Write Around Portland has been proud to partner with PHAME, a nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities, for the past several years. With PHAME’s recent move to a new campus, this collaboration reached a milestone, launching a full 10-week writing group for the first time. This is an exciting chapter for both organizations, empowering students to engage deeply in the arts and share their unique stories.
Recently, we spoke with Dana Dinh (she/her/hers), Outreach & Student Engagement Manager at PHAME, about the impact of our programming at her organization.
Since 1984, PHAME has created opportunities for those whose voices are often underrepresented. Their programs are designed to let students pursue their passions, strengthen their skills alongside established artists, and become part of a supportive artistic community.
Why is our program such a good fit for PHAME participants? Dana explained that the process of writing and getting published is often long and challenging, especially for adults with disabilities, and Write Around Portland helps bring down those barriers, making the publishing process more accessible.
Dana praised Write Around Portland facilitators and staff for going above and beyond for PHAME students by collecting notebooks for safekeeping, protecting student work, and eliminating the need for students to type their own submissions (which is not accessible for everyone).
Dana highlighted that, for adults with disabilities, the true strength of our program is in nurturing creativity while also providing a platform for artists who rarely have the opportunity to share their work.
If you or someone you know would be a fit for PHAME’s programs or would like to join the Write Around Portland writing group there, get in touch with Dana at ddinh@phamepdx.org!