Austin Eubanks was one of the survivors from 1999’s horrific mass shooting at Columbine High School. Tragically, his best friend Corey DePooter was murdered by the gunman.  After Eubanks was severely traumatized and vulnerable, doctors began prescribing him painkillers. I know from experience, opioids are only effective for relieving short-term physical pain. They are extremely addicting and have side-effects. Long-term use can be disastrous.

Eubanks Kicked Drugs

After the shooting, Eubanks developed an opiate addiction. But at the time of our interview, he’d fought the battle of quitting drugs. Eubanks excitedly told me about his treatment and how he’d learned to live clean and sober. This is after he’d almost lost everything due to his addiction taking him to the brink.

Dealing With Survivor’s Guilt

During our interview he confided, “I could literally get whatever I wanted. Telling them I’d been shot at Columbine and lost my best friend was like getting an open prescription book from every doctor. I’d been filled with grief and survivor’s guilt. But I finally found lasting recovery.”

It has been more than two decades since this article was published. However, today, when I saw David Hoggs was trending on twitter, it brought me back to my interview with another gun violence survivor who weathered his pain by turning into an activist.

RIP Austin Eubanks (Oct 8, 1981 – May 18, 2019 ).

Those of us from Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde, & Highland Park have a vision of living in a nation with no mass shootings. We thank @SpeakerPelosi @LeaderHoyer @WhipClyburn @RepCicilline for leading the effort to pass the assault weapons ban in the House of Representatives today. pic.twitter.com/1NraEelcIT

— Newtown Action Alliance (@NewtownAction) July 29, 2022

Seventeen years ago, 17-year-old Austin Eubanks was terrorized during the Columbine High School massacre. It was on April 20, 1999 and Eubanks was in the library with his best friend Corey DePooter when they heard a bomb go off. It was chaos and Eubanks ran to hide under a desk. He was shot in the arm and knee, but his deepest wounds were emotional. Austin saw his best friend murdered in a barrage of bullets.

“My injuries were not to the point of needing an opiate pain medication,” Eubanks told The Fix in an exclusive interview. “But I was immediately given a 30-day supply. Within three months I became addicted.” From then on, he said, “I used substances every day, day in and day out.”

After the shooting, his parents took him to see a therapist who said Austin was too shut down to process his horrific trauma. But the reason no one could reach him was because he was overmedicated.

“I learned to manipulate doctors,” Eubanks said. “I could literally get whatever I wanted. Telling them I’d been shot at Columbine and lost my best friend was like [getting] an open prescription book from any doctor.”

Austin never went back to school at Columbine and his parents hired a tutor. He graduated in 2000 and attended the Columbine ceremonies without setting foot back in the school. He went into advertising and married in his early 20s. He and his wife had a son, but Eubanks’ substance abuse escalated. His first attempt to get sober was in 2006. “I went to a 30-day inpatient program,” he said, “but within hours of leaving, I went right back to the same regimen—abusing pain pills and Adderall.” 

Right before Columbine, young Austin had been misdiagnosed with ADD. 

“I didn’t have ADD,” said Eubanks. “I just liked being outdoors and playing golf better than being in school. At that time, if anybody was truant at school they said, ‘Oh, they must be ADD. Let’s put them on a stimulant.’ That was why I got Adderall. I liked it because I could abuse opiate pain medication to the level that most people would be nodding out. With Adderall, I could function. Basically, I was doing oral speedballs. It was like using methamphetamine and heroin.”

His second try at living clean came in 2008. His son was three and he was separated from his wife. “That’s when I started to have an intrinsic motivation to change. I went to treatment, stayed 90 days, and achieved eight months of sobriety.”

He and his wife reunited and decided to have a second child. Another boy was born. 

“This is one of the examples that I use when I give presentations about learning every way that doesn’t work. First, I did the normal addict path. I achieved abstinence for a period of time, and built up enough false confidence to where I said, ‘I can drink, because alcohol was never a problem for me.’ I went back to drinking. After a few weeks, drinking led back to smoking weed. Smoking weed led back to Xanax, which led back to Oxycontin, and then I was right back into the same routine.”

