Stonecoast’s Writing for Inclusivity and Social Equity (WISE) initiative is more than a list of books or classes. Social justice, inclusivity, and equity are at the core of the program’s ethos. We are a diverse community of writers whose work, inevitably, will intersect with the most urgent issues of our time.

How we understand inclusivity and social equity has a profound impact on the way we see our world. Our faculty and guests routinely challenge conventional thinking, with profound implications for your work. These are not always easy conversations, but it’s essential that we create spaces to explore discomfort.

“The Black Lives Matter movement reminds us how powerful language can be. We need to expand upon this moment. We need to act. We need to be bold. ”

–Robin Talbot, associate director of Stoneoast MFA and leader of the WISE initiative

From seminars to graduating student presentations, there are countless ways that WISE intersects with the Stonecoast curriculum.

  • Exploring default race in literature.
  • The Task Before Us, our bi-annual lecture series.
  • Challenging assumptions about gender, sexuality, and identity.
  • Foregrounding works by Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and other underrepresented writers.
  • Considering the impact of climate change and advocating for environmental justice.
  • Exciting and innovative presentations and seminars on topics like female tricksters, radical empathy, and queering narratives.

For your writing to matter, you have to consider things that matter

Regardless of your genre interests, WISE will ignite your writing, so you can reimagine and reshape the world.

Together—step by step, line by line, page by page—our writing community works to create an inclusive and equitable world.

Friends who want to support Stonecoast’s WISE program can donate here.