For people experiencing homelessness, much of life can feel defined by circumstance. Isolation and stereotypes often overshadow talents and dreams. At Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego, a creative writing workshop is helping change the narrative by giving participants something powerful: a chance to be seen as artists.
The workshop’s roots trace back to 2023, when grant writer and theater educator Aleta Barthell launched a playwriting program thanks in part to funding from California Humanities. Participants spent weeks crafting original work and preparing it for public performances at the San Diego Central Library.
But those performances were only part of the story.
Following each production, audience members, artists, and staff gathered for conversations about homelessness, creating opportunities for people to understand and connect. When grant funding ended, the future of the workshop became uncertain. Rather than let it disappear, Aleta volunteered her time and relaunched it earlier this year, drawing on more than two decades of experience teaching creative writing, playwriting, and screenwriting. The program evolved through a partnership with the San Diego Opera, which introduced a songwriting workshop.
A Place To Be Heard
For Robert, one of the workshop’s regular attendees, the program arrived at exactly the right time. A writer and musician, Robert was struggling with depression and entered Father Joe’s Villages’ RISE program, which provides interim support to people working toward independent living. Looking for something meaningful to engage with, he noticed a flyer advertising the writing workshop.
“When I saw a writing program, I said that’s a great place to start for me,” he said. “I decided to get involved.”
What he found was more than a creative outlet. Each week, participants gather to write, share ideas, and encourage one another. Some have creative backgrounds, while others are putting pen to paper for the first time. What unites them is the willingness to show up and tell their stories.
“It’s the total opposite of what’s going on on the streets,” Robert said. “It’s such a relief for so many of us.”
Participants come from different backgrounds and face different challenges, but in the workshop they become a community.
“People don’t always consider that art can contribute to our uplift or give us the chance to create meaningful, positive memories,” Robert said.
Aleta has witnessed remarkable transformations. One participant from the playwriting workshop arrived feeling deeply nervous and unsure of herself.
“Something that she said in that first session that I keep with me is, ‘Stuff is written about us all the time, but there isn’t stuff from us.’ And so I’m trying to balance giving tools yet giving enough time for people to just express,” Aleta said.
Over time, the woman’s family noticed a striking change in her confidence and outlook. The workshop became a source of joy and connection, and her family encouraged her to keep attending whenever life felt overwhelming.
More Than A Writing Class
For Robert, one of the workshop’s greatest strengths is the way it challenges stereotypes.
“Rarely ever are they seen through a lens of respected artists,” he said of people experiencing homelessness or mental health challenges.
Too often, people in those situations are viewed through the services they receive or the struggles they face. In the workshop, the focus shifts to creativity, imagination, and potential.
“The way Aleta treats us, the way the actors who come in to support the program treat people according to their mind and creativity, I think that’s really, really special,” Robert said.
The workshop serves as a reminder that every person is far more complex than the circumstances they are navigating, and the impact goes even farther than that.
Building Momentum For The Future
Robert credits the workshop with helping reignite a sense of momentum in his life. He has recently secured employment and submitted housing applications.
“It’s created actionable energy in my life that got me moving,” he said. “I’d like to see that happen for other people.”
For Aleta, stories like Robert’s demonstrate that creative expression is about far more than making art. It can foster confidence, connection, purpose, and a renewed sense of possibility, all of which play an important role in overall well-being. She hopes the workshop’s success will attract additional funding and community support, creating more opportunities for people to share their voices
“We want people thriving,” Aleta said. “If you really want to talk about breaking down stereotypes, you do it by showing the sparkle these people have.”
How to Support the Workshop
Father Joe’s Villages’ Creative Writing Workshop is looking for participants, volunteers, and community partners who believe in the power of storytelling and creative expression.
To learn more about attending the workshop or supporting its mission, contact Aleta at 619-446-2127. For additional information about Father Joe’s Villages and its programs, click here.
