The Underground Writing Podcast

We’re excited to let you know that after a series of pilot writing workshops in the Summer and Fall of 2025, we have—as of January 22, 2026—officially launched our 6th writing workshop site—Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County (https://skagitclubs.org/). Thanks to Yesica, Dena, Marco, Clemente, Cynthia, and all the staff and students at the site for welcoming us. We look forward to reading and writing with you all.

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Today’s feature was an interview with Robert S., an alumnus of our program. He was a student in our very first writing workshop—July 8, 2015—at our site in Skagit County Juvenile Detention. He is the poet who wrote, “Dear System” in our 1st anthology, What No Over Ever Tells You. Robert currently reads, writes, and lives in Alaska with his girlfriend and their three cats.

You can support students like Robert by spreading the word about our podcast, purchasing student writing anthologies in our website store, and making a donation to help sustain our ongoing work via our website’s secure donation portal.

Some items mentioned in—or aligned with—today’s episode & announcements:

1. Robert’s writing is included in What No One Ever Tells You, our first anthology, and available via our website’s store here: https://undergroundwriting.org/store

2. Radio story Robert appears on . . . Thanks again to NPR / KNKX for featuring Underground Writing a couple of weeks ago, on October 10, 2025 in their series: Agents of Change: Addressing Youth Violence — Lessons that Work. And thanks to Emil Moffatt for the interview. If you’re interested in listening to the story: https://www.knkx.org/tags/agents-of-change-addressing-youth-violence-lessons-that-work

3. What a year already!—seemingly unending wars, a divided country teetering on the precipice, and lots of fear throughout the country. On a lesser note, there are also deep funding and staff cuts in the Arts sector— and this is at both the national and local levels. As a community arts nonprofit that depends on grants and individual donations for our survival, we need your support now more than ever. We’d be honored if you’d join our work as a patron-supporter: https://undergroundwriting.org/donate

4. We regularly hear from folks asking how they can be involved with—or help out—Underground Writing. We’re grateful for the interest. Please check out our “Get Involved” page on our website: https://undergroundwriting.org/get-involved Also, to highlight a few inroads for getting involved: 1) If you live locally, consider joining us for our once-a-month re/vision volunteer day (https://undergroundwriting.org/revision), 2) Spread the word about our Letters to a Young Inmate initiative (https://undergroundwriting.org/letters-to-a-young-inmate), and 3) Consider partnering with us by becoming a patron-donor – we’re only able to do our work because of our individual donors and grant partners . . . and we are always in need of these donor-partnerships so that we can continue our work (https://undergroundwriting.org/donate).

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We’re repeating ourselves, but it’s good to say again . . . Listeners!—You can also help us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts or other outlets. And something new—we may even read some of them on the air. Podcast reviews help other like-minded folks find out about our show, as well as our broader work. Any help you can lend to this effort would be greatly appreciated.

Our website: www.undergroundwriting.org

You can send inquiries, or pitches for advertising, here: [email protected]

Thanks for listening, Friends.

Safe journey, and take good care.

:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes:

As we mentioned several times, Skagit County is experiencing flooding at historic levels. Here are some contact points for help:

Emergency: Call 911
General / non-emergency help and updates
Incident Information
Evacuation Map

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Today’s student writing is a poem is by Dustin, a student in our writing workshop at the Skagit County Community Justice Center.

Some items mentioned in—or aligned with—today’s episode & Announcements:

1. Remember to send us your GRATITUDE LIST. We’d like to join with you in celebrating the good things happening amidst such a challenging time in our world. And we may even read some of them on the air. If you’re up for it, you can email it here: [email protected]

2. We’re grateful that Podcast Review—a Los Angeles Review of Books channel—recently included us on their list of “The 12 Best Writing Podcasts” (Dec. 1, 2025). Shout outs to the review’s author, Alice Florence Orr, who wrote in her review: “An accomplished and poignant example of how writing can create a positive impact beyond bookshop shelves . . .” A big note of gratitude to Alice, Podcast Review, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. We truly appreciate your support.

