ALL VOICES FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS

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Sarah Rafael Garcia- Spring 2019

Sarah Rafael Garcia is a writer, community educator and traveler. Since publishing Las Niñas (Floricanto Press 2008), she founded Barrio Writers, LibroMobile and Crear Studio. In 2016, Sarah Rafael was awarded for SanTana’s Fairy Tales (Raspa Magazine 2017), which was supported in part by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, through a grant supporting the Artist-in-Residence initiative at CSUF Grand Central Art Center. Currently, this Chicana spends her days stacking books at LibroMobile, providing interdisciplinary arts workshops, and juggling time to write her next book. She applied to the Splendid Mola Retreat as an act of self-care to herself and the feminist, sci-fi novella she seeks to get published.

  • As a woman of color entering the writing industry later in life, I’ve had a negative experience with my first publisher and minimal opportunities to work directly with relevant mentors in and out of M.F.A. workshops. After attending a M.F.A. in Creative Writing program, I quickly learned I wasn’t the common voice celebrated in the MFA workshop. As a Chicana, I assimilated just to cope with the alienation, inevitably this led to a feeling of oppression and adding to on-going trauma. Eventually, I realized it wasn’t necessarily my gender, Spanish language or cultural pride that kept me from obtaining approval from faculty and peers. My feeling of displacement was due to the lack of diversity in faculty, curriculum, publications and art spaces—and lacking folks outside of my identity affirming my value as a Brown woman artist.  

     

    In the past, I’ve searched for a supportive community and found it in circles I created to counter former negative experiences, but I usually lead the workshops or assist in organizing the opportunities for others. I feel it hasn’t helped me as writer as much as I’ve contributed as a mentor. After attending an MFA in Creative Writing program, it’s been difficult to solidify professional work. I also can’t afford to apply or attend other diverse writing retreats. Most are out of my budget and are too far out in time for me to consider since I’m unsure where I’ll be living and if I’ll have income to spare. The Splendid Mola All Voices Fellowship Award not only provided time to write, revise and build community, but also helped me heal in more ways I could ever imagine in a weekend experience. The entire group was welcoming and regardless of our skin colors or difference in ethnicity and socio-economic status, we maintained a safe space that empowered me to be productive and relieve some of feelings of imposter syndrome and being an other in former writing communities. Overall, my time at the Splendid Mola Retreat was magical and yet overwhelming because it was more than I expected. Weeks after I was still trying to process it all, but I can definitely say it made a positive impact as a Brown woman artist, a lot more than previous experiences.

Gabriel Jesiolowski – Spring 2019

Gabriel Jesiolowski is the author of As Burning Leaves, winner of the Benjamin Saltman Award, Red Hen Press (2017). They work in a counterdisciplinary practice using installation, painting, performance, printed matter, and writing. Their current work deals with a politics of accumulation and distribution, historical trauma and the body as site. Over the past decade, they have taught art, writing and gender studies at the university level, curated traveling and site-specific exhibitions and worked as a wood refinisher and native gardener. They collaborate with the NYC based design laboratory and architecture firm, Atelier DNA and are currently at work on developing programming for a collaborative residency and resource program for under-served artists and healers, The Institute for Emergent Ecologies. See more at my website: http://gabrieljesiolowski.com

  • The Splendid Mola retreat fellowship was a gift to my life as a writer and person (struggling in many ways to feel safe and held in the world). Lori carves out intentional but flexible space and time for folks needing to reconnect with their voices, on and off the page, and recognizes that we also have spirits and bodies that need nourished, protected and guided. When I started to restore my sleep (deeper and with the sound of the rushing creek coming through the slightly open window), stretched my body (the offering of daily yoga classes), and ate a few elegant meals (fresh fruits, vegetables, clean water), the page, too, seemed to open up. I started a new series of essays and organized my thoughts. I also took photographs, made a few drawings, and managed to walk each day, slow and just breathing.

    With the offering of the All Voices fellowship, Lori has made a clear and powerful decision to support, join and hold space for folks with less access and financial means to attend Splendid Mola. The very existence of this fellowship in a relatively small retreat setting speaks volumes to who Lori is, where her priorities are, and what you can expect to find when you show up.

    For me, the timing of this retreat was critical. In a moment of unstable housing, lots of transition and fears of scarcity rising up, Splendid Mola offered me a floating world where I could relax, be seen, be quiet, speak up, listen, and write. I’m deeply grateful for everyone I met there.

