2017 Events

By Céline | January 1, 2017

October 17, 2017

Women Take on the Environment: Writing & Activism

A Reading and Discussion

7:00 pm
Bluestockings Bookstore & Cafe
142 Allen Street, NYC

with Susan DeMark, JoeAnn Hart, & Ellen Meeropol

What an inspiring evening this was! JoeAnn, author of Float, described how environmental issues, especially the problem of trash in our oceans, became entangled in her novel’s plot. Susan spoke of how “mindfulness” is so important in feeling connected to the earth and the built environment and how this is reflected in her blog Mindful Walker. Ellen talked about the importance of activism in staying sane during difficult political times, and read from her latest novel, Kinship of Clover. I read from my story “Home,” in the anthology On Montauk: A Literary Celebration, which deals with the challenges of over-development and sea-level rise. The main discussion with the audience was on how to find ways to keep up our spirits in this time of upheaval and given the severity of environmental threats. Suggestions included finding ways to be good to ourselves, to practice meditation and mindfulness, to be active in politics, and to find and form community.