An Evening with

American Friends of
Magen David Adom

C elebration

Dr. John J. Mames Chapter — Michigan Region

Lynne Golodner teaches a One Earth Writing workshop
in Saginaw at the Samaritas Community Center.

Power Of The Pen

New nonprofit hopes to bring teens
together through writing.

Stacy Gittleman | Contributing Writer

O

ne Earth Writing, a new non-
profit organization founded
by local writer and publicist
Lynne Meredith Golodner of Huntington
Woods, seeks to challenge youth to find
bonds through the power of the pen and
become ambassadors for peace.
Golodner, a mother of four who strives
to instill acceptance and learning about
others in her own family, said there is
a rising demand locally for her newly
formed writing workshops, which strive
to “build a foundation of peace, under-
standing and collaboration rather than a
world fractured by hatred, fear and mis-
information.
“Every person has a beloved grand-
parent and every home is built on love,”
Golodner said. “I have always written
about and been fascinated by the ways
in which we share common ground.
I’ve been wanting to do something that
expands that notion beyond just writing
compelling stories. Through One Earth
Writing, I hope to transform the genera-
tion coming up with ideas of similarity
and collaboration and stamp out bigotry
one person at a time.”
The fledgling organization is on its
way to qualifying for 501(c)(3) status and
anticipates receiving official recognition
later this year. It is backed by a board
of directors with expertise in writing,
social work, law and education such as
Detroit poet laureate and performer M.L.
Liebler; Pulitzer Prize-winning journal-
ist and Detroit Today radio host Stephen
Henderson; writer and writing instruc-
tor Maureen Dunphy; attorney, legal
blogger and entrepreneur Alisa Peskin-
Shepherd; American Federation of
Teachers archivist and oral historian Dan
Golodner (her husband); and Downtown
Publications editor Lisa Brody.
Brody said she is enthused to serve as
a “sounding board” for the organization’s
efforts. A veteran of covering politics and
political campaigns, she said launching
such an organization in times where
words seem to be so cutting and divisive
can give teens a vehicle to flourish and
find their power through the use of writ-

ten expression and not “fists or violence.”
“Whether you are a teen or an adult, I
think we have learned through this politi-
cal cycle just how important words are,”
Brody said. “I am excited to help Lynne
in her efforts to reach out to less advan-
taged students to explore their writing
and how important it is to choose words
that are not bullying or threatening but
meaningful and foster a society that is
less hurtful.”
Looking at the current events in the
world, Golodner and Brody agree there
is no better time for teens and adults
to grasp the power of writing to work
through and understand differences with
the goal of finding common bonds with
people of diverse backgrounds.
“We have already been through the
Civil Rights Movement, and I thought
that by now, for this current generation
of youth, they would be living in an era
of equality and not one of such polarity,”
Golodner said. “But I have hope because
when my kids see others from different
races, religions and ethnicities, they just
see them as people.”
Golodner kicked off her mission with
an Aug. 11 writing workshop with under-
privileged teens and tweens through the
Samaritas Community Center in Saginaw.
She is now calling on leadership-minded
teens and tweens in the Detroit Metro
area interested in expressing their iden-
tity through writing to apply to become
“One Earth Ambassadors.” There is no
cost to participate.
Applicants must write a one-page let-
ter explaining why they’re interested in
participating and submit a sample of
their best writing to woneearthwriting.
org/ambassadors/apply. Submissions are
accepted until Oct. 10. Ten ambassadors
will be selected and notified by Oct. 20
to attend monthly workshops between
November and May. Ultimately, One
Earth Writing will publish a book based
on the writings of workshop ambassadors
and participants.
For more information, visit www.
oneearthwriting.org or call (248) 376-
0406.

*

2016

L ife G ala

OF

In support of Magen David Adom —
Israel’s national EMS and blood-services organization.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Featured Keynote Speaker

Lt. General (Res.) Benjamin “Benny” Gantz

Former Chief of Staff, Israel Defense Forces

Honoring

Alvin and Henrietta Weisberg

2016 Distinguished Humanitarian Award Recipients

Honorary Chairs
Lori and Steven Weisberg
Sue and Alan J. Kaufman

To reserve seats, inquire about table packages, and learn about
sponsoring an ambulance in Israel, please call 877.405.3913.

www.afmda.org

2117280

August 25 • 2016

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