Behind the Scenes with Playwright David Trujillo

NWU Member David Trujillo is on the eve of debuting his latest play, Legacy of a Garage Band. Here he talks about the story, themes and preparation to open his show in Long Beach, CA, mid-February. The deeper and more complex themes of my new play have to do with the opioid crisis and mental […]

California’s Freelance Isn’t Free Bill

At a September 12, 2021, meeting of the SoCal NWU chapter, Jeff Jacobberger, who is the Legislative Director from the office of Bob Blumenfield, the L.A. City Council Member for the 3rd district.  He talked about the Freelance Isn’t Free Motion introduced in the L.A.City Council in early 2021; in August of this year it […]

We’re Writing Our Way Forward

By Diane Ward I had the pleasure of attending the International Women’s Writer Guild (IWWG) from July 22- 24. Offerings included keynote speakers, agent and editor panels, pitch sessions, an open mic, workshops, breakout sessions and discussion groups. The conference was an oasis hosted by women for  women.     Participants were offered a diverse pallet of […]

Picketing Against Proposed School on Questionable Land

In the city of Cudahy, California—in southeast L.A. County—members of the SoCal Chapter of the National Writers Union joined picketing parents, students, residents, teachers, union leaders and activists. The group stood on a public sidewalk near a large empty lot that is said to be contaminated land. The protestors are concerned that the site will […]

Stop the Rejection. Self Publish!

The Boston Chapter’s recent workshop, Stop the Rejection – Self Publish, was a great success, drawing both members and non-members. Independent publishing allows you to be in full control of your writing and ensures that your book’s concept, content and cover are not altered by commercial interests. The pilot project allowed participants from around the […]

A Year of Living Dangerously

In many ways, the past year has been a test for all of us and for our union. May 25 marked the one-year anniversary of the police killing of George Floyd and the anti-racist uprising that followed. The past year also featured the US Presidential election and the fascist storming of the US Capitol. It […]

Journalists Say No to SB 98 Amendment Requiring Police Permission to Cover Protests

We, the undersigned organizations, which collectively represent thousands of California journalists, strongly oppose a recent amendment made to SB 98, a bill originally intended to protect journalists covering protests, demonstrations and civil unrest. This amendment may actually restrict existing press freedoms rather than expand them, turning this bill on its head and into something that […]

The Capitol Riot

After the Presidential election last November, we ran a piece, “The War Is Not Over.” On January 6, a racist mob, urged on by Trump & Co., attacked the US Capitol building and assaulted media workers covering the riot. Journalists outside the Capitol were threatened and surrounded, equipment destroyed and stolen. “Murder the media” was […]

BEYOND THE BARS

The NWUSO (Workers Write) sponsors a series of ongoing writing classes for a range of groups to amplify unheard voices. A year ago NWUSO–—the non-profit arm of the National Writers Union (NWU)—began an ongoing writing workshop with Beyond the Bars. It’s an 11-year-old program started by Cheryl Wilkerson and Kathy Boudin at the Columbia School of Social Work, and […]

Free Julian Assange!

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition hearing is currently taking place in London. He has been behind bars in a British prison in the east of London since April 2019, and was initially held in solitary confinement. Assange is a member of the IFJ Australian affiliate MEAA and holds an IFJ press card. He is being charged […]