IT'S DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS HOW DEEPLY THESE WORKSHOPS HAVE AFFECTED ME, BUT I WANTED TO OFFER THESE WORDS AS PART OF THE WEB OF CONNECTION AND ENERGY THIS WORK HAS GENERATED. I HAVE FELT SO ENERGIZED, CREATIVELY FED, EMOTIONALLY NOURISHED, AND INTELLECTUALLY EXPANDED BY THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND SO MUCH OF THAT COMES DOWN TO ARIANA'S SKILLS AS A TEACHER AND MODERATOR.  IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT A CONVERSATION AMONG 100 PARTICIPANTS (AND SOMETIMES MORE) CAN BE THIS INTIMATE, SEARCHING, AND REAL. I'VE BEEN TALKING THIS UP WITH MY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES, AND THAT HAS GENERATED OTHER BEAUTIFUL CONVERSATIONS... AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND DRAW, AND WRITE POEMS AGAIN, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL I AM. 

WITH GRATITUDE 

-RACHEL CRUMMEY