In the News
Monday Motivation: David Coogan on the power of empathy

NBC 12 – VCU Writing Your Way Out: Whitney
NBC 12 – VCU Writing Your Way Out: Kelvin
Radio IQ WVTF – Class Time Instead of Jail Time: Susan
VCU News: Instead of Jail, Healing and Self Reflection
Richmond Times Dispatch – op-ed
Our Events

We have spoken at churches, universities, high schools, nonprofit organizations, conferences, bookstores, art galleries, and book festivals.
Our events cover mass incarceration, breaking the cycle of crime, addiction, trauma, and recovery, the healing power of writing, and the inspirational power of teaching writing.
We have given keynote speeches, teacher workshops, classroom presentations, book club talks, radio interviews, and interventions for at-risk teens.
Since Writing Our Way Out was published in 2015, the authors have given over sixty talks in four states and the District of Columbia often to large, diverse crowds. Writing Our Way Out has also inspired a play, an original piece of choral music, a criminal justice diversion program, and a podcast.
Book Launch

November 19, 2015, Black Iris Gallery
The Thread of Truth, Sound of Music Recording Studios, September 8, 2016
Dean Turner, Kelvin Belton, Stan Craddock, Dave Coogan
Book Talk – Union Presbyterian Seminary, April 5, 2017
Stan Craddock, Dave Coogan, Naji Mujahid, Tony Martin
TED TALK
December 12, 2018
Kelvin Belton, Dave Coogan
TEDxYouth@RVA
Musical Adaptation by VCU Music Professor Tony Garcia
May 3, 2018
Photos
Contact us if you would like to book an event.
- S2 – E10: Bootstraps
- S2 – E9: Who’s Afraid of Critical Race Theory?
- S2 – E8: The Problem With Guns
- S2 – E7: Don’t Shoot!
- S2 – E6: Warriors or Guardians?
