Writing workshops at Mil-Tree foster connections across communities

A local writing workshop at Mil-Tree is creating a space where veterans and civilians come together to write, share, and connect. Reporter Hilary Sloane joined the workshop and shares her experience…

The room was quiet, open, and intentional. Tables were set, the space was clean, and food was laid out for breaks. It wasn’t formal, but it was welcoming.

Writes of Passage: Stories of Service was a four-week creative writing and storytelling program for veterans, service members, and civilians, held in March. The workshops are part of an ongoing effort to reduce isolation and foster connection through the arts.

Sponsored by the California Arts Council, the program is part of a broader series of workshops and retreats designed to support storytelling over time, with a focus on service, place, and lived experience.

The four sessions I attended were led by writers Renee Pickup and Gabriel Hart, a reporter at Z107.7. They guided participants through writing exercises, storytelling techniques, and editing.

Hart’s ability to gently guide people into the editing process made it feel more approachable, even for someone like me who finds that part difficult.

“Editing is where writing truly takes shape—it’s about removing what you don’t need to reveal what’s underneath.”

While Mil-Tree was originally formed to support veterans, Hart says it has evolved into something broader: a space where participants support one another in processing their experiences through story.

During the program, participants were encouraged to develop work for both the page and spoken word, with additional opportunities for performance and podcasting.

For me, the most important part of the experience was the sense of safety. It was a place to write honestly and read aloud, knowing the room was listening. Even without a military background, I found myself relating to others’ experiences. The stories differed, but the emotions did not.

That sense of connection was echoed by participant Dion Williams, a writer