On June 3, I had the pleasure of dropping by the Racine Literacy Council (RLC) at 734 Lake Avenue to talk with Viviana Feil the English Language Learner Coordinator and Edmundo Rosales an English Language Learner (ELL) The Racine Literacy Council is a 501 (c) (3) volunteer-based organization that provides adult literacy programs in Racine…
Author: ArtRoot's Writer-In-Residence
The ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence (WIR) project is an initiative founded by ArtRoot, a collaboration of artists and arts advocates who are determined to reinvigorate Racine, WI through the arts. This project is supported by the Racine Literacy Council, and funded through a generous grant from the Osborne & Scekic Family Foundation.
This project seeks to spotlight Racine and Kenosha’s dynamic literary community while encouraging, supporting, and advocating on behalf of writers at all stages of their careers.
Bamboo Creative Solutions
Several times now, I have been sitting at the Branch (residencing) and saw a middle-aged man talking with two younger women. Overhearing bits of their conversation I could hear they were planning something, but not sure of what. At first I thought it was a theater production. The second time it sounded different. The third…
An ISIS Checkpoint Story (Part 2)
PART 2 [When Part 1 ended. I and my fixer were stopped at an ISIS checkpoint and taken from the car] The Free Syria Army fighter drove off and Suheib and the commander walked a short distance away and talked. I was left alone standing next to the big ugly fighter holding an AK-47 again…
An ISIS Checkpoint Story (Part 1)
I should begin this post by letting the reader know that I have a propensity to go to conflict zones. At 21, in the 1980’s (after serving two years in the U. S. Army), I went to Afghanistan and spent four weeks with the Mujahideen when they were fighting the Soviets. In 2003 I was…
Wisconsin’s Native-Americans During the Civil War
I am in the process of working on two blogs having to do with things going on in Racine. But, they are not ready yet. I hope to have one posted next week. So, wanting to post this week, I am offering an aspect of history that most people (meaning Wisconsinites) no nothing about; the…
Wisconsin and the Civil War & Peter D Thomas
As a nonfiction writer I gravitate toward history and journalism. I can say, without embarrassment, that I love history. It is not only an interest of mine, but a passion. As long as I remember I have been interested in history. I remember, as a small kid, cutting images from books and pasting them together to…
The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin
The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, at 1456 Junction Ave, is identifiable by the rainbow “pride flag” flying over the entrance. I interviewed Barb Farrar, the Executive Director a few days ago. I wanted to find out more about the organization. The LGBT Center was initially set up as a social organization for LGBT people by Bruce Jaffe, a…
The 22nd Wisconsin Infantry and John Dearborn Walker
The Civil War regiment most closely associated with Racine was the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry. It was Organized at Camp Utley in Racine and mustered in on September 2, 1862. Camp Utley was named in honor of Racine resident William L. Utley. Utley was the first elected marshal of Racine, a politician, and Adjutant General of…
My Residence
My Residence My place of “residence” for the Writer-in-Residence Program is “The Branch” at 1501 Washington Ave. Owned by Kristina Campbell, it is a beautiful event space and cafe. Built in 1923, the Branch is a former bank, with two floors of table space and a cafe/bar on the first floor. The original bank vault is…
An Introduction
A warm and hearty greetings to Racine. I want to thank ArtRoot, the Racine Literacy Council, and the Osborne & Scekic Family Foundation for allowing me the opportunity to be the Racine Writer-In-Residence from now through June 2019. Although there is a short biography of me posted on this site, I suppose I should begin…
ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence 