Worcester writers among contributors to 'Clementinos' writing program anthology

There will be a book launch celebration for “ Clementinos: Voices from the Clemente Writing Project” from noon to 2 p.m. at Salisbury House Ballroom, 61 Harvard Street, Worcester. The book, according to a statement from Mass Humanities,  features writing by Massachusetts residents “who share their understanding of the Commonwealth through lived experiences in Brockton, Dorchester, Holyoke, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester.”

The contributors participated in the Clemente Course in the Humanities , an acclaimed adult education program based in the six cities. Published in partnership with University of Massachusetts Press, “Clementinos” features poems and essays from twenty-three students as well as three faculty members.

One of the instructors who contributed to the book is Amy Richter , chair of the history department at Clark University and academic director for Worcester’s Clemente Course in the Humanities program.

"It was an honor to contribute a short essay to the volume," said Richter, in an email exchange. "Of course, the students are the real stars of the show. Week after week, Clemente faculty learn from our students and marvel at how they integrate humanities scholarship and their own lived experience. Clementinos makes that important work visible to a wider audience. It celebrates our students and amplifies their voices. As I wrote, Clemente students are archives — repositories of knowledge ready to help frame and answer new questions."

Students from the Worcester program include Larry Madden, Theresa Quinones/Buccico, Louise Burrell, Murtaza Akbari, Donna Evans, George Thorney, Jacqueline Doiron, Debra Francis and Doreen Samuels.  The book’s cover features artwork by student and contributor Jess Rivera of Springfield.

"The Clemente course has changed the trajectory of my life," says Quinones/Buccico, whose essay, “ United We Stand: Through the Cries of an Opiate Orphan ” discusses intergenerational trauma and reconciliation, drug abuse and more.  "I am more inspired and supported than ever before in my life outside of my Ma," she says in an email. By "Ma" she is referring to her grandmother who, as she explains in her essay, raised her from infancy, adding that her grandmother is "the foundation and inspiration of my life and storytelling."

Likewise, Madden — whose essay “ The Greatest Gift ”  discusses drug abuse, concealing his LGBTQ+ identity and the fractured family vs. self-actualization — has found the Clemente Course extremely rewarding.

"What has Clemente Writing Project and The Clemente Course in the Humanities meant to me?" he asks, in an email exchange, "Quite simply, freedom. The freedom to accept that my humanity no longer needs to fear going back in rooms and spaces from my past; the freedom to peek into voids where even memories were afraid to exist because Clemente has gifted me this truth; my humanity is our humanity. Clemente is the freedom to heal. Clemente is the freedom to write."

“Clementinos” is the third collection of student essays produced by Mass Humanities and arrives as the organization celebrates its 50 ^th anniversary, according to a statement fromt he nonprofit organization.  Later publication events are scheduled for  July 28 at Olive Tree Bookstore in Springfield, Aug. 14 at Wistariahurst in Holyoke, Sept. 15 at Sunrise Steakhouse in Brockton, and Oct. 1 at justBook-ish in Boston.

The Clemente Course, according to a statement from Mass Humanities, provides opportunities for residents from systemically and historically excluded communities to build new connections and take the next step in their educational journeys. Studying history, literature, philosophy, art history, and creative writing, graduates earn up to six free college credits from Bard College. Each year, Mass Humanities offers the free classes in partnership with Brockton Public Library, the Care Center in Holyoke, Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester, Martin Luther King Family Services of Springfield, PACE, Inc., in New Bedford, and the Worcester County Poetry Association.

“This anthology is a significant contribution to our understanding of Massachusetts,” said Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. “The writers chronicle journeys that include experiences as immigrants and as parents, struggles with addiction and houselessness, and, ultimately, their remarkable achievements in the humanities and in their communities.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester writers among contributors to 'Clementinos' writing program anthology