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Warrior Writers

By Lovella Calica

"I remember when I stepped off the plane into the jungle..."

"I looked out at the desert and finally realized..."

You've heard these stories and told these stories.

Stories from military experiences need to be told, heard and read by our society, in order for us to better understand our veterans. Have you told your stories? Have you heard these stories? Are you ready?

"To get at the stories that we have, you have to strip away all the extraneous bullsh** and just tell it. Warrior Writers supports us in doing that." - Joshua Casteel, Iraq veteran, playwright.

Warrior Writers provides veterans with opportunities to reflect on military experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Contrary to the sterile walls and stoic, unfriendly faces the VA offers, we host our workshops and retreats outside or in yoga studios or art spaces.

"I used to write before I went to Iraq, but while there I wasn't able to write. With the Warrior Writers Project I have been able to slowly find my words again and share my experiences. It's been a healing experience." - Eli Wright, Iraq veteran artist.

Warrior Writers exists to articulate veterans' experiences. We aim to provide an opportunity for a creative community of artistic expression among veterans. We witness the lived experiences of warriors. In three years we published two books, facilitated over twenty writing workshops where over 150 veterans participated, organized dozens of art exhibits and performances and launched our award-winning website.

We have held events in St. Louis, MO, Fort Drum, Colorado, Vermont, New York City and Minneapolis among others. The William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences at UMass Boston invited WW to host workshops and a reading. After the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, we held a workshop at Under the Hood in Killeen, TX.

INSO-MANIA

Jon Turner, Iraq Veteran Artist

I haven't slept in three days.
I am tired.
Closing my eyes does nothing for me.
It gives me fear.
Fear gives me rage.
Rage makes my mind race.
My racing mind keeps me awake.
Staying awake drains my body.
My drained body still produces energy.
My energy makes me pace.
Pacing tires my legs.
My tired legs make me sit.
Sitting makes my back sore.
My sore back makes me lay down.
Lying down makes me tired.
Being tired helps me close my eyes.
Closing my eyes does nothing for me.

Our anthology, Re-Making Sense 2008 features over 40 veterans and contains poetry, prose, letters, photographs and visual art. The Army Times reviewed Re-Making Sense. Selections from Warrior Writers books have become part of the curriculum for a handful of high school classes and a course on psychological trauma for paramedics, police and firefighters. Order Re-Making Sense at www.ivaw.org/store or warriorwriters@gmail.com. We are also selling our first book entitled Move, Shoot and Communicate.

An important partner, the Combat Paper Project utilizes art-making workshops to assist veterans in reconciling and sharing their personal experiences as well as broadening the traditional narrative surrounding service and the military culture. Through paper making workshops veterans use their uniforms worn in combat to create cathartic works of art. The uniforms are cut up, beaten into a pulp and formed into sheets of paper. Find more info at www.combatpaper.org.

We plan to publish a new anthology of artwork by veterans of the Global War on Terror next year entitled Intrusive Thoughts and hope that you can host a fund raising house party to contribute to the costs.

In Philadelphia, we're partnering with the Mural Arts Program to create a mural that is envisioned and created by veterans, as opposed to being created for veterans by someone else.

Please join us this November for Chicago in War, a series of events, art shows, and performances that explores the continued rupturing of the traumas of war in everyday America. The Intrusive Thoughts art exhibit opening will take place on Veterans Day at the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum. Intrusive Thoughts will feature visual artworks by veterans of the Global War on Terror.

Warrior Writers is currently focusing on building its foundational structure by increasing capacity and raising funds to sustain our work.

WW is a welcoming place for both civilians and veterans we invite you to make us a part of your life. If you or anyone you know wants to help Warrior Writers, please email us TODAY at warriorwriters@gmail.com.

Lovella Calica writer, photographer and multimedia artist is founder/director of Warrior Writers. She received two Art & Change grants and the Transformation Award from the Leeway Foundation. She published a poetry chapbook in 2006 and is currently completing another book. Lovella is a co-founder of Tatlo Mestiz@s.