Finding an "Oasis in the Abyss"

Tiana, a workshop participant, shares the story of accidentally starting a small fire in her microwave while trying to disinfect a homemade mask during the virtual “Writing From Life” workshop. Credit: Susan Willerman

Teaching Artist Susan Willerman has been teaching “Writing From Life” at Morningside Retirement and Health Services in the Washington Heights neighborhood of NYC for 26 consecutive years. The class started as a program of Elders Share the Arts in 1994, and now continues as part of the Teachers & Writers Collaborative.

The members, aged 70-97, have met every other week, excluding summers, to write and discuss their work. However, the impact of COVID-19 halted this consecutive in-person tradition and forced members to shelter at home.

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Susan canvassed her students about how to best stay connected and suggested conference calls. Tiana, one of the members, didn’t like the idea, stating that they would all interrupt each other too much.

Tiana took it upon herself to help her fellow writers gain access via Zoom, donning a mask to visit a few members in person and spent hours on the phone with another member to get her set up to participate. Tiana also instructed everyone on how to share their writing work via Zoom’s “screen share” option, which even Susan didn’t know about. “I was so grateful for her,” Susan said.

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People have also been using the opportunity to share creative work about what life is like cooped up in their homes during COVID-19. The stories range from hilarious to heartening: Tiana’s tale of starting a small fire while trying to disinfect a homemade mask in the microwave, and Marilyn, who wrote a thank you letter to the neighbors who helped her get online.

“It is essential for us to see one another and hear our voices,” said participant, Rebecca. “That contact reminds us, during this artificial isolation and idleness, of who we are and how we are connected to one another and to our communal effort, as well as our individual stories.”

For Rebecca, being able to continue to write during this time, “helps me process my questions and adapt to present circumstances. Our memoir group is an oasis in the abyss.”

The group didn’t let the pandemic prevent them from sharing their work. To cap off the year, they held their annual May reading event, “Take My Word,” via Zoom. Over 100 family members and friends logged in to hear the writers share poems, prose, and personal essays, and no one wanted the virtual event to end. “The reading finished at 4 pm and many guests shared their responses to the work,” says Susan. “No one wanted to leave the gathering but at 5 pm, we finally tore ourselves away from the warmth of this companionship.”

Nancy Weber, Education Director at Teachers & Writer’s Collaborative, says that during this time, strong relationships between teaching artists and participants — as well as support from the site itself, Morningside Retirement and Health Services — is key to enabling programs to continue.

“For my own part, I feel so much better having seen and heard pieces of writing and visited with my beloved group,” Susan said. “Connectivity is definitely the way to get through this.”