Anti-Capitalist Fiction
Welcome to Anti-capitalist Fiction, a six-session course where we'll explore the powerful stories of working class people and their resistance in literature.
Through discussions, readings, and writing exercises, we'll practice, analyze and evaluate the techniques authors use to bring working class struggles and triumphs to life. We'll delve into the works of Langston Hughes, Octavia Butler, and Charles Bukowski, examining how they use literary devices to amplify working class experiences. You'll have the opportunity to practice these techniques in your own writing, receiving feedback and guidance from the teaching artist and your peers.
In-class discussions will follow the interests of the students, with the occasional comment from teacher. You'll explore examples of the techniques discussed in class and have time to practice them in a supportive and stimulating environment.
By the end of this course, you'll have a deeper understanding of anti-capitalist fiction and know more about how to write it. Let's explore the transformative power of storytelling together!
Poets and Pints Feature
Come see Taiwana and others perform at this long-standing Twin Cities Literary Arts event by Poets and Pints.
Fiction for Social Change
Join Taiwana for this fall’s iteration of Fiction for Social Change, with Trans Fabulous!
The goal of this workshop is for attendees to gain firsthand experience practicing a tangible strategy for writing fiction and imagining new worlds. We will read, annotate, and analyze through guided discussion an excerpt from adrienne maree brown’s Grievers, before writing to a guided prompt inspired by her creative choices.
Abolitionist Fiction at the Loft Literary Center
This class is intended for systemically marginalized people, including people of color and transgender, disabled, or working class people of any racial identity. Abolition is about addressing the roots of social problems, restoring relationships between people and communities, and practicing life-affirming ways of meeting people’s needs. With these principles in mind, participants will be invited to write a series of excerpts over the course of six weeks, structured in three “units,” and each dedicated to one of the aforementioned abolitionist principles.
Each session we will critically discuss aspects of fiction writing, intersected with abolition principles, have in-class writing time with prompts related to creative process, and workshop each other’s stories at the end of each unit. (By “workshop,” we mean reading a story written by a classmate and critically discussing their craft decisions, as a way of offering feedback for improving the writing of everyone involved.) We will read contemporary abolitionist stories such as Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, to learn how marginalized authors use craft elements to imagine liberatory worlds, or better understand oppressive ones.
Please obtain the following books for class: Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler, and Olga Dies Dreaming, by Xochitl Gonzalez.
This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book; we encourage participants to be fully vaccinated and masked in the interest of everyone’s safety. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.
Crafted Cadence Open Mic Ft. Taiwana SHambley
Taiwana is thrilled to invite you to **CRAFTED Cadence**, an open mic event that promises to be a night of powerful performances and community vibes. Join us on **August 20 at 7pm** at **Modist Brewing Co.** (505 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401).
We'll be featuring some incredible talent, including the phenomenal **Douglas Kearney**, the dynamic **Crowfather**, and yours truly. This is a chance to experience the magic of hip hop and connect with both local and nationally recognized artists.
Come through, bring your friends, if you worry you’ll forgive to save the date then sign up for my mailing list, and let's make this a night to remember! 🎤✨
CASTLES: a crucible of vignettes
CASTLES is a "devising play" written and in development by Kat Purcell, featuring “The Wheelchairs Were for All of Us,” an original spoken word performance by Taiwana Shambley. It's an interconnected collection of vignettes that prompt artists to experimentation, and then we have a big show of queer, zany, political imaginings. The genre will be scattered. The spont will be aneous. We hope you will join us for a performance this August 9th & 10th!
For a whole lot of context and content, follow the project on Instagram @castles.friendship
Or read up some lore on the website: https://www.barricadesarebeautiful.com/