Diversity in Pikes Peak Writers

By Jennifer LaPointe

Pikes Peak Writers (a 501(c)(3) organization) is committed to helping writers grow and thrive through education, outreach, and community. In order to fulfill our mission, we have a variety of non-conference events, such as our monthly Write Brains, Open Critique, Writer’s Night, or the upcoming Write Your Heart Out free half-day.

At the Pikes Peak Writers Conference we strive to balance our programming to meet the needs of new writers and professional authors, to reflect traditional and new paths, and to energize you for the writing challenges to come.

Generally we receive great feedback on the programming we put together, but from time to time a lack of diversity is pointed out, whether at conference or for the various non-conference events. So dear members, I have to ask, would you like to see more diversity?

If your answer was yes, in what ways? For instance: 

Do you want to see more traditional publishing, small publishing, and/or independent publishing?

Do you want to see more craft, business, genre, and/or writer’s life specific topics? Are there specific topics you'd like to see that we haven't done recently? Topics you'd like to revisit, as it's been awhile? Topics you'd like a half- or full-day workshop on?

Do you want to see more of your genre, whatever that may be?

Do you want to see more men and/or women presenters? More feminine, masculine, and/or neutral topics?

Do you want to see more African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Native American, Pacific Islander, and/or multi-cultural presenters and/or topics?

If you answered yes to any of these or if I missed something tell us. If we don’t know it’s missing or that it’s out there we can’t acquire it.

If you know of someone who can speak knowledgeably about any of these topics and you would like to hear them at conference or an event like a Write Brain let us know at http://www.pikespeakwriters.com/events/request-a-workshop/

Or if you know someone personally who can speak knowledgeably about any of these topics and they would want to speak at conference or an event like a Write Brain tell them to submit a proposal at http://proposals.pikespeakwriters.com/


About the Author: Jennifer LaPointe, 2014 Conference Assistant Director for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, is hard at work making sure the behind the scenes is going smoothly.  You can reach her at conferencead@pikespeakwriters.com or find more information about conference at www.pikespeakwriters.com/ppwc/.