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Shanna Brewton-Tiayon – Fall 2018

Shanna B. Tiayon is a writer, speaker and trainer focusing on the area of wellbeing. Her writing aims to compel others to think more concretely about their personal wellbeing and the ways in which they may infringe on the wellbeing of others. She has a PhD in Sociology, with a specialization in Social Psychology, allowing her to claim the name, “The Wellbeing Dr.” While in the academic space her research focused on physical and mental health and health inequality. Her personal essays on wellbeing are a fusion of personal experiences and sociological insights. Her experiences provide rich material for her essays, pulling from her time living and working abroad in Sub-Saharan Africa for 8 years, her role as a mother and her lived experiences as a Black woman in America.

  • It’s my sincere hope that you will pick me, choose me, love me to receive this fellowship, but even if you don’t’ I just feel I should tell you thank you. Thank you for creating something so wonderful to exist in the world.” This was the last line of my introductory paragraph for the Splendid Mola Writing retreat. I found out about the retreat via social media and when I read the details of what it entailed, I let out a small gasp, because it captured so much of what I enjoy about life – writing, nature, good food, wine, yoga and meditation. I was sincere in that, even if I wasn’t selected, I felt compelled to thank Lori for orchestrating something so great to exist in the world. 

     

    My experience there didn’t disappoint. What was framed as a writing retreat ended up being so much more. In addition to time for writing, I like many of the others there found time for healing, restoration, affirming and resting. My first day I was tired  from having travelled from the East Coast and still not sure what to expect, but by the second day after a good night’s sleep and an overabundance of good healthy food the night before, my shoulders begin to come down. And I was able to reconnect with myself. The beautiful landscape, meditation and yoga supported these efforts as well as great conversations with some of the participants there. The retreat ended with a beautiful celebration/ceremony of sorts where all of the participants were presented with gifts. Gifts that somehow magically met each of the participants where they were and offered to support them where they needed it the most. I would highly recommend this retreat to others and it’s my sincere hope that more minorities get to experience the type of release and restoration I experienced. I will definitely be back. 

Rhonda Campbell – Fall 2018

Rhonda Kennedy is a writer/producer with a passion for telling stories that an audience can easily relate to; specifically the Black & lesbian audience. Part of the reason she began writing was due to the lack of representation. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she’s been writing professionally for the last five years with most recent credits from Nine27 Entertainment. Known for meeting deadlines, Rhonda’s easy-going personality is what stands out most and has helped her develop friendships and a solid reputation that extends beyond the writer’s room. When she isn’t focused on writing projects, you can find her taking in LA’s music scene, attempting to perfect one of her grandmother’s recipes, traveling abroad or defending her title (reigning Taboo champion).

  • I had never heard of Splendid Mola until July 2018. One night when I decided to peruse Twitter, the first re-tweet was from Lori encouraging diverse writers to apply for the fellowship. I’ve been wanting to go on a retreat all year, so, I clicked the link with no hesitation. As I began to read, my mind was definitely like “this is too good to be true.” Just as I was about to click off the website, I noticed a familiar face; someone I know had been to the retreat a few years back. That felt like I sign that I should go for it. And that’s exactly what I did. 

    During the drive up to Idyllwild, I had so many things rushing through my head; mainly the goals I had set out to accomplish while on the retreat. When I finally made it to the main cabin and walked in, I was blown away by the set up: comfy indoor/outdoor seating, coffee, tea, healthy snacks, fruit, muffins, smiling faces and a strong WiFi connection. Breakfast was served shortly after (by Chef Dan) and let me tell you, every single bite was delicious. 

    I arrived a day late due to a funeral. Dawn greeted me, showed me around and made me feel at home. And she also had a video for me; she and Lori were nice enough to capture the opening night which made me feel like I didn’t miss a thing. 

    It’s almost like I can’t find the right words to describe this experience. Three days of fresh air, fellowship and freedom to create however I wanted? That’s unheard of. Life always gets in the way; it was the biggest blessing to have some time for myself and to be able to spend it however I wanted.  Mediation was the perfect way to start the day and yoga was the break I needed when it was time to come up for air after writing for 5-6 hours. The other attendees were welcoming, easy to talk to and incredibly talented. I had meaningful conversations that added so much value to my project. The Splendid Mola retreat has changed my life forever! And I mean that. Thank you so much Lori! You are a Godsend.