February is a changeable month in Homer, Alaska. Some years, very cold and snowy. Other years, mud and freeze/thaw cycle. It’s a hard month to predict. This year, everyone is feeling the raw winds of change. At Storyknife, the winter storms come roaring off Cook Inlet and slam into the little cabins and Eva’s House. But everyone here is undaunted; we are looking forward to continuing to fulfill our mission: to give women writers the time and space to devote to their craft, to provide them with a community that supports them.
When thinking about the future of Storyknife, I have many times in the past few months turned to a quote that I keep on a postcard beside my desk written by the incomparable Isabelle Allende:
“Women are 51 percent of humankind. Empowering them will change everything, I can promise you that. Women working together, linked, informed, and educated, can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet.”
When I write a grant, when I talk with other women writers, when I ask for donations to put delicious food on Storyknife’s table and keep the lights on, I think about how the women writers of Storyknife are changing the narrative, telling a new and different story.
From the very beginning, Storyknife has chosen to lift up the voices of women from historically excluded communities. Founder Dana Stabenow said, “The women of Storyknife should represent the world.” We’re just as committed to our mission as ever. Just as committed to voices that have been shut out, voices that have been pushed beyond the margins.
I have another quote beside my desk from Maya Angelou:
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.”
Please know that even as the strongest winds arrive, Storyknife will be here to shelter, nurture, nourish, lift, and support women writers. It’s our mission, and we’re grateful that we have such a large community of like-minded people who agree – Women writers deserve the time and space to devote to their craft.
Sincerely,
Erin
Storyknife Writers Retreat 