Green Windows has retired!
All programming ended in June, 2020. Read our last words here.
Peggy Simmons is still available to facilitate creative writing workshops with your group or organization. Contact her here.
We have unique and extensive experience facilitating writing workshops with youth impacted by the justice system and low-literacy adults as well as groups with individuals from very different backgrounds.
The youth felt valued and listened to in our groups. Though some were not serious or were negative, we still respected and valued them. Peggy really shined in this area. She was firm and structured with them, but encouraged and respected them with unrelenting drive.
This workshop became the bright spot of the week.
- Sonia Osborne, English Teacher in the maximum security unit of Alameda County's juvenile hall. (January - April 2015)
This workshop became the bright spot of the week.
- Sonia Osborne, English Teacher in the maximum security unit of Alameda County's juvenile hall. (January - April 2015)
Past Creative Writing Workshops:
(Facilitated by Peggy Simmons unless indicated otherwise.)
- monthly community workshops from March 2009 to March 2020
- online workshops during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter-at-home orders from March 2020 through June 2020 (many facilitated by Jenna Frisch)
- teen workshop at UC Berkeley Art Museum and Film Archive (BAMPFA), March 2019 and May 2020
- teen workshop at Berkeley Public Library, Summer 2019
- weekly workshops open to the public since 2008 (only when funded)
- weekly at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center: part of the SEEP program for high school graduates 2017 and 2018 and in the maximum security unit in 2015
- weekly at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center for the Oakland Public Library as part of the Oakland Youth Poet Laureate program, 2014 - 2019
- weekly workshops at the winter shelter for seniors, St. Mary's Center, 2017 and 2018 (Facilitated by Jenna Frisch)
- with The Fourth World Movement at the Highlander Center TN for their annual meeting in November 2015, in Gallup, NM October 2014, at their national planning session in May 2014, in New York City January and December 2009, and in Landover, Maryland June 2008
- at Oakland Public Library as part of the Oakland Youth Poet Laureate program, January 2014
- at Chestnut Linden Court Apartments in West Oakland, in partnership with the John Stewart Company, ten-week sessions, summers 2010 and 2011 and 4 ten-week sessions throughout 2012
- at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, in collaboration with teaching-artist Hershell West for Alameda County Arts Commission 's Minerva Project, 5 days, summer 2010
- at Camp Wilmont Sweeney, six weeks, spring 2010
- at Youth UpRising, six weeks, summer 2008
- at 826 Valencia. "Uniquely Yours" five weeks, May, 2008
- with Youth ALIVE's Teens on Target, spring 2008
- at Laney College, fall 2008
- for Peralta Colleges and City College of San Francisco teachers' professional development, 2008