Call for Submissions Launched

Today, I believe that I successfully launched the call for submissions.  This week I spoke with the following persons:

Ruth Ann Gallagher at Scott Community College who recommended that I speak with Jim Schneider at the Career Assistance Center in downtown Davenport.  She had mentioned the project to him and he sounded enthusiastic. So, today I stopped in and left flyers and submission forms as well as a copy of the intro/presentation and my card (Jim wasn’t in).

Jane Hoffman, the interim executive director of the John Lewis Community Services met with me briefly this afternoon and also seemed very warm and enthusiastic about the project.  We discussed the theory that many creative people suffer from both financial difficulties and often had problems with addictive behaviors as a result of their sensitivity.

After speaking with Julie last week at the Humility of Mary Housing, I made a conscious decision to make the magazine open to submissions from ages 14 and up.  She had asked about children and although that sounds like a great idea, it was not my original vision.  Also, with children, one would need to include nearly all submissions and I believe that would make this issue entirely too unwieldy.  Perhaps this would be a good plan for a future project.  But including ages 14 and up will allow John Lewis’ homeless youth to participate and I think that teenagers especially will be encouraged to strive for more if they gain some recognition for their talents.

I stopped today also at the John Lewis Men’s Shelter and passed out flyers.  One elderly black gentleman was sitting in the common area and asked about the project.  He told me that he does drawings and I gave him a submission form.  It felt good to encourage him to participate.  There is a kind of glowing feeling emanating from my solar plexus and navel chakras after this contact.

I revisited the Davenport Public Library and left them copies of the corrected flyers and submission forms.

Finally, I stopped at Friendly House and they allowed me to post one flyer on the bulletin board in the back hallway.  Not as friendly as I had hoped, but the real business will be at the shelters of John Lewis and Humility of Mary and their enthusiasm and support more than makes up for any dearth of same at a minor location.

Press Release

The Poetry Street Project Catt Foy

1302 Scott Street cattfoy@earthlink.net

Davenport, IA 52803 563-323-0481

(Note: This is copied and pasted from the original Word document. Some of the formatting may be lost or irregular when viewing it in this blog.)

PRESS RELEASE

March 9, 2008

Homeless and previously homeless individuals in Davenport are being offered a unique opportunity—to submit their creative writing and artwork for possible inclusion in a literary magazine called the Poetry Street Project.

The Poetry Street Project was created by Western Illinois University English graduate student Catt Foy, in response to a course she is taking on public writing. Foy, who herself has experienced homelessness, wanted to bring the idea of creative works and homelessness together. “I thought about writing about my own experiences at first, but then it occurred to me that it would be much better to offer an opportunity to others who are homeless, or who have been homeless, to showcase their talents,” Foy said. “There are many people of talent who never get a chance to shine because of their circumstances,” she reported. Foy believes that having one’s talents recognized is one potential source of hope for those experiencing the indignity of struggling with extreme poverty.

The Poetry Street Project magazine hopes to include poetry, essays, and short stories, as well as black and white artwork and photographs. Foy, who is also a writer and artist, has designed the cover, and hopes to take photographs of some of the participants.

Submissions will be taken until March 31, 2008 and the publication will be launched sometime in late April or early May. Submission forms can be found at the Davenport Public Library’s Main Branch, or at the Midwest Writing Center, located on the third floor of Bucktown Center for the Arts, or by contacting Foy. A panel of judges will select the submissions that will be included. “It will be impossible to print every submission we receive, since we have limited space,” said Foy. “But if this issue proves to be successful, perhaps there will be future issues.” Foy encourages everyone who has experienced homelessness to submit original creative work. Contributors can remain anonymous, if they prefer, or they can use a nickname, pen name or street name. Contributors will be entered into a drawing for a one-year membership to the Midwest Writing Center, where they can receive feedback on their work, work on computers located at the Center, and participate in other literary events.

“It is my hope that the artwork and writing in this magazine will help expose people of talent to possible venues for publication or to promote their art,” said Foy. “Maybe that one poem, or that one drawing will open up opportunities that the creator might not otherwise have ever had.”

For more information on the Poetry Street Project, please contact Catt Foy at cattfoy@earthlink.net, or by calling 563-323-0481. Regular blog postings will report the progress of the project at http://poetrystreet.blogspot.com. Donations to support the project are also welcome. Foy also welcomes interviews on the project.

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Getting the Flyers Out

This week, I met with Kate King at the Midwest Writing Center and dropped off the flyers and submission forms for her. I also met with Julie Williams at Humility of Mary Housing and provided her with materials, also. Humility of Mary Housing has several locations of housing for homeless single parents. I also dropped off the first (incorrect) flyer at the Davenport Public Library, and will be getting them replacement flyers and forms tomorrow.

Today, I went down to Father Conray's Vineyard of Hope for their Sunday lunch and spoke with Sister Ludmilla, who allowed me to leave some submission forms and who posted a flyer for the Poetry Street Project.

This afternoon, I sent an email to Kate Ridge of John Lewis Community Services, which also has several locations for housing homeless men, homeless women, and homeless teens, as well as a feeding location called the Cafe on Vine--a very nice, restaurant-like setting. John Lewis has always struck me as working hard to convey some dignity to its clients, as does Humility of Mary Housing.

Tomorrow I hope to go to the Salvation Army feeding location and post a flyer and hand out or leave some submission forms. I also need to write and get a press release out as soon as possible--Kate King at Midwest Writing Center has offered to share her media list with me, and I expect to receive it in the next couple of days. At the very least, I need to get press releases to both the Quad City Times and the River Cities Reader.