In 2011, he was approaching 30 and estranged from his wife and kids. “My sobriety date is April 2, 2011. I woke up in a jail cell and had absolutely no idea how I got there.” 

The last thing he remembered was heading to see the Colorado Rockies baseball team on opening day. He’d been using Oxycontin and drinking, and had passed out in a restaurant. Police arrived and arrested him for probation violation. Due to his addiction, Eubanks spent years in and out of the court system for various offenses, including car theft and writing bad checks.

“I woke up, I opened my eyes in jail, sick. I was in withdrawal from opiates. I was hungover from alcohol. That was the absolute lowest moment of my life. I had ruined the marriage. I had two children I was estranged from. I told myself, ‘If I don’t stop right now, I’m going to die’ and I wasn’t ready to do that. I hit multiple rock bottoms and finally came to understand that I had learned every way that doesn’t work, and I gave up the fight to keep trying to [get sober] on my own. I went into treatment and said, ‘Tell me how to walk, how to talk, what to do and I will do it.’”

After staying mum all these years, Eubanks decided it was finally time to talk about his addiction publicly. “By talking about being at that low place in my life, it’s my attempt at helping others. I’m proof there is a path out and there’s a path out for everybody, regardless of where you are in life and what you’ve lost.”

When he finally found what he calls his “lasting recovery,” it was not in a 12-step program. “I had gone to a 12-step rehab,” said Eubanks. “I used the 12 steps, I worked them, I met with a sponsor. But I left there with two words in my mind: powerlessness and disease. Those are two dangerous words to put in somebody’s mind who is trying to enact behavioral change in their life. I’m not contesting the value of 12 steps and I’m not saying that addiction is not a disease, but I’m saying that you have to approach it from a position of empowerment to create a life for yourself that is so great you can’t imagine going back to using substances. Without that, relapse is much more common.”

He credits a therapeutic community (TC) for his long-term sobriety. “They focused on the behaviors around addiction.” He stayed for seven months. “The TC model helped me understand what was happening in my brain. I’ve always been a thinker. It was really beneficial to be able to say [to myself], ‘These decisions are happening right now in your life because this is how your brain is functioning. This is what’s happening in your prefrontal cortex. This is the reason for your impulsivity. This is what your mid-brain functionality looks like. This is what it’s going to look like at three months of abstinence. This is what it’ll look like at six months of abstinence. At a year of abstinence, if you’re able to achieve that, your brain is going to be fundamentally different than it was in the beginning.’”

Eubanks learned what his triggers were. “I could say, ‘These are impulses I’m having right now, but there’s a date on the calendar where my brain is going to be functioning differently. If I continue to exhibit pro-social behaviors and work toward that goal, I’m going to continue to make progress.’ It helped me as a roadmap.” 

Now sober five years, he works for The Foundry, a TC substance abuse treatment center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. “We talk to people about brain function,” said Eubanks, “about transactional analysis and what that looks like; what ego states make our decisions and why impulsivity is so strong. And why an addict behaves like a rebellious child. Then we apply all that to 12-step principles, which we have found to be phenomenally beneficial for people.”

Eubanks believes that addiction is on a spectrum, similar to autism and Asperger’s. “That spectrum is dictated by a number of factors and it’s everything from IQ to socioeconomic status to somebody’s social group to the age of the first time they used. A lot of things contribute to a person’s ability to function for a life of abstinence. We have to look at that on a case-by-case basis.”

It’s true, one size does not fit all and individuals require different tools. You might have somebody able to function in an environment where there’s alcohol around and not be susceptible to relapse, while others can never be in an environment like that without the risk of slipping.

The Foundry’s TC model is based on four pillars: medical, clinical, wellness and family. Medical includes tests to determine blood levels and how a patient metabolizes medication. When appropriate, medication is prescribed. Clinical includes counseling, observation, and treatment to help patients cope with behavioral, mental and emotional problems that interfere with their daily lives. Wellness may include yoga, diet and exercise to help build a better life. Family may involve working with families on a weekly basis and then bringing them out for a family intensive, where they go through the curricula for three days with other families.

