Non-Fiction Workshop Description: 

This course is for writers at all levels. Our instructor Tieshka smith delves into the concept of writing as a journey back to one’s origins. Students will be encouraged to engage in writing exercises that examine various facets of their heritage, such as culinary history, family customs, and community connections. 

Students will: 

• Gain skills in effectively navigating the portrayal of family members and ancestral narratives. 

• Explore the nuanced concept of truth as it relates to writing from personal recollection. 

• Discover techniques for seamlessly blending personal experiences with broader universal themes. 

Non-Fiction Instructor:

Tieshka (pronounced Tish-ka) Smith is a Philadelphia-based photographer, writer, teaching artist, and cultural documentarian. Her work interrogates placemaking, memory, and civic identity through the lenses of race and class. Smith is the author of Compositions of Black Joy: A Visual Chronicle of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival (2015–2022) and is currently working on her second book, Unscripted Moments: From the Diary of a Restless Lightchaser. Her photographs have been featured online and in galleries, museums, and publications across the U.S. A Chicago native, Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Northwestern University, and a Master of Project Management degree from DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management. Her website is tieshkasmith.com.