2026 SpeakOut! journal launched at Global Village Museum
Dozens of people attended the First Friday event on May 1 at the Global Village Museum, our host for the launch of the 2026 edition of the SpeakOut! Journal. The event coincided with their Hall Gallery exhibit -- "20 years of SpeakOut: A Community Writing Retrospective." You can watch a short video of the event and exhibit here. Thanks to the museum and the community who came out to make the evening special for the writers and readers of the Community Literacy Center.
Giving Words to Strengths:
A Reflective Method of Feedback for Community Literacy Facilitators
by Kyla Ballard
As stated on our website, the CSU Community Literacy Center has a mission “to create and facilitate literacy opportunities that invite community members [...] to engage in innovative and supportive writing spaces and to value the writing and art that emerges through conversation and circulation.” In our mission statement, we make it clear that a priority when running SpeakOut! workshops is to foster an environment that is supportive to our writers. We strive to make it clear that every writer’s voice is valued and appreciated, regardless of how that voice shows up in the space. While valuing the diverse voices of our writers, we also strive to encourage the strengthening of their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. The model of SpeakOut! seeks to strengthen literacy skills while avoiding the creation of a dynamic that mirrors traditional academic classroom structures, which have often led to a decrease in confidence and a negative view of one's writing for many of our participants. Maintaining this balance between fostering a supportive environment where everyone’s voice and skill level is valued, while also teaching important literary skills, can often be a tricky one to strike. In this article, I describe a method that I use for building technical skills involved in creative writing for SpeakOut! writers that retains the priority of welcoming writers of all levels and building their confidence as writers. This method uses praising feedback to provide writers with precise language, craft concepts, literary definitions, and specific techniques to use as tools for strengthening their creative writing. In this article, I will describe the methodology for this approach and how facilitators can use it as a part of their regular toolkit when leading workshops. Next, I will outline three positive outcomes that can result from using this method. Finally, I will conclude with a brief discussion about which facilitators are best suited for this method. HOW IT WORKS For this method, facilitators make use of natural moments of responding to writing after a writer shares either a piece of their own writing or thoughts that they have in response to another’s piece of writing. In practice, this method usually only takes about 1-5 minutes in total, which makes it useful for incorporating constructive learning without distracting from the overall flow of the workshop. Below is a list of the main steps for applying this method: 1. Respond to written work that writers share. Focus on highlighting one to two aspects of what the writer shared. 2. Praise the writer. Make sure to use language like “I appreciated when…”, “I loved how…”, “It stuck out to me that…”, etc. to begin feedback to signal to writers that your comment is firmly rooted in praise. Additionally, end feedback with language such as “...strengthened your piece,”, “...added to the power and impact of your poem,”, “...helped to convey the theme of your essay," etc. to root the technical feedback within the praise for the writer. 3. Name, define, and explain specific literary concepts and craft tools that are being utilized or referenced by the writer. Provide the academic terms for the concept and explain it in a way that is accessible for those without an academic background in literature or creative writing. This is a great place to ask other writers to help define the term for the group, while adding any necessary context or clarification. Do not assume that these terms or jargon are common knowledge for writers. 4. Describe in specificity how this literary technique or craft concept is being used within the piece of writing. Use this as an example to further illustrate how this technique works and what it adds to a work of creative writing. 5. (Important!) Turn the comment into a general statement that highlights for the whole group how this technique can be applied within their own writing. Encourage other writers to consider employing this technique within their own writing. As seen above, this method makes use of a process of reflecting back to writers the strengths that are already present in their own writing or in their analysis of others’ writing. By reflecting strengths back to writers in a way that names, defines, and contextualizes the concepts already present, a facilitator is able to make explicit the techniques that the writer is already using so as to help them bring those techniques into their writing process in a conscious and productive way. The goal is to ground the teaching of technical skills in highlighting where writers are already succeeding, as opposed to using a method that relies upon pointing out flaws or weaknesses in a person’s writing. This allows for facilitators to build confidence in their writers and affirm the value of their writers sharing their voice, while also providing important literary concepts and definitions. OUTCOMES From this method, I believe that there are three main positive outcomes. First, this form of feedback can aid writers in expanding their vocabulary surrounding reading and writing. This gives them the tools to be able to engage more effectively in literary discussions. For many academic disciplines, creative writing included, whether a person can or cannot use the “proper” terminology is a barrier to being able to meaningfully participate in and contribute to academic discussions. Through this method, my aim is to help provide my writers with the necessary tools to get past these barriers and gain access to important, though often exclusive, spaces within the creative writing and