“The message I want to send to people is to ask for help,” Eubanks said. “I lived in the dark for over a decade in my addiction. I could never see the path out. Ask for help because it’s there. I finally took the road of recovery and never looked back. Through that process, I was able to re-establish a relationship with my children that is fantastic today. They play a big part in my life. I have a functional relationship with my ex-wife, who is now remarried and I’m recently engaged and going to be married again. Life is too good to ever consider going back to where I was.”

The post Mass Shooting Survivor Austin Eubanks Talks About Life After Columbine appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

I had to share this Ms. Foundation statement about the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Win! “Ms. Foundation applauds President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their monumental victory.”

We are ecstatic to witness the first Black—or South Asian—person and the first-ever WOMAN elected to serve as Vice President of the United States!

Ms. Foundation

Vice President-elect Harris’ achievement builds on the foundation laid by past and present feminists, like Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Hillary Clinton, Stacey Abrams, and many others. A joyous congratulations to the Biden-Harris team. And to all those whose collective efforts brought us to this moment.

We recognize the countless and arduous efforts of Black women and women of color, who long have been the backbone of our democratic process. And the many whose grassroots efforts contributed to this crucial win.

We are proud and moved to witness the unquestionable impact of their leadership in one of the most tenuous moments we have faced as a nation. Once again, it could not be clearer that we must prioritize this treasure of our democracy and radically increase support for feminist and women of color leaders whose visionary commitment to justice carries us forward toward a more perfect union.

Ms. Foundation

President-elect Biden’s words on Saturday evening stirred hope. [They] refreshed our spirit for the … road ahead…. All of us need to remain attentive and engaged in the months and years ahead, as we mentioned in our latest statement.

The Ms. Foundation is already hard at work. We won’t falter in this fight. We’ll continue to build feminist power by supporting and amplifying the work of grassroots organizations led by and for women and girls of color until there is full gender and racial equity for all people.

Let’s enjoy a deep breath and then let’s get to it!

In celebration,

Ms. Foundation for Women

The post Ms Foundation For Women Celebrates Historic Win Of Kamala Harris appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

This is the most important election of our lifetime. #VoteBlue We are fighting for the soul of our divided nation. #VoteHarrisBiden

3 KEY STEPS for BLM Allyship

Learn how to use your voice and stand with Black Americans. We must put an end to this grisly systemic racism in America. It’s time for CHANGE! If not you, who? If not now, when? Petrow-Cohen’s guide gives suggestions on how to engage in the fight for #BLM and Anti-Racism. You too can be a well-informed and active ally.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Anti-racism Resources

This document is intended to serve as an educational resource for white people and parents to deepen our anti-racism work. It includes lists of articles, videos, podcasts, books, films and TV series, and organizations to follow on social media. If you haven’t engaged in anti-racism work in the past, this is a great way to get started.

Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Here are actions that white allies can take to promote racial justice and anti- racism, as well as fight against police brutality. These actions include educating yourself and others on the experience of Black Americans, understanding the systemic racism present in the institutions you interact with (e.g., schools, offices, local communities), and utilizing white privilege to engage with local and federal governments to demand change.

Rachel Rickett’s Anti-Racism Resources:

This resource includes links to articles and books on several critical topics regarding race, namely: Addressing Whiteness, Racism, Spirituality, and Wellness, Healing for Women of Color, Multi-Racial Identities, Health and Pandemics, as well as workshops and additional educational resources on race in America.

Understanding and Dismantling Racism: A Booklist for White Readers

This booklist compiled by Charis Books, an independent feminist bookstore, aims at addressing a broad variety of white readers’ needs and interests. It includes books that address race in the contemporary moment, and first person accounts of how individual people came to understand themselves as white and to desire an end to white supremacy. You can purchase each of these books directly at the link and support an independent bookstore in the process!

