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Writers Conference

Home / Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference / Schedule / 2019 / Conference Schedule Friday, February 22, 2019 / Writing for Change with Yvette Johnson

Conference Schedule 2019

Conference Schedule 2019

Friday, February 22, 2019, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Writing for Change with Yvette Johnson

Date(s): Friday, February 22, 2019, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Location: Traditions, University Club (view map)
Type(s): Lecture, Presentation
Genre and Form(s): Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Human Rights, Mixed Genre, Social Justice
Tags: Politics, Social Media

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About the Session

Throughout the world people are trying to figure out how to connect, how to talk about things that matter without having those conversations devolve into chaos. Many are turning to the written word. But, how do we write about provocative topics without sounding like we're standing on a soapbox or shouting through a bullhorn? This session will provide a framework for how to write about controversial issues in ways that open the hearts and minds of your readers and that may even lead to true healing and change. 

Meet the Presenter(s)

Desert Nights Rising Stars Writers Conference Faculty 2019 Yvette Johnson


Yvette Johnson

Yvette Johnson is an accomplished writer, filmmaker, speaker, and the Executive Director of the Booker Writer Project which facilitates workshops on unconscious bias. Her memoir, The Song and the Silence, was published in 2017. Of her book, the Library Journal wrote, “This rich complex family history will appeal to anyone desiring a greater understanding of the consequences of intolerance.” Johnson co-produced the documentary, Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story, which premiered at the internationally recognized Tribeca Film Festival. The film also won several industry awards including the 2013 International Cinema in Industry: Documentary Gold Award, the 2013 FOCAL International Award for Best Use of Footage in a Factual Production, and the 34th Annual Telly Silver Award for Social Issues.


Learn more about Yvette Johnson