About
The Library of Memory
The Library of Memory is a writing workshop that helps to foster and preserve the narratives of vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens and refugees. It is a program based on the belief that writing has the transformative power to heal.
Started in 2020, The Library of Memory was intended as a refuge for older adults in search of a community where they could speak their memories and stories, and where they might feel truly seen. Our first meeting took place in the fall of 2021, at an open session at The New York Society Library, and subsequently continued over the course of the following year.
In the summer of 2022, I traveled to Krakow, Poland, to hold a Library of Memory workshop for young Ukrainian women who had fled the war. In my time spent working with this group, I came to better understand how the universal need to cultivate memory is especially urgent for people who have been displaced. It became apparent that in this space of separation, the practice of connecting to one’s emotions, of preserving something precious, thought to be lost, could be a deeply meaningful and compelling act. This group carries on over zoom. The Library of Memory’s classes with refugees will continue with more workshops in 2023.
Appreciation for The Library of Memory:
“I met Julia in Kraków during one of my life’s saddest and scariest periods. I’d fled the full-scale war Russia unleashed on Ukraine, my country. Julia’s literary workshop helped me digest this experience and turn it into writing pieces that were not perfect, yet insightful and meaningful. I want to thank Julia for being an amazing teacher and rekindling my desire to write.”
“The workshop was a great opportunity to gain useful experience. The class helped me to talk about my thoughts, and I managed to write about my memories and feelings. I believe that you need to write what you feel when there is a difficult time. The Library of Memory gave me the chance to talk about painful emotions that I feel because of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I found Julia as a wise, kind and sympathetic teacher. She is big-hearted.”
“At a time of terrible isolation and dislocation, participating in Julia’s workshop was a means of feeling grounded and part of a vibrant community. ”
“During the workshop, Julia became our memory muse. She created incredible sensory prompts that unlocked memories and meaning for all of us. There was nothing dry, depressing or heavy about this class or our exchanges. Thanks to Julia’s guidance I created a powerful writing relationship with myself, with my past, and my narrative. I grew more confident and eager to continue to excavate myself and to write.”
“This workshop, not only helped me to recover my story, but much to my astonishment, I began to understand, from a far deeper and tender place, how and why my life unfolded as it did. This alone, was an extraordinary gift! As a teacher, Julia created a safe, snug and supportive space for us to openly write about our lives: the pain, the joy, the disappointment, the beauty, and the relationships in all of it. Her surprising writing prompts took us back to that hidden place within us, where our life is indelibly recorded.”
“With gentle encouragement and helpful prompts from Julia, our class was able to delve into our memories, some painful, some exhilarating, and share them with the other members.”
Every time an old woman dies, a library disappears--Rosanne Cash