A Reading List for Children

A friend of mine is a teacher in the Nashville public school system and pulled together this list of culturally responsive and relevant books for children. Many of the books address racism and race explicitly. Others feature black protagonists and focus on changing the skewed representation in the media.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Justice for George Floyd

• Demand reinstitution by the Department of Justice of consent decrees on police departments and municipal governments across this country that have demonstrated patterns of racism towards and mistreatment of people of color.
• Demand sweeping police reform–federal legislation mandating a zero-tolerance approach in prosecuting police officers who kill unarmed, non-violent, and non-resisting individuals in an arrest.
• Defund the Police means we need to put an end to systemic racism and the culture of corruption in our police forces. It calls for a national defunding of the police and an investment in communities and resources to ensure that Black people can survive and thrive in America.
• Sign more petitions in support of anti-racism and ending police brutality that Black Lives Matter has compiled and updates regularly.
• Send a message to your congressional representative supporting NAACP policy demands. The NAACP has created an extremely simple way to write to congressional representatives in your district expressing support for the NAACP anti-racism policy demands. The NAACP demands criminal justice reform, economic policies, health policies, and voting policies and provides a template message to send to your representatives demonstrating your support.
• With the template it takes under a minute to directly and effectively engage in your state and local politics to promote anti-racism.
• Write and call state leaders to demand justice for black lives lost to police brutality. See below for the relevant contact info and links to template messages. George Floyd Contact Info:
• Hennepin County Attorney, Michael O. Freeman
  •  EMAIL citizeninfo@hennepin.us
  • TEL (612) 348-5550
• Minneapolis Police Department
  • EMAIL 1 police@minneapolismn.gov
  • EMAIL 2 minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
  • EMAIL 3 policereview@minneapolismn.gov
  • TEL (612) 673-2345

Justice for Breonna Taylor

Louisville Metro PD: louisville-police.org/142/Contact (502) 574-711
Louisville Mayor Office: (502) 574-2003
Breonna Taylor organized efforts standwithbre.com / justiceforbreonna.org
Louisville Mayor’s Staff Tony McDade Contact Info:

• Tallahassee Police dept: ContactUs@talgov.com, Phone: 850.891.0000
• Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey: mayor@talgov.com
• Commissioner Jeremy Matlow: https://talgov.com/Main/email.aspx?emailto=jeremy.matlow…
• Officer on Tony’s case, Officer Kevin Bradshaw, email: https://talgov.com/Main/email.aspx?emailto=Kevin.Bradshaw
  TEL (850) 556-1726
• Social media coordinator Rachelle Denmark: email: https://talgov.com/Main/email.aspx?emailto=Rachelle.Denmark, TEL (850) 891-4255

Join a protest

There are protests happening across the country in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Anti-Racism, and Criminal Justice Reform.

Have a conversation

One of the most powerful ways that we can be allies right now is by listening. Reach out to your black friends, neighbors, and colleagues during this traumatic time. Don’t make the conversation about you. Rather, work to create a space for them to share their experience with race and racism. We white Americans often shy away from these difficult conversations and in doing so silence black voices and stories. Let’s work to change that both on the national stage and in our personal relationships. Keeping an open dialogue is critical to maintaining momentum in the fight against racism.

Donate

Several organizations are fighting against racism and police brutality at one time. You can select an amount to donate and allocate the funds across the organizations listed below. This is great way to support multiple facets of the anti-racism movement at once, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed by the number of options. See a brief description donate directly to each organization included below:

Black Lives Matter Global Network

“#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.”

Reclaim the Block

“Reclaim the Block began in 2018 and organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety. We believe health, safety and resiliency can exist without police of any kind. We organize around policies that strengthen community-led safety initiatives and reduce reliance on police departments.”

National Bail Fund

“National Bail Fund Network is made up of over sixty community bail and bond funds across the country and is working to coordinate bail efforts for protestors.” To donate to local bail funds and support protestors in your state / community or those states / communities in particular need directly, see the comprehensive list of local bail funds here.