literary communities. Second, this method gives writers more tools in their toolkit to improve their own writing. By making explicit what techniques a writer is using, the facilitator helps teach writers why that technique might be useful and when to apply it in other areas of their writing practice. This creates a deeper understanding of what tools are available to evoke specific audience reactions, express complex ideas or emotions, and share meaningful stories. All of this aids in a writer’s journey to becoming a stronger, more effective writer and communicator. Third, it highlights how writers can learn from each other. In my workshops, I often share with my writers the advice that I have received from many creative writing professors: “The best way to become a better writer is to read the writing of others.” By praising one writer and making explicit the techniques working within their writing, a facilitator invites the writers to see each other as role models and sources of learning. This helps to provide examples within their peer groups of these literary techniques at work. Additionally, it strengthens community between the writers as they learn to see each other as competent and effective writers that they can work together with to strengthen their own writing. CONCLUSION As I move into the conclusion of this article, I think that it is important to speak briefly on what type of facilitator is best suited for using this method. A key aspect of this method for facilitating requires that the facilitator have a strong understanding of craft techniques, terms and definitions, and genre conventions within creative writing. Due to the reflective nature of this method, facilitators are required to improvise responses, recall technical theories on the fly, and translate complex literary terminology in an accessible way. This requires that the facilitator have the ability to recognize when a literary technique is being used and recall specific definitions. Additionally, it is helpful for the facilitator to have significant experience with the practice of creative writing on their own, as it can help them to better identify examples of when and how those literary techniques might be usefully employed. This is, of course, not the only way to teach technical skills while still increasing the confidence of writers. However, I believe that it is a useful and effective way for those with a strong background in creative writing to be able to teach literacy skills, while retaining a supportive and confidence-building environment. Altogether, my hope is that through sharing this method, I am able to provide other community literacy facilitators with practical tools for teaching creative writing techniques that prioritize a supportive and welcoming space for writers. Through integrating reflective feedback with defining terminology, facilitators can help break down barriers within the discipline of creative writing. Further, we can provide writers with specific and tangible tools for becoming more effective writers. Finally, facilitators can work to build a stronger community within their workshops that encourages writers to learn from and rely upon each other as strong, valuable, and effective voices within the world of creative writing.
Volunteer Spotlight:
Chantal Bouveron
by Sydney Hernandez
Chantal Bouveron is more than a volunteer. A high school teacher for the Poudre School District, Chantal is an inspiration to all who meet her and strives to always create an inclusive and collaborative environment in each of the workshops. Originally facilitating writers’ workshops at local detention centers, she made a space for writers from all backgrounds at Harvest Farm in Wellington, Colorado. Entering Chantal’s workshops, you are immediately welcomed by a warm and comforting environment that fosters both creative freedom and laughter that resounds across the walls within the workshop space. Her passion for writing and reading becomes so evident in each of the prompts she brings into her workshops. Chantal invites writers to collaborate on prompts and writings that transcend traditional classroom spaces and has been an inspiration to all who have met her at Harvest Farm. On a cool fall afternoon in October of 2025, Chantal introduced a short essay titled “How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps.” While the essay first presents itself as a piece on how to lose weight, beginning with the short request: "stop drinking beer," it transforms into a tale in which a person finds love after a particularly bad breakup. They begin going to the gym and find confidence in themselves as well as working toward a healthy relationship with their adulthood after they have entangled themselves in another person for so long. Each of the writers in the workshop took turns reading the piece aloud, laughing at the comedic relief and finding quiet comfort in the sadder intentional points. Chantal led the group through the piece with a quiet smile and a gentle energy that allowed each reader to ponder the words that had been placed in front of them. When they were done, she allowed writers to think for a moment and then write their own “How to…” essay with a twist ending. One writer played with the idea of writing a “How to Shave Your Head (How to Properly Start Your Day)” detailing a beautiful piece that began as a how-to and transformed into a reflection on the relationship the writer had with their father. While the piece wasn’t particularly revealing, it allowed for the writer to explore a how-to in this unique way. Chantal sat at toward the middle of the table, surrounded by writers new and old, ones she had laughed with and ones who would soon become part of her regular routine at the farm. She applauded each of the writers, offering encouragement when they felt too afraid to continue and gave each person in the room a sense of comfort that allowed for a space that encompassed all styles of writing. Chantal makes each writer that walks through the doors to the workshop feel special. They are given time and space to explore their writing and participate in a community of fellow writers that may lead to growth as both a writer and a community member.
