Amy has been a PEN In The Community (PITC) teaching artist for ten years. In the article, she writes about her recent experience teaching a Pen in the Community (PITC) creative writing workshop at Ocean Discovery Institute in San Diego. PEN In The Community connects students and community members with professional writers who help participants transform their life stories into poetry, fiction, or memoir. Since 1996, PEN in the Community has served over 10,000 participants. This program remains the starting point for many students and community members to engage with creative writing and the arts. At Ocean Discovery Institute, Amy works with young people from underserved urban communities in San Diego to transform their lives, their community, and our world as they become scientific and conservation leaders.
