY AND PASSIONATELY REQUEST THIS OF ANY SOUL THAT DARES TO STAND UP FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN PERSONAL PLEASURE IN THIS LIFETIME...FOR THOSE THAT ARE MOVED TO COMPASSION BY THE HUMAN EXISTENCE FOR THOSE THAT ARE ASLEEP IN THEIR EVERY DAY WOES AND LIFE AS IF THAT WAS ALL THERE IS....THERE IS SO MUCH MORE!!!THERE IS A HURTING WORLD RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR COUNTRY LINES WITHIN OUR CITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD...BUT DO WE HEAR THE CRY FOR HELP? OR ARE WE LULLED TO SLEEP WITH OUR FOODS LUXURIES PLEASURES VICES ADDICTIONS AND SELFISHNESS?
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become.
You never know who these people may be; your roommate, your neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.
And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never have realized your potential, strength, will power of heart.
Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments or true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of the soul.
Without these small tests, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smooth paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.
The people you meet who affect your life and successes and downfalls you experience, they are the ones who create who you are. Even the bad experience can be learned from... Those lessons are the hardest and probably the most important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart... forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart.
If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.
Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that yo
Better late than never. Anyway, I have several creative projects on hold: a poetry chapbook ( I haven't found a female illustrator yet), a spoken word cd (I have to do some family/ friend reunion get-togethers before summer is out) and some spoken word i tunes (gotta hook with a dj and some musicians and producer for studio--still talking but still in progress). I'm working on a movie treatment too but I may need to have a Fil-Am queer pinay bayni-style (Filipina academic activist) to help co-screen write the the dang thang. Shyt. A womyn's work is never done. Cheers. Here's to your health and hopefullly God save the lil froggies.
