40 Years of Inprint Is Bringing Houston the Write Stuff
I’ve always been an avid reader, and I have a lifelong passion for the written word. That’s why supporting Inprint has been so important to me. Inprint is celebrating 40 years of keeping the Houston community connected to the magic of books, poetry, and how cathartic writing can be.
Supporting the arts, especially literary work, is more crucial than ever. As a past president of Inprint, I know firsthand the importance of this incredible nonprofit organization’s mission. This group continues to change lives through the power of reaching out to readers and writers. Serving more than 15,000 people, Inprint has a tremendous impact.
For everyone from youths to senior citizens, Inprint offers more than a dozen opportunities that get “write” to the heart of the matter. Through Inprint, veterans have found an avenue to better express their feelings, young writers have been given a chance to find their voice, senior citizens are finally penning their legacies for future generations to appreciate, and inmates are receiving a medium to write and process what they’re going through. I’ve been a benefactor to Inprint and helped plan the Inprint Poets & Writers Ball. It’s an event I look forward to every year and it’s such an essential celebration for fellow literary lovers.
Inprint has had remarkable success over the years due to both the many wonderful volunteers who have served and the group’s inspiring leadership. I’m so proud to be involved with this powerful organization that’s truly making a difference in enriching the lives of others. It’s been such a rewarding experience, being in the presence of award-winning writers and witnessing new talent emerge. Inprint’s goal is to inspire readers and writers throughout Houston and it continues to do that through its well-curated programming and thoughtful community outreach.
How many times have you wanted to talk to your favorite author and ask them how they got into writing, or what they love most about what they do? Through Inprint, there are many opportunities to have those conversations.
Literacy is one of our greatest’s gifts. Sadly, one in seven people in the United States has literacy issues, according to proliteracy.org. There are so many people being robbed of the joy of sitting down with a life-changing book or being given the prompts to write their own story that could blaze a new trail.
Inprint also opens doors for aspiring writers and makes their dreams possible. That’s another reason I’m so proud to be a supporter. For four decades, Inprint has been giving back. Inprint provides various ways to support writers — and during the 2021–2022 academic year, the organization gave $251,500 in prize money and fellowships to writers. I’m delighted to say this is a record amount for students in one year. In addition to offering writing workshops for almost everyone, Inprint also offers them to teachers — and the response from educators in the community has been so positive. These tuition-free workshops began in 1996 and Inprint continues to provide Houston teachers with tuition-free workshops that are so popular they often have waiting lists.
Inprint’s calendar is always packed with plenty of exciting activities for reading and writing enthusiasts. Cicero once said, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” While it’s easy to get lost in a compelling book, it’s also in that magical place where you’ll be found. I encourage you to check out inprinthouston.org. There are so many ways to get involved and give back. Isn’t it thrilling to know we each have a story to tell?
