Tassy Walden Workshop for Diverse Voices

Thanks to a generous grant from Branford Community Foundation, Shoreline Arts Alliance will be hosting a workshop for diverse children’s authors and illustrators. Inspired by Shoreline Arts Alliance's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts, this workshop has been designed to include and support individuals who belong to underrepresented author and illustrator groups in children's literature.

According to data from the FBI, the number of reported hate crimes rose by 7% between 2021 and 2022. Black and/or African American people were the most frequent targets with gender-motivated hate crimes and anti-transgender hate crimes increasing by 35%. One of the ways to address hate crimes in communities is to learn about underrepresented communities. This workshop will encourage authors and illustrators from diverse, and, often, underrepresented communities, to contribute to children's literature, ensuring that children can read accurate depictions of individuals, situations and circumstances that occur in marginalized communities.

Attendees will be provided with the resources that are needed to work toward becoming a published children’s author and/or illustrator. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 12 from 6-7:30 PM at James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main Street in Branford and, thanks to Branford Community Foundation, is free to all. Please pre-register through the Shoreline Arts Alliance website (shorelinearts.org) to reserve your space.

ABOUT Shoreline Arts Alliance: Since 1980, Shoreline Arts Alliance has evolved from an arts presenting organization to one that focuses on professional arts development, creating supportive communities in which artists thrive through recognition, mentorships, networking, and education. These communities encourage, empower and develop talented artists while transforming their lives. We are a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and the CT Office of the Arts Designated Regional Service Organization for the Shoreline.

To learn more, please visit our website at www.shorelinearts.org or contact us at office@shorelinearts.org or 203.421.6739