Woman. Warrior. Writer. 1-2023
Christy Passion Vol. 4 No. 1 January 5, 2023
Aloha,
Meet Woman. Warrior. Writer. Christy Passion!
How did you come to author your life?
Initially, writing was a voice that bore witness. Renderings of being Native Hawaiian mix raised in a blue-collar family spoke against idyllic island life. I wanted people to see beyond tourism’s depiction of Hawai’i; to see us. I’ve been told my poetry is political. I’ve learned that any woman speaking her truth will always be political. My life moves between calamity (being a critical care nurse) and come backs (plain old life). Writing poetry serves as a diffuser, allowing me to sift through intensity and reshape it. I am currently attempting my hand at fiction which does not come as natural to me as poetry does. But most of life, in my experience, starts in difficulty. Then it gets good.
Christy Passion has authored three books of poetry. Her book of poems, Still Out of Place, has won commendation from the Hawai’i Book Publishers Association. All of her books have been published by Bamboo Ridge Press. She has won the Cades Award for Literature and is a contributing author to When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry. She is a critical care nurse at a level 1 trauma center in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Follow her on IG @christy.passion
REGISTER FOR 2023 CLASSES
Master Narratives: A Deep Dive SATURDAY JANUARY 28 7-9AM (HST). This is a creative process class. Master Narratives guide our approach to our subject matter and our identities as writers. This is a similar class to the one I taught at the Taos Writers Conference SOMOS in 2022.
BREAK: Write Your Divorce Story Workshop SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18 7-9AM (HST). Learn the Divorce Story Structure suitable for your legal/personal file. If you enroll you have the opportunity for a 10% discount on writing coaching sessions. For a preview check out this Scarlet Society article and this podcast interview on How to Write Your Divorce Story.
Women’s Creative Writing Workshop SATURDAYS March 4-March 25 7-9AM (HST) This mixed-level class emphasizes voice and narrative and comes with the opportunity to have a one-on-one session. I guarantee that you will leave class with more confidence about what you are writing. You will become familiar with your own creative process and learn what you need to do to write the work that you were meant to write.
Asian/Asian American Women’s Creative Writing Workshop SATURDAYS June 3-July 22 7-9AM (HST) The ONLY creative writing class (can we say globally, hell, why not, it’s true…) specifically designed for Asian/Asian American women writers. I’ll claim that pioneering role and hope other instructors follow suit! Limited enrollment. Contact writer@drstephaniehan.com for further information.
10% discount for previous students and kama’aina. Please enter the code LOCAL.
Open gender WRITING COACHING private sessions for manuscripts, applications, teaching strategies/syllabi, divorce stories, and more. Contact writer@drstephaniehan.com
Resources
Check out this video on Master Narratives.
Korean Immigration 1903-2023 and HPR
2023 is the 120th anniversary of Korean Immigration to the Territory of Hawai’i. Marie Ann Han Yoo is having her first in-person photography exhibit sponsored by the Korean American Foundation at Honolulu City Hall 1/17 @5PM.
I did a two part video series for the Council of Korean Americans on Korean American history -- part two is here.
Listen to Christine Ahn Nobel Peace Summit Activist Prize winner for Hawaii Public Radio.
To find out more about the meaning of the Maunaloa eruption, check out my interview with Lanihuli Kanahele.
Salaries. Women. Capitalism. Shame.
Finally, a segment I filed on a women’s empowerment workshop got me thinking…
Women don’t ask for raises and usually discount their value and worth they bring to an organization
2. Women are better at negotiating for their teams rather than themselves as individuals
Women must know that every time they do NOT ask for a raise, that they are not only hurting themselves, but are affecting the entire team of women who will come after them. If a woman stands up for herself by asking for fair pay, she’s also asking for the women who follow her to be treated differently.
People feel shame if they make low wages. This is capitalism brainwashing. STOP NOW. The person who should feel ashamed is the one who pays the low wages and is exploiting someone by paying low wages. Why feel shame for being exploited? Again, if anyone feels shame, it would be the person who pays low wages.
Women in HI make .80 to every dollar a male makes in the same position. We need to follow Iceland – can this happen in the state of Hawai’i? If you are keen and vote in Hawai’i-- drop me a line. Let’s chat about this.
Take inventory of who you are: Write down your skills, experience, all that you bring to the table. You will be surprised at what you see. I too have to keep reminding myself what Mrs. Cromarty taught me in the first grade. I think I’ll just say this: “Cromarty!”
Woman. Warrior. Writer. Apparel
Dark and Light Apparel. Short sleeve. Long sleeve. Hoodies. Unisex and women’s sizes. Support scholarships for creative writing classes and give a gift to yourself or the writer in your life!
WRITING HINT: Use the Kinesis
The only truly ergonomic keyboard is the Kinesis. This is a patented design and is shaped like your hands. Cool stuff like the ENTER key is placed so that you strike it with your thumb as it is much stronger than your pinky. I’ve used the Kinesis since 2000. No, this is not a paid ad. If you have carpal tunnel, arthritis, or anything like that—just switch!
Keep writing. Keep reading. Remember that your voice matters.
Cromarty! Cromarty!
Have a wonderful month. Aloha, Stephanie