Altadena, Winter 2026 (Photo – Colorado Boulevard Newspaper)
A new series of free community poetry workshops is underway at the Eaton Fire Collaboratory, offering space for reflection, healing, and creative expression for those affected, directly or indirectly, by the Eaton Fire of January 2025.
By News Desk
Following a successful debut session on February 28, additional workshops will be held on March 21 and April 25 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at 540 N. Woodbury Avenue in Altadena.
The series is a collaboration between San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets and Light Bringer Project, both committed to supporting long-term recovery efforts through the arts. Each workshop is led by a prominent San Gabriel Valley poet, bringing a range of voices and experiences to the community.
A Space for Expression and Recovery
The inaugural workshop, led by former Altadena Poet Laureate Teresa Mei Chuc, drew strong attendance and enthusiastic participation. Attendees engaged in pastoral-themed writing exercises centered on generative creativity. Organizers report that since the February session, submissions to the project’s forthcoming anthology and scholarship program have nearly doubled. Submissions remain open through April 1, 2026.
The workshops are part of the broader mission of the San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets, a program designed to uplift the authentic self-expression of individuals and communities impacted by the fire. The initiative will culminate in a published anthology and scholarship awards, using poetry as a means to remember, honor, mourn, and imagine pathways toward recovery. The group draws inspiration from the mythological Phoenix, an emblem of resilience and rebirth.
Leadership Rooted in Lived Experience
The project was founded by Raffi Wartanian, the inaugural Poet Laureate of Glendale, whose family history includes Armenian Genocide survivors, displacement from the Lebanese Civil War, and military service. Wartanian emphasizes the importance of creative expression in the aftermath of trauma, noting that “literal and figurative fires can silence us,” and that moments like these are essential for elevating overlooked perspectives.
Light Bringer Project serves as fiscal receiver for the program and helps host the workshops at the Eaton Fire Collaboratory, where survivors connect with resources from the Long Term Recovery Group, Community Recovery Group, and Leadership Council.
Distinguished Poets Leading the Spring Sessions
- March 21 — Linda Ravenswood
A multi-award-winning performance poet and literary advocate, Ravenswood is founder of The Los Angeles Press and a leader in expanding access to publishing. Her work has appeared in nearly 100 publications, and she is the recipient of numerous poetry prizes, including the Oxford Prize in Poetry and the Edwin Markham Prize. - April 25 — Carla Sameth
Altadena’s 2022–2024 Co–Poet Laureate and a 2023 Academy of American Poets Fellow, Sameth is known for her memoir One Day on the Gold Line and her poetry collection Secondary Inspections. Her writing explores blended and queer family structures and has been recognized multiple times in Best American Essays.
San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets Spring Poetry Workshops March 21, April 25 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Location Eaton Fire Collaboratory Main Room (March & April) 540 N. Woodbury Ave., Altadena Free and open to the public
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