3. Thanks to NPR / KNKX for featuring Underground Writing a couple of weeks ago, on October 10, 2025 in their series: Agents of Change: Addressing Youth Violence — Lessons that Work. And thanks to Emil Moffatt for the interview. If you’re interested in listening to the story: https://www.knkx.org/tags/agents-of-change-addressing-youth-violence-lessons-that-work

4. We’re heading into the final months of the year. And what a year—seemingly unending wars, a divided country teetering on the precipice, and deep funding and staff cuts in the Arts sector— and this is at both the national and local levels. As a community arts nonprofit that depends on grants and individual donations for our survival, we need your support now more than ever. We’d be honored if you’d make a year-end donation: https://undergroundwriting.org/donate

5. We regularly hear from folks asking how they can be involved with—or help out—Underground Writing. We’re grateful for the interest. Please check out our “Get Involved” page on our website: https://undergroundwriting.org/get-involved Also, to highlight a few inroads for getting involved: 1) If you live locally, consider joining us for our once-a-month re/vision volunteer day (https://undergroundwriting.org/revision), 2) Spread the word about our Letters to a Young Inmate initiative (https://undergroundwriting.org/letters-to-a-young-inmate), and 3) Consider partnering with us by becoming a patron-donor – we’re only able to do our work because of our individual donors and grant partners . . . and we are always in need of these donor-partnerships so that we can continue our work (https://undergroundwriting.org/donate).

---

We’re repeating ourselves, but it’s good to say again . . . Listeners!—You can also help us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts or other outlets. And something new—we may even read some of them on the air. Podcast reviews help other like-minded folks find out about our show, as well as our broader work. Any help you can lend to this effort would be greatly appreciated.

Our website: www.undergroundwriting.org

You can send inquiries, or pitches for advertising, here: [email protected]

Thanks for listening, Friends.

Safe journey, and take good care.

:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes:

Today’s student writing is a poem is by Cristian, a student at our workshop site inside Skagit County Juvenile Detention.

Some items mentioned in—or aligned with—today’s episode // Announcements:

1. Remember that you can watch a short film of the featured poem today on our website under the “Collaborations” tab—choose “FilmVerse,” and you’ll be directed to the correct page. Cristian’s poem is part of the 2018 collection. Or, click the following link to go directly to FilmVerse | https://undergroundwriting.org/filmverse

2. Thanks to NPR / KNKX for featuring Underground Writing a couple of weeks ago, on October 10, 2025 in their series: Agents of Change: Addressing Youth Violence — Lessons that Work. And thanks to Emil Moffatt for the interview. If you’re interested in listening to the story: https://www.knkx.org/tags/agents-of-change-addressing-youth-violence-lessons-that-work

3. We’re heading into the final months of the year. And what a year—seemingly unending wars, a divided country teetering on the precipice, and deep funding and staff cuts in the Arts sector— and this is at both the national and local levels. As a community arts nonprofit that depends on grants and individual donations for our survival, we need your support now as much as ever. We’d be honored if you’d keep us in mind as you plan for your year-end giving: https://undergroundwriting.org/donate

4. We regularly hear from folks asking how they can be involved with—or help out—Underground Writing. We’re grateful for the interest. Please check out our “Get Involved” page on our website: https://undergroundwriting.org/get-involved Also, to highlight a few inroads for getting involved: 1) If you live locally, consider joining us for our once-a-month re/vision volunteer day (https://undergroundwriting.org/revision), 2) Spread the word about our Letters to a Young Inmate initiative (https://undergroundwriting.org/letters-to-a-young-inmate), and 3) Consider partnering with us by becoming a patron-donor – we’re only able to do our work because of our individual donors and grant partners . . . and we are always in need of these donor-partnerships so that we can continue our work (https://undergroundwriting.org/donate).

---

Listeners!—You can also help us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts or other outlets. Podcast reviews help other like-minded folks find out about our show, as well as our broader work. Any help you can lend to this effort would be greatly appreciated.

Our website: www.undergroundwriting.org

You can send inquiries, or pitches for advertising, here: [email protected]

Thanks for listening, Friends.

Safe journey, and take good care.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes:

Today’s featured poem, “My Voice Ran Away” was by Xaiviar. You can support students like Xaiviar by spreading the word about our podcast, purchasing student writing anthologies in our website store, and donating to help our ongoing work via our website’s secure donation portal.

https://undergroundwriting.org/donate

Some items connected to today’s episode:

What No One Ever Tells You (student writing anthology): https://undergroundwriting.org/store
*Xaiviar’s poem is included – page 37.

Our re/vision program: https://undergroundwriting.org/revision

The Letters to a Young Inmate initiative: http://letterstoayounginmate.org/

Become a patron-donor: https://undergroundwriting.org/donate

Announcements:

1. We regularly hear from folks asking how they can be involved with—or help out—Underground Writing. We’re grateful for the interest. Please check out our “Get Involved” page on our website: https://undergroundwriting.org/get-involved Also, to highlight a few inroads for getting involved: 1) If you live locally, consider joining us for our once-a-month re/vision volunteer day (https://undergroundwriting.org/revision), 2) Spread the word about our Letters to a Young Inmate initiative (https://undergroundwriting.org/letters-to-a-young-inmate), and 3) Consider partnering with us by becoming a patron-donor – we’re only able to do our work because of our individual donors and grant partners . . . and we are always in need of these donor-partnerships so that we can continue our work (https://undergroundwriting.org/donate).

---

We’re repeating ourselves, but it’s good to say again . . . Listeners!—You can also help us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts or other outlets. And something new—we may even read some of them on the air. Podcast reviews help other like-minded folks find out about our show, as well as our broader work. Any help you can lend to this effort would be greatly appreciated.

Our website: www.undergroundwriting.org

Send inquiries, questions, or pitches for advertising here: [email protected]

Thanks for listening, Friends.

Safe journey, and take good care.

:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes:

Today’s featured letters and feedback were written by students and ONE PAGE participants. This episode’s featured poem, “A Day So Happy,” was by Victor. You can support students like these by spreading the word about our podcast, purchasing student writing anthologies in our website store, and becoming a supporter. You can join our support team by donating to help our ongoing work via our website’s secure donation portal here:

https://undergroundwriting.org/donate


Some items mentioned in today’s episode:

What No One Ever Tells You (student writing anthology): https://undergroundwriting.org/store

Detention Center in the Seattle area: https://www.ice.gov/detain/detention-facilities/northwest-ice-processing-center-nwipc

Czeslaw Milosz’ poem, “A Gift”: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/gift-0/

Seattle Foundation: https://www.seattlefoundation.org/

ArtsWA: https://www.arts.wa.gov/

Paul G. Allen Family Foundation: https://www.allenphilanthropies.org/


Announcements:

1. We regularly hear from folks asking how they can be involved with—or help out—Underground Writing. We’re grateful for the interest. Please check out our “Get Involved” page on our website: https://undergroundwriting.org/get-involved Also, to highlight a few inroads for getting involved: 1) If you live locally, consider joining us for our once-a-month re/vision volunteer day (https://undergroundwriting.org/revision), 2) Spread the word about our Letters to a Young Inmate initiative (https://undergroundwriting.org/letters-to-a-young-inmate), and 3) Consider partnering with us by becoming a patron-donor – we’re only able to do our work because of our individual donors and grant partners . . . and we are always in need of these donor-partnerships so that we can continue our work (https://undergroundwriting.org/donate).

Our website: www.undergroundwriting.org

You can send inquiries, or pitches for advertising, here: [email protected]

Thanks for listening, Friends.

Safe journey, and take good care.

:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.