The Home That Lives Within Me: A Food & Memory Workshop w/ Massiel Alfonso

The Emerging Writers Track is designed for writers who are just beginning their journey — finding their voice, building their practice, and discovering the community that will carry them forward.

Food is memory. It is culture, longing, survival, and love — all on one plate. This interactive writing workshop uses the sensory world of food as a portal into personal narrative, guiding participants through creative exercises that uncover stories of home, identity, and belonging. Drawing on the work of writers like Esmeralda Santiago and Vanessa Mártir, you will learn techniques for crafting vivid, emotionally resonant prose that blends food writing with memoir. Through exercises like capturing a taste memory that transports you back, rediscovering a long-lost dish, and writing an ode to a meaningful meal, you will develop the descriptive language and "show, don't tell" skills that make readers feel what you felt. No previous writing experience required. Leave with…