Volunteer Spotlight:
Maddy King
by Bella Chiango
In the past two semesters, I have shown up once a week to Community Corrections, ready to facilitate, write, and listen. In these workshops, I have had the honor to show up with Maddy King, a volunteer with the Community Literacy Center. Maddy was an intern last year, and I feel immense gratitude for the knowledge and experience Maddy brings to the table, and the advice that I can obtain from her. Maddy is one of the most passionate writers I have been able to work alongside, and her excitement and care is contagious. Every time I spend time with her in the Community Literacy Center and during workshops, I note how much she cares about these workshops without her even saying anything. She creates an approachable and kind environment that allows writers to feel free to share their stories, and work alongside her, not for her. As a plus, I am also lucky enough to be Maddy’s friend, and I always appreciate the fun ways in which she tries to sneak my cat's name into everything she writes. (My personal favorite was an apocalyptic story, in which Daria, my cat, has been genetically modified to become queen). To Maddy, these workshops, and the work we do outside of them is not just for pleasure. The idea of community literacy, more specifically in carceral spaces, is a passion for Maddy, and an area she plans to work within for the foreseeable future. She has attended workshops, conferences, read numerous works, and spoken to experts in this field. Because of this, I feel that she can provide information and perspectives that are unique and inspiring to not only me as an intern, but also to the writers we work alongside as well. It is a privilege to be able to share Maddy's passion, grateful that her passion has rubbed off on me.
A Story Wall:
Behind the Scenes
by Alexa Holmes
One of the CLC’s pop-ups this spring semester is a story wall in collaboration with the Museum of Discovery, which appeared at youth open mics, the museum, and the annual FoCoMX in April, inviting those who encounter the wall to share how music has impacted their lives. The prompts for this story wall were generated by the Museum of Discovery’s MoD Squad, a group of teens with whom Tobi, Kyla, and I met in February to do some brainstorming. We met at the museum, in a back room filled with personality and vibrance, and left with four prompts – all thoughtfully created by the MoD Squad teens – and a clearer vision for the story wall. Outlined below is the process we walked through, with Tobi’s guidance, to arrive at four prompts, with the ultimate goal of engaging the story wall’s audiences at each of its locations and inviting people to share their stories in more than just a few words. I felt encouraged by how engaged everyone was in the collaborative brainstorming process and how ideas bounced off of each other as prompts took shape. I was eager for the Fort Collins community to participate in this sharing of ideas, too, in their contributions to the story wall. The MoD Squad also discussed which prompts should appear at each of the different events, with the audiences of these events in mind. Then, in a haphazard collaboration between my computer and my meager design skills, I created some brightly colored posters which I packed into a box along with the rest of the materials for the story wall – string lights, clothespins, pens, colorful die-cut paper in the shape of stars and music notes – for people to encounter at the open mics, the museum, and FoCoMX. Now that the story wall’s Spring Break week-long run at the Museum of Discovery is over, we’ve realized that those particular prompts (“What role does music play in your identity?” and “Tell us about a time when a song helped you through a tough moment”) weren’t the best fit for the audience, which consisted mostly of children. But while reading through the many, many responses from the week, I reflected on how as humans we all want to be seen and remembered. Many of the responses – scribbled and scrawled by children, parents, and grandparents – were simply names, or messages like “so-and-so was here.” Quite a few people did respond to the prompts or wrote about music, and often these responses were signed with a name, too. Seeing the story wall full of colorful paper – each one a small reflection of a human being – and then holding those bits of colorful paper – names, memories, handwriting – in my own hands, I felt overwhelmed by the beauty of being alive and being able to share our voices. Even through scribbles and illegible handwriting, writing allows us to witness each other’s stories; this is what I love about the work the CLC does. And I’ve been reminded – throughout our collaboration with the Museum of Discovery this semester and especially in seeing how people have participated in the story wall pop-ups – that we all play a role in each other’s stories, no matter how small and regardless of whether we’re aware of it. The story wall is a wonderful reflection of this. Initial brainstorming: ● Avoid questions like “What is your favorite book?” ● Generate a list of potential questions ● Consider memory, identity, community ● Look to the future as well as the past Consider goal & audience: ● What is the goal of this story wall? ● Who is the audience for this story wall? ○ Who will be at a particular event/location? ○ How will they interact with prompts? Reframe & restructure questions: ● Create a variety of different kinds of questions ● Prompt people to share more than just a few words ● Consider wording/phrasing ○ “share” ○ “describe” ○ “tell us about” Examples of prompt generation from meeting with MoD Squad: ● “What’s your favorite album?” → “Describe how your favorite album makes you feel.” ● “What’s a song that defines your identity?” → “What role does music play in your identity?” ● “What’s a community you’ve found through music?” → “How might music create connection?” ● “Share a song that helps you through tough times.” → “Tell us about when a song helped you through a tough moment.”
Fear of the Blank Page
by Sydney Hernandez
The lights outside flicker in the twilight sky. Each breeze touches the blades of grass and brushes the shoes of the uncertain man. He stands at the backdoor, behind the large front office. He hasn’t written before, not in a way that was intimate: for him alone. The moon rises as he counts the breaths before he sends energy toward the soles of his feet. As he enters the space, he is met with smiling faces, greeting him into the warmth of the entire group. His anxieties continue to plague his heartbeat. But as he sits and stares at the blank pages before him, he cannot help but feel the tension continue to knot his stomach. What could he write to fill these pages? Will they judge him? “What’s on the page was meant to be there,” says a voice in the room, and the knotting in his gut slows as he puts pen to page. In the blink of an eye, he reads his stories and is met with the snaps of each man sitting in the room. And he leaves with the ache in his chest, lifted at the chance of new possibilities. For many adults in transitional communities like Harvest Farms, finding new beginnings can be daunting. Finding new hobbies can be even more so, especially in a space as intimate as a writing community. The blank sheet of paper is more than just a page; it is a mirror of possibilities, a place to reclaim a voice that may have been silenced at a previous time. The page in front of a new or returning writer can feel daunting, especially when the prompt is so uncertain. For many of the men at the farm, the blank page is not blank at all, but rather, riddled with memory. It can remember unforgiving classroom environments, echoes of being told to try harder, do better, to fix the writing until it was unrecognizable. But in Community Literacy, that narrative shifts. Writers are positioned not as students to be corrected but as authors of their own experiences. It works to dismantle these harmful connotations of writing and create a place in which writers can come together and share their stories and ideas. In rooms like these, the page is no longer something to conquer but rather, something open to new possibilities. There are no grades in these workshops, no one counting grammar mistakes. Instead, there is a circle of listeners, eager to cheer on each of the individuals participating in this strange and frightening endeavor. While the lights outside still flicker beside the setting sun, and the man has left the room with quiet self-admiration, the uncertainties of life do not disappear. Inside the circle, the page waits differently now: less a site of judgment and more a space of authorship.
Writer Profile:
LRob719
by Kyla Ballard
Among the several locations that SpeakOut! hosts weekly creative writing workshops, Harvest Farm's group is consistently one of the largest. Harvest Farm is a residential life-preparedness program for men recovering from addiction and homelessness, where the men enter a four- to nine-month journey of regaining hope and control in their lives. Writing workshops at the farm are a lively affair, with group sizes ranging from 8 up to 15 writers, all gathered in a small room around a table to write together. There are constant jokes flying throughout workshops, with writers gently teasing each other, poking fun at shared experiences, and an abundance of laughs. This humor makes its way into the writing, with many of the men excelling in the realm of comedic writing. LRob719 is one such writer, who couples comedy with a thought-provoking authenticity. With a defined voice and instinct for comedy, LRob719’s writing will have you laughing out loud as you read, and you'll still be thinking about his work days later. In a genre he calls “Urban Comedy,” LRob719 defies the boundaries of conventional writing to create pieces with a strong sense of character and a beautiful authenticity that speaks to the lives of many that are often underrepresented in mainstream creative writing. His work gives voice and validity to those who share his experiences. Though he clearly thrives on the laughs his writing brings, LRob719 also approaches his craft with a thoughtfulness for complexity that elevates his pieces beyond simple jokes. Often one of the last ones to read, he can be seen throughout workshop writing well past the end of the timer, revising his works, and creating pieces with vivid descriptions and layers of meaning. Below is one of LRob719’s standout pieces, published in the 2026 SpeakOut! Journal, titled The time I shared a meal with the one I love. This short-story highlights the strengths of LRob719’s writing. It is laugh-out-loud hilarious with vivid details and descriptions, while also subverting expectations in ways that leaves the reader thinking. ------------- The time I shared a meal with the one I love By LRob719 Stuck in traffic, fifteen minutes late. Adjusting the tunes in the Caddy to pass time as the traffic moves slowly. Got the air on cool to dry up the light perspiration from my hands as I grip the woodgrain steering wheel. Traffic picks up and starts moving. I ease into the gas pedal of the old Cadillac Brougham. I reach into my pocket for my cell phone, thinking of how I’m going to explain why