If anyone reading this blog would like a copy of the flyer or the submission form, please email me at cattfoy@earthlink.net, or give me a call at 563-323-0481 and I will arrange to get one to you.

Running Late But That's OK

I've been down with a terrible flu for the past two weeks, which put me behind schedule, but I am now getting back on track. Today I am taking the flyers and submission forms to the Humility of Mary Housing office for distribution at their many locations. This program provides help and housing to homeless parents and boasts of many success stories.

I will be dropping off more flyers/forms to the Davenport Public Library Main Street Branch today, and also to the Midwest Writing Center at Bucktown Center for the Arts. I hope to get a press release out soon, too--hopefully by Monday.

Gaining Momentum

This week, I submitted our proposal to the Quad City Times for consideration. If all goes well, the QCT will be printing our little magazine. I have had the cover art/logo made into a .jpg so we will be able to finish the flyers and submission forms this week in time for the scheduled March 1st distribution.

LaWanda Roudebush, the director of the Davenport Public Library called and is working on the final approval for the library to serve as a drop-off point. I applied for some funding through Western Illinois University to cover printing costs for the flyers and submission forms, and other miscellaneous expenses.

I also met with both John Turner and Ruth Ann Gallagher at Scott Community, who have agreed to be judges for the submissions. Ruth Ann also gave me some contact names for one of the shelters and the Career Assistance Center about distributing flyers.

Later this week, I hope to contact the folks at various homeless shelters and feeding locations about posting the flyers and distributing submission forms. I also need to write a press release—Kate King promised to send me her latest media list.

Every day, we move a little closer, and things are beginning to get exciting!

Planning and Paperwork

I spent most of today sketching the vision I had of the front cover of the final Poetry Street Project magazine. I envisioned a street sign on a white cover, but I was also concerned about the logistical details, like making the image on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper so it could easily be scanned and made into a .jpg for use in publication. So, I started with a regular size sketchbook page and my drawing pencils, but that only led to 4 or 5 false starts. I had taken a photo of a Davenport street sign to help me get the perspective right, but even that did not translate onto the page the way I saw it in my mind's eye.

Finally, I threw all logistical concerns to the four winds, brought out my easel and large sketch pad and my charcoal drawing kit and tools. Thus suddenly freed, I seized my soft charcoal, applied it to the page and the image began to emerge within minutes--the image I had seen that first morning the Poetry Street Project came to me.

I spent the next five or six hours intensely sketching, outlining, applying layer after layer of charcoal to draw the image from the page. It was exhilarating.

It has been months since I've sat and indulged myself in any artistic pursuit besides writing and photography. Today's session at the easel was like a homecoming.

Tomorrow I hope to get the oversize sketch reduced and copied at Kinko's.

I also called and left a message for the director of the Davenport library this morning and sent her a follow-up email this afternoon. As soon as I get approval (or not) for the library to be a drop-off point, we will be ready to print the flyers, posters, and submission forms.

My oldest daughter, Mary Ellen, applied her graphic arts skills this week to design those forms for me. She, too, has experienced homelessness briefly and it is gratifying that she is eager to help on this project.

Moving along....

I met with Kate King of the Midwest Writing Center on Sunday morning and received her enthusiastic approval and support of the Poetry Street Project. The Midwest Writing Center will serve as a drop off point for submissions, and one lucky contributor will receive a free year's membership to the Midwest Writing Center. Kate also mentioned that she could make three computers available to any participants who wish to type up their submissions. She also agreed to send me her latest media list, so I could send a press release announcing the Project.

The Midwest Writing Center will also host our launch party in the conference room on the second floor of Bucktown Center for the Arts. Kate has also agreed to be one of our judges.

I met today with Ruth Ann Gallagher at Scott Community College, who also expressed excitement at the Project. She suggested that I contact Peggy Quilty at John Lewis, as well as Peg Garrison at the Career Assistance Center. In fact, Ruth Ann was so excited, she called Peg herself while I was there and left her a message.

I've also written the Welcome Letter for the inside front page of the final magazine, but you'll have to wait until publication to read it.

Well, I have spoken with Kate King at the Midwest Writing Center and we are meeting this Sunday to discuss the project. I mailed a letter to the director of the Davenport Public Library about being a drop-off point for submissions and about being a potential display location of final works. I am involved in a dialogue with John Turner and Ruth Ann Gallagher at Scott Community College, whose advice and service as judges is greatly appreciated. Jennifer Nesahkluah, a student at Scott is also a participant in the Humility of Mary Housing program that provides housing and life coaching and other support for homeless single parents. She has agreed to help distribute flyers through this program. I am hoping the Quad City Times will agree to donate the printing for the magazine. I am also working on the magazine cover art.

Thanks for your support of the Poetry Street Project!

About Catt Foy

Catt Foy is a freelance writer and graduate student at Western Illinois University, and expects to complete her MA in English in May of 2008. Catt experienced homelessness in the 1990s, an experience that deeply affected her understanding of our modern culture. She currently lives in Davenport, Iowa. To learn more about Catt, visit her Web site located at http://www.cattfoy.com.

Poetry Street Project

The Poetry Street Project was created to gather the poetry, essays, stories, photos, and artwork of homeless people in Davenport, Iowa.

The idea arose out of a graduate school project for a course on public writing, and is designed to give a voice and a place for creative expression for those who are often invisible and unheard in our culture.

The project has only one ambition--to allow individuals who are now or who have been homeless to express their creativity, finding hope in the process.

If you would like to contribute your work, your time or your money to the Poetry Street Project, please contact Catt Foy via email cattfoy at earthlink dot net.