As an educator, Surin has over ten years of experience and has won the Framingham State Alumni Association Achievement Award for Inclusive Excellence and the Sally K. Lenhardt Professional Leadership Award from Lesley University, given to alumni who demonstrate a commitment to the arts, community service, and education. He has experience leading lively, diverse, and socially responsive classrooms, focusing on literature, composition, pedagogy, and creative writing. With a specialization in poetry, drama, and multicultural literature, he believes writing is a form of activism and a tool for liberation and his pedagogy is often infused with extensive research and inclusion of disciplines such as Postcolonial Poetics, African-American, Caribbean, and the Immigrant Experience. Surin also conducts generative craft seminars and writing workshops that focus on discovering the power of one’s voice, celebrating identities, and has led workshops with the youth, the incarcerated, and other marginalized groups, as well as with undergraduate and graduate students.
Welcome to the INKshop - A new series of writing workshops & craft seminars to help you “say what you mean to say.”
Let Me Clear My Throat: Writing Personal Poems of Social Significance
Sometimes the difficult moments we experience in life are often the hardest to write about. These are often the struggles that shape who we are and help to define our voices. If you have ever wondered what impact sharing your story could have on others or if your words could make a difference, join us! In this 4-week workshop, we will discuss clear, safe, and effective ways to write socially engaging poems from personal experience. The workshops will be virtual so Writers are welcome to attend virtually from everywhere and anywhere.
Workshop Dates: January 22, January 29, February 5, February 12 (Mondays 10 - 11:30 AM EST)
Please plan on attending all 4 sessions, these workshops will not be recorded.
Upcoming Workshops, Dates TBA
Looking Through the Lost and Found: Bringing Our Narratives Back to Life
Our memories are a treasure chest for some of the most powerful stories waiting to be shared. However, writing down these stories can sometimes feel overwhelming because we don’t where to start. In this writing workshop, we will discuss effective strategies for harnessing the power of the untold story and bringing some of our narratives back to life.
Let Me Clear My Throat: Writing Personal Poems of Social Significance
Sometimes the difficult moments we experience in life are often the hardest to write about. These are often the struggles that shape who we are and help to define our voices. If you have ever wondered what impact sharing your story could have on others or if your words could make a difference, join us! In this workshop, we will discuss clear, safe, and effective ways to write socially engaging poems from your personal experience.
In the Beginning Was a Word: an Introductory Poetry Workshop
Poetry helps us to answer the question “Am I alone in this world?” and provides us with the means to connect with each other. If you’ve ever wanted to explore the power of creative expression, this workshop is for you. Our sessions are specifically designed for beginners and for those who have a genuine curiosity about writing poetry.
Crafting Your Liberation: Exploring and Celebrating Identity Through Poetry
In a world where the marginalization of narratives is a reality, it is often difficult to overcome the dominant voices in the quest to find and celebrate one’s own voice. Consequently, the silence or absence that follows is not only detrimental to the self but also deprives the world of authentic and necessary voices. Together, we will explore the poetry of other writers and discuss effective strategies for writing about and celebrating identity.
So, You Wanna Publish: Tips, Advice, and Opportunities for Poets in Today’s Marketplace
In today’s publishing marketplace, as more poets seek opportunities to publish their work, the acceptance rate at some literary magazines and small presses is staggeringly low, often forcing editors to place good poetry in the rejection pile. Entering poetry competitions proves to be just as challenging and competitive, in addition to being costly. So, what’s a poet to do? In this ever-timely seminar, we will discuss innovative strategies for getting your poetry published, including non-traditional platforms and practices.