I am late for my first date. My phone starts to ring. It’s the chick I met at the Starbucks in Target, she was bangin’. Told her I’d hit her back in a few, I was tied up with something right now. As I ended that conversation, I was pulling up my text log to shoot a text to my date. Explained the situation, but she was understanding by her response. Sh*t, Shawty was fine, 5’5’’, thick thighs, blonde hair, blue eyes. But the playa’ in me shouldn’t have to explain. Sh*t, I’m a motha’ f*ckin’ pimp. But I had to put that aside ‘cause, like I said before, she was fine. But not only that, she had a beautiful mind. I text Shawty, told her I was about two minutes out, instant response like she was waiting impatiently. So, I pull up to Rodizios on Jefferson, one of my favorite Brazilian restaurants. Shot her a text to let her know I was here. “Near the entrance, third booth to the right,” was the response. Took a deep breath in with a slow release of the stress of anxiety. She was fine enough to make a playa’ wanna make a good first impression. I approached the booth, her back was turned. As I approached her, I brushed her on her left shoulder to get her attention. Never knew a playa’ could fall in love at first sight. ---------- Another notable aspect of LRob719’s art and writing is the deep attention that he pays to the sensual aspects of love and experience. He leans into these aspects, both to make his readers laugh, but also to appreciate the beauty that he sees within the ones that he loves. His blackout poem, Always Love Her, is a prime example of how the sensual enters into LRob719’s writing and invites the reader to pay attention to the beautiful, yet often taboo, aspects of being in love. Through the use of black ink to cross out parts of the page, LRob719 creates a narrative that is indeed “enough to give a lapsed Catholic nightmares,” highlighting the tensions that exist within an intimate relation that both seeks to praise the beauty of one’s partner, pushing them into the light, while also reckoning with the memories of that love once it is no longer in one's life. Always Love Her is a piece of extreme love and extreme heartbreak wrapped up together into an experience that prioritizes the sensual aspects of human experience. LRob719 is a talented author and important member of the SpeakOut! community. With writing that brings joy and humor, as well as an attention to authentic and complex experiences, engaging with LRob719’s work is a powerful experience. Alongside the playfulness and joy he brings to writing workshops, LRob719 also creates a respectful and supportive space for his fellow writers. He is quick to celebrate his peers, pointing out their strengths and complimenting their writing. He is one of the first to quiet the room and advocate for shyer writers to have the floor, ensuring that every member of his writing community feels welcomed and valued for who they are. Having LRob719 as a part of the SpeakOut! community is an honor and a joy.
2026 Story Wall Pop-Ups in Fort Collins
Click to scroll through pictures!
The Cocoon
With the 2026 issue of the SpeakOut! Journal, the Community Literacy Center (CLC) celebrates 20 years of community engagement through creative writing workshops in northern Colorado and Wyoming. Director and founder Tobi Jacobi will head into a sabbatical semester, rich with possibilities for the advancement of her already-accomplished career. Associate Director, Mary Ellen Sanger, will complete 10 years with the CLC and the department of English, retiring into what she expects will continue to be rewarding work. The CLC is entering a "cocooning" stage while energies rearrange around the resources, ideas, and accomplishments that remain as Tobi and Mary Ellen exit. Please reach out to Tobi with questions: tjacobi@colostate.edu.
Stay Tuned.
Enormous gratitude to the community at CSU that has supported the work of the CLC -- and the site partners, donors, students and writers that have contributed to 20 years of creativity and connection.
*Tobi Jacobi was named a John N. Stern Distinguished Professor for the stellar example she has set in engaged scholarship for the past two decades. You can read more about Tobi's award here.
Many thanks to our community partners at:
Larimer County Community Corrections and Work Release
Harvest Farms
Poudre Libraries Old Town Library
AND
The CSU English Department
Top Hat
Poudre libraries
The Jewish Community Foundation
City of Fort Collins
Lilla B. Morgan Memorial Endowment
Community Engaged Learning at CSU Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT)
The CLC has created alternative literacy opportunities to educate and empower underserved populations for 20 years, sponsoring university-community literacy collaborations. Through our workshops, we have confronted stereotypes of men and women who are incarcerated, and other writers dealing with confinement or recovery. We circulate the stories and creative work of community writers through print and multi-media publications and displays. It has been our belief that such dynamic literacy activities are key to individual success, cultural awareness, and a more socially just world.
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