Changing the Narrative: Empowering Stories (Minnesota Writing and English Conference) 2022

Abstract

Minnesota Writing & English (www.MnWE.org) is partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) for our 2022 conference, so this year’s theme, “Changing the Narrative: Empowering Stories,” spotlights the Humanities. Whether we teach Composition, Literature, or Creative Writing–or we serve students in tutoring centers or libraries–stories frame student and teacher identities, infuse the texts we explore, and inspire our students' and our own writing. Recent events–from the pandemic and its economic dislocations, social injustices and responses to them, to disruptions of our sense of America in both domestic and foreign arenas–we are compelled to reassess our controlling cultural narratives and forge new stories to shape paths forward. How are you and your students and/or colleagues transforming personal, professional, or communal narratives? Last year’s online-only conference was a great success. We’d like to repeat that and also enjoy the opportunities of meeting in a physical space. As a result, we are organizing a conference that is both online and in-person. In addition, we plan on using, once again, the discussion-intensive roundtable breakouts and plenaries that worked so well last year. Welcome to MnWE 2022!