Queens & Me: Personal Writing Workshop

Kelly Jean

Want to explore writing personal essays? Interested in learning more about Queens’ history? Do both!

Join our own Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons on April 17th (6:30-8 pm) at The Astoria Bookshop for a FREE workshop inspired by our May 2023 No, YOU Tell It! “Here & Gone” show. Space is limited. Click here to reserve your spot today.

Engage with this stunning piece by Astoria-based artist Yelena Tylkina depicting history highlights – Westinghouse Time Capsule, North Beach, Astoria Pool Sentinels, and The First Photocopy – from the Greater Astoria Historical Society archives, and tell your story!

Get the Queens “Here & Gone” image and view more of Yelena’s artwork via Fine Art America.

Copies of the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology will be available at the workshop.

A Holiday Stroke

Kelly Jean

My mother and I have spent hours making ornaments, coloring holiday pictures, and decorating gingerbread people during her two weeks in the rehabilitation center. But does that mother-daughter time count if she doesn’t remember it?

Published in ENGAGE on Medium

Happy New Year to all.

My essay “A Holiday Stroke” captures a small part of my mother’s stroke and our December together. Blessed to have spent this difficult time with my family.

You can access it through my friend link HERE if you aren’t a Medium member.

Wishing you the best for 2024 and beyond.

College Essay Workshops at Model Lab

Kelly Jean

As a former AP Program Information writer for the College Board, Kelly Jean now leads college essay writing workshops across the country with the purpose of teaching students how to extend their story in the reader’s mind through a college essay.

Model Labratory School at Eastern Kentucky University

Last week, I had the honor of visiting Model Laboratory School in Kentucky to lead a three-day college essay writing workshop for the seniors and juniors to help them find and focus their personal stories. ✏️🗒

We even had a No, YOU Tell It!-style story swap on the final day, where they read each other’s drafts out loud and gave group feedback to inform their revisions. Here are some student takeaways about their stories and the experience of writing personal narratives:

I used to think college essays had to be about trauma, but now I know it can be about small moments, too.

I used to think failure was a bad thing, but now I know it makes you who you are.

I used to think I couldn’t support my friends when they needed it, but now I know there is more than one way to express compassion.

I used to think that playing music was a passion only serving myself, but now I know that it is a gift that can be shared with anyone who is willing to listen.

I used to think that I had it all planned out, but now I know that I can’t prepare for everything.

Fantastic “Fly By” Show

Kelly Jean

Thank you to everyone who came out to our No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” show last week! View more show photos on our Facebook page.

Left to right: Ben Katzner, Briana McDonald, Lowell Stephens, Annie Shi, and Robin Gelfenbien

Thank you!

  • Storytellers Ben Katzner, Briana McDonald, Lowell Stephens, and Robin Gelfenbien for sharing their experiences and performing each other’s stories so beautifully.
  • Annie Shi for creating the gorgeous art for the zine and our visual GIF-prompt.
  • Ellie Dvorkin Dunn for doing such an incredible job hosting yet again.
  • Bob Singleton and the Greater Astoria Historical Society for providing the story of Elinor Smith to inspire these stories.
  • Grove 34 for providing us with the beautiful space.
  • The No, YOU Tell It! creative team for all the work you do behind the scenes.
  • Brooklyn Book Festival for inviting us back to be a Bookend Event!
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York Foundation for the Arts, and Flushing Town Hall for your support to make this event possible. Check out more Flushing Town Hall Arts Grants for Queens grantee events here.

We have a big year planned in 2024 and can’t wait to share more of what’s to come. Until next time!