About IOV
Illuminating Our Voices (IOV) centers the creativity and ingenuity of People of Color throughout all points of engagement. This centering broadens and strengthens how we see ourselves and each other regardless of who we are, how we identify or how we are perceived. IOV provides a fertile ecosystem for People of Color to cultivate and tend to their creative endeavors ensuring that our stories blossom, flourish and multiply.
After decades of participation in US-based creative workshops it was glaring to IOV founder Isabella Moreno that the creativity and ingenuity of People of Color is rarely deemed ‘universal’; and thus regularly relegated to the periphery and the margins. Concurrently being ‘the only one’ or one of only a few in a workshop often imposes the burden of being an unintentional and unwilling representative. These experiences rarely create a genuine opportunity for full creative expression and participation.IOV intentionally fosters an environment that nurtures People of Color’s full creative expression and the creative risks necessary to develop and evolve.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
Historia
In 2009 Isabella launched Write Flow, a writing workshop for women of color, in The Bronx. The workshops took place in the living room of her 4th floor walk-up apartment. This launch came after many years of commuting each Friday after work from The Bronx to Brooklyn for weekly workshops with WOC Writers. In 2013 Write Flow migrated to Ohio. In 2016, yearning for deeper connections with Latinas in NE Ohio, Isabella launched Voices Latina. This was different - the focus was on reading and meeting in person for discussions, and the group was specific toLatinas. In 2020 both Write Flow and Voices Latina made their online debut. In 2021 Write Flow was officially relaunched as Illuminating Our Voices (IOV).
Throughout the years and transitions, the mission to CENTER the creativity and ingenuity of People of Color and to cultivate community around this CENTER has never wavered, it has only grown stronger and more resolute.
Currently and Moving Forward…
There’s so much more than meets the eye. IOV can’t wait to share!