A woman stands in front of a microphone and smiles. She is looking down and seems about to begin to read. She has purple streaks in her black hair, wears glasses, and has turquoise earrings on.

Honoring Everyone’s Story

Write Around Portland facilitates storytelling in underheard communities.

We’re a nonprofit bringing people together to write, heal, and transform.

Fostering well-being through respectful, shared creative writing experiences. Since 1999.

Write Around YOU

We partner with nonprofits to bring creative writing to underheard communities where people already live and receive services.

better Together

We write together over 6-10 sessions. With fun and thoughtful activities, we write freely without judging ourselves. No preparation or experience required!

Creative Community

We share our work aloud (if we want to!) and offer positive, specific feedback. Over time, we learn our strengths as writers and listeners, and build a creative community.

Get Involved!

Winter Reading & Book Release

Thursday, December 12

6:00 – 8:00 pM
NW Natural (250 SW Taylor St. Portland, OR)
Free and Open to All!

Help us celebrate our fall season writers at our Winter Reading & Book Release! Hear voices you rarely hear in the literary mainstream in a validating, comforting space where originality and kindness shine. This event is open to everybody and is free! Please join us!


More Ways You Can Help

Join Inkwell

Inkwell Sustainers give monthly donations to help Write Around plan for the future and reduce fundraising costs.

Volunteer

Become a facilitator or help us operate our creative programming.

Donate

Your gift will help people access a lifelong tool for healing and building creative community.

For us, writing isn’t about the finished product.*

Through guided creative exploration and the sharing of stories, we help people listen across difference. We honor, uplift, and celebrate all voices, especially those that aren’t typically heard in our society. We cultivate empathy and compassion. And we publish new narratives that resist polarization and stereotyping.

*Although we do publish collections of our writers’ work!

Serving the nonprofit community since 1999.

Our twist on expressive writing has a profound impact on physical and mental health.

Through programs offered in-person at homeless shelters, prisons, hospitals, treatment centers, senior centers, schools, and other healthcare and social service settings, we reach hundreds of underheard people each year. What could creative writing do for your clients?

“Before this program, I believed that I had absolutely no creativity when it came to writing. After only the first night, I realized I had it in me all along.

Write Around Portland Participant

More About Write Around Portland

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