Sister Writes

Sister Writes offers free creative writing classes for women in Parkdale and the surrounding neighborhoods of Toronto's West End. The program was founded in January 2010 by writer Lauren Kirshner with the support of Sistering, a drop-in center empowering women since 1976.

Now in its fourth session, Sister Writes helps give a voice to women marginalized by a variety of factors, including homelessness, poverty, domestic abuse, limited educational opportunities and mental health issues. Through the generous support of a number of sponsors and with the assistance of guest writers, the program provides weekly writing workshops for women to develop their creative potential, hone literacy skills and build self-esteem.

Through the Sister Writes program, women also learn organizational and presentation skills as they work toward producing a magazine to showcase their creations. Each session of the program culminates in the public launch of the Sister Writes magazine, Roots to Branches, written and illustrated by the participants themselves.

Empowering, inclusive, and definitely hands-on, Sister Writes is dedicated to the principle of building community one story at a time.

The Sister Writes Touchstones

Word Power — By learning to write in a variety of genres with purpose, clarity, and flair, women develop literacy skills that help them gain greater control over their life circumstances.

Empowerment — Creativity builds confidence. Women learn how to represent their stories and interests through writing, becoming active and positive participants in their communities.

Fun — Learning and laughing go hand-in-hand. Sister Writes provides women with a positive and enriching environment to discuss ideas, laugh, and reflect on their shared experience.

Community — By sharing their writings in a magazine of their own creation, women of widely different backgrounds help to promote values of inclusiveness and diversity within their community.

Access — Everyone deserves high-quality education, regardless of age, race, class, sexual orientation, or ability. Sister Writes helps women overcome barriers to education by providing a free and inclusive program staffed by expert teachers and professional writers.