Black Visions Collective

“Since 2017, Black Visions Collective, has been putting into practice the lessons learned from organizations before us in order to shape a political home for Black people across Minnesota. We aim to center our work in healing and transformative justice principles, intentionally develop our organizations core “DNA” to ensure sustainability, and develop Minnesota’s emerging Black leadership to lead powerful campaigns. By building movements from the ground up with an integrated model, we are creating the conditions for long term success and transformation.”

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

“The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand

democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments.”

The National Police Accountability Project

“National Police Accountability Project (NPAP) is a 501(c)(3) organization and a project of the National Lawyers Guild, which was founded in 1937 as the first racially integrated national bar association. In 1999, NPAP was created as a non-profit to protect the human and civil rights of individuals in their encounters with law enforcement and detention facility personnel. The central mission of NPAP is to promote the accountability of law enforcement officers and their employers for violations of the Constitution and the laws of the United States.”

Color of Change Education Fund

“Color of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization helping people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. Color of Change leads campaigns that build real power for Black communities. We challenge injustice, hold corporate and political leaders accountable, commission game-changing research on systems of inequality, and advance solutions for racial justice that can transform our world.”

Unicorn Riot

“Over the past five years, Unicorn Riot has built a worker-managed non-profit media organization. We have worked tirelessly to build a platform that focuses on primary source reporting and on-the-ground coverage. Our reporters go where the story is unfolding to bring you the voices of real people alongside crucial context and facts.”

Campaign Zero

“Funds donated to Campaign Zero support the analysis of policing practices across the country, research to identify effective solutions to end police violence, technical assistance to organizers leading police accountability campaigns and the development of model legislation and advocacy to end police violence nationwide.”

Advancement Project

“Advancement Project is a next generation, multi-racial civil rights organization. Rooted in the great human rights struggles for equality and justice, we exist to fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy. We use innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high impact policy change.”

The Marshall Project

“The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. We achieve this through award-winning journalism, partnerships with other news outlets, and public forums. In all of our work, we strive to educate and enlarge the audience of people who care about the state of criminal justice.”

We must end police violence in America.

The post Guide for White People: How to Fight for Racial Justice appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

“This Sunday, January 27, UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, and over 350 venues in 55 countries, will host an unprecedented screening of the award-winning documentary, “Who Will Write Our History” and concurrent Facebook Live events. The international screening events and Facebook Live, orchestrated by Abramorama, and with the support of UNESCO, the World Jewish Congress’ #WeRemember initiative and multiple major partner organizations, takes place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and comes at a time of rising anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic attacks, and increasing concerns that the lessons of the Holocaust are quickly being forgotten.”

I feel a personal connection to this film by Spielberg and Grossman due to my family’s horrific past in Europe where they died in the Nazi concentration camps. My father’s cousin meticulously researched what happened to our family. Many were killed in the camps. The most frightening was the family members who died in Auschwitz. We will never know if they were experimented on by the demonic Dr. Josef Mengele.
Watch the Trailer
Synopsis: This film is about a courageous group of resistance fighters imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto in World War II. In November 1940, days after the Nazis sealed 450,000 Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, a secret band of journalists, scholars and community leaders decided to fight back. Led by historian Emanuel Ringelblum and known by the code name Oyneg Shabes, this clandestine group vowed to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. Now, for the first time, their story is told as a feature documentary.
The New York Times calls it, “A vital Holocaust documentary…Heartbreaking.”
Writter and director Roberta Grossman and executive producer Spielberg teamed up once again to create Who Will Write Our History which the writings of the Oyneg Shabes archive with new interviews, rarely seen footage, and stunning dramatizations that transport us inside the Ghetto and the lives of these courageous resistance fighters. They defied their murderous enemy with the ultimate weapon—the truth—and risked everything so that their archive would survive the war, even if they did not.

Now playing at the Quad Cinema in Manhattan

Showtimes & Tickets

Wed January 23

• 11.05am
• 1.00pm
• 3.05pm
• 5.10pm
• 7.15pm
• 9.20pm

Thu January 24

• 11.05am
• 1.00pm
• 3.05pm
• 5.10pm
• 7.15pm
• 9.20pm

Fri January 25

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Sat January 26

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Sun January 27

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Mon January 28

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Tue January 29

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Wed January 30

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

Thu January 31

• 11.00am
• 1.00pm
• 3.40pm
• 6.30pm

The post Spielberg Movie ‘Who Will Write Our History’ Gives the Facts vs #FakeNews appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

In this fourth annual three-day program, THROUGH HER LENS, five emerging USA-based female writers of short-narrative films will receive one-on-one mentorship, artistic guidance, and financial support from Tribeca and Chanel.

$100,000 in Filmmaker Grants

4th Annual 3-Day Program

The Leadership Committee includes Kathryn Bigelow, Lena Dunham and Courteney Cox. The purpose of this extraordinary opportunity is to propel women filmmakers forward.
@Tribeca     #ThroughHerLens     #WhatsYourStory
Presented by Tribeca and Chanel, in collaboration with Pulse Films, and facilitated by Tribeca Film Institute (TFI), this immersive program provides one-on-one mentorship and industry support, along with guidance for artistic development. The intense master classes run for three days.

The winning female filmmaker in the competition will be awarded full financing to produce their short film and will receive support from Tribeca Studios to bring the film project to fruition.

Here’s How It Works

Five short film projects were selected from women storytellers. During this past summer, each of the five chosen filmmakers were given the extraordinary opportunity to work with writing mentors who helped to shape and refine each of the five projects.

When and Where

From October 16 to 18, the filmmakers will gather in New York City with the mentor and program advisors for an in-depth intimate program concentrating on script-to-screen development, casting, finding collaborators, and working with cinematographers, music composers, costume designers, and producers. The selected program participants will attend master classes and have individual mentoring sessions with leading women in filmmaking, meet distributors, and spend concentrated time refining their pitching skills.

It’s a Win-Win

On the final day, each of the five filmmakers will pitch their projects to a jury of industry experts. Although only one woman will receive the full financing, no one among these five carefully-chosen filmmakers will lose.  The four runners up will also receive grant money to assist in the further development of their films.

The post Tribeca and Chanel Offer Women Filmmakers $100,000 in Grant Money appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

A health op-ed by Ellen Hershkin, National President, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc.

Published May, 7, 2018 in Arizona Jewish Post, Southern Arizona’s Award-Winning Jewish Newspaper

The post Health OP-ED Ms. Diagnoses: Women’s Lives Are at Risk appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Register Now to Save!

To learn more about the Conference and How to Join
click here

This year’s New York City conference will be held at the
Sheraton Times Square Hotel
811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City.

I owe so much of my full-time freelance writing career to ASJA

Conference Schedule • Friday, May 18 • Members-Only Day

Conference Schedule • Saturday, May 19 • Open to the Public

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

CONFERENCE TRACK CHAIRS

• Aimee Ross
Aimee Ross is the author of Permanent Marker: A Memoir (KiCam Projects, March 2018). She worked as a Regional Educator in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for ten years. In addition, she is a nationally award-winning educator who has been a high school English teacher for the past twenty-five years. @AimeeRoss
• Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has edited the Modern Love column in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times since its inception in 2004. His books include “Love Illuminated,” two essay anthologies—“Modern Love” and “The Bastard on the Couch”—and the novel “After Lucy,” which was a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. Jones appears weekly on the Modern Love Podcast, which had 20 million downloads in its first year. Jones has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News, CNN and NPR. His writing can also be found in The Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and elsewhere. @DanielJones
• Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning independent journalist, author and speaker. Her book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018), grew out of her school discipline story for Mother Jones that became the magazine’s most-read piece. Katherine contributes to The Atlantic, Fortune, Washington Post and more.

TRACK CHAIRS

The conference theme is based on the three tracks:

Navigate (Beginner). Motivate (Intermediate). Captivate (Advanced).

• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager and Detailed Overseer @CarolynCrist

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. @NancyDunham

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Track Chair and Social Media Maven @DorriOlds

Stay tuned for more info about #ASJA2018! Hope to see you there!

The post What to Expect at #ASJA2018 Writers Conference • May 18–19, 2018 • New York City appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Register Now to Save!

To learn more about the Conference and How to Join click here

This year’s New York City conference will be held at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel
811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City.
Friday, May 18 is Members-Only Day.
Saturday, May 19 is open to anyone who would like to attend.

I owe so much of my full-time freelance writing career to ASJA!

CONFERENCE TRACK CHAIRS

• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager and Detailed Overseer @CarolynCrist

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. @NancyDunham

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Track Chair and Social Media Maven @DorriOlds

The conference theme is based on the three tracks: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• Aimee Ross
Aimee Ross is the author of Permanent Marker: A Memoir (KiCam Projects, March 2018). She worked as a Regional Educator in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for ten years. In addition, she is a nationally award-winning educator who has been a high school English teacher for the past twenty-five years. @AimeeRoss
• Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has edited the Modern Love column in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times since its inception in 2004. His books include “Love Illuminated,” two essay anthologies—“Modern Love” and “The Bastard on the Couch”—and the novel “After Lucy,” which was a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. Jones appears weekly on the Modern Love Podcast, which had 20 million downloads in its first year. Jones has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News, CNN and NPR. His writing can also be found in The Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and elsewhere. @DanielJones
• Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning independent journalist, author and speaker. Her book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018), grew out of her school discipline story for Mother Jones that became the magazine’s most-read piece. Katherine contributes to The Atlantic, Fortune, Washington Post and more.
Stay tuned for more info about #ASJA2018! Hope to see you there!

The post Writers Learn to Earn at #ASJA2018 appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager, and Detailed Overseer

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. She’s also ASJA’s new volunteer coordinator.

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Career Manager and nicknamed the “Social Media Guru” for the entire event.

SAVE THE DATE! May 18–19, 2018
ASJA’s 47th Annual Writers Conference

Note: The 2018 conference will be held at a new venue this year: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City. The conference Members Day is May 18 and the Open Day is May 19.
I am excited to be taking this work on! My dad always said, “If you want something done, give it to the busiest person and they’ll get it done.” ASJA is filled with hard-working freelance writers who are accustomed to nutty deadlines and being adept at multi-tasking. I’m honored to be part of this amazing team led by ASJA president Sherry Beck Paprocki.
I am thrilled — absolutely gleeful — that my proposal for the conference theme has been chosen! It is based on the three tracks: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels.
The 2018 theme is:

Navigate, Motivate, Captivate

I will be serving as the Advanced Track chair. It is an honor to have been chosen. ASJA has helped me find success as a full-time freelance writer. I work in my home office with my beloved dog Buddy James at my feet. Thank you, ASJA! 

We Are Seeking Conference Panel Proposals • Deadline is Nov 10th

The NYC Conference’s theme for 2018 is Navigate, Motivate, Captivate. This year, we’re featuring three tracks for beginners, mid-career writers and advanced storytelling techniques.
We are currently soliciting proposals for panels and workshops that will inspire, motivate and empower journalists, nonfiction and literary nonfiction writers at all stages of their careers. Emphasis will be put on professional development as it relates to these three tracks of freelance writing, such as workshops on pitching, making new career moves, finding increased income, querying book agents, and publishing in all aspects such as books and magazines.
What We Are Looking For In a Session Proposal
We prefer workshops that focus on craft and those with a “how-to” aspect. We want single session leaders who are experts in their field and savvy in social media. We’re seeking panels that offer real service to our attendees. In particular, we’re looking for diversity in panelists — racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, marital and parental status.
If you’re interested in speaking, please complete this form.
Please note that we are unable to offer monetary compensation for travel or presenting. All participants must be available during the entire two days of the conference, May 18 and May 19, as scheduling will be at the discretion of the conference committee.
Deadline: November 10, 5:00 pm ET
 

Writers: If you are interested in joining ASJA…

Visit the Society’s website:
• About ASJA
• Who is Eligible to Join
• Member Benefits
And, if you do decide to join, please mention that you heard about ASJA from me! I’ll be much obliged.

Track Chair Bios

Carolyn Crist, a freelance journalist with stories that have appeared in AARP, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Magazine, Anesthesiology News,  Reuters, Tales of the Cocktail, U.S. News & World Report and WIRED. She is also an adjunct journalism professor (of convergence journalism, photojournalism and travel writing) at the University of Georgia and co-owner of Pixel & Ink Studio in Athens, Georgia.
Nancy Dunham is a freelance writer whose clients include People magazine, AARP, Automotive News, USA Today, MoneyTalksNews/MSN, Woman’s World, A&E Real Crime blog and other national publications. Dunham was a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and publisher. She is also a founding board member of the Association of Healthcare Journalists and lives in Alexandria, Va.
Dorri Olds is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in book anthologies, newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Woman’s Day and The Forward. Her social media following includes over a million views on YouTube. As a full-time freelancer she divides her time between writing personal essays, pop culture articles, service pieces, movie reviews and interviewing A-List celebrities. She is currently working on a book about misogyny and rape culture.
“ASJA is so fortunate to have these prolific writers agree to work together to make this upcoming conference one of the most relevant conferences available to freelance writers and authors in the industry,” says ASJA President Sherry Beck Paprocki. “As ASJA moves to a new conference venue next spring, the tri-chairs promise to deliver important content for all writers—whether they are just starting out in the profession or they have long-time writing experience. We are looking forward to the months of planning that will create a must-attend conference next spring.”
 
Here is one of my personal ASJA Success Stories:
ASJA is so worth the cost of membership. Every year that I attend the annual conference in New York City, I make back much more money than I spent. Last year, during speed pitches, I met the lovely Woman’s Day editor, Maria Carter. We hit it off immediately. She has published three of my personal essays and is a dream to work with. Thank you, ASJA!

The post ASJA Announces Chairs for 2018 New York Writers Conference appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Charles Manson is dead at age 83. The news release issued by the California Department of Corrections said he died of natural causes in a hospital.

Eerie Timing to Meet a Manson Family Member

The timing is eerie. Manson died and right after that I came face-to-face with a Manson Family member. Her name is Dianne Lake. She was in attendance at one of my Manhattan speaking events for writers. It was October 28 when we met near Penn Stations. The venue was inside the Hotel Pennsylvania.

After giving my talk on journalism in today’s media, and a Q&A afterwards, I headed for the elevator. After pressing the down arrow, I noticed two women beside me, also waiting. One had a hardcover book tucked under her arm. The cover photo of Charles Manson captured my gaze, as did the title, Member of the Family. I’ve been obsessed with true crime books since seventh grade when I discovered Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and devoured it in two days.

Helter Skelter & New Manson Book

Curious, I struck up a conversation. “I’ve read Helter Skelter three times,” I said with a smile. The woman who was holding the book turned out to be Lake’s co-author Deborah Herman. After introducing herself, Herman said, “Guess who this is.” She pointed to Lake and said “This is Dianne, the youngest member of the Manson family.”

I must’ve looked startled because Herman explained, “This is her story.” Then handed me the book.

Intrigued, I immediately read the subtitle: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness That Ended the Sixties.

Meeting Manson Family Member

Although eager to read the jacket, I didn’t want to be rude so I looked up and extended my free hand to Lake. Hesitatingly, as if in slo-motion, Lake took my hand and we shook. She offered a polite hello in almost a whisper. Her cautious manner and the way she looked me in the eyes for only a moment before her gaze darted away, gave me the impression she was either shy, tired, or at the very least, uncomfortable in the moment. A feeling came over me that she too was a rape survivor.

The cliche, “It takes one to know one,” proved true as I read her heart-wrenching account.

I don’t want to give any spoilers because I highly recommend this book.

Member of the Family

My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness That Ended the Sixties

by Dianne Lake and Deborah Herman

The post Charles Manson is Dead But There is Still More to Learn in a Riveting New Memoir: Member of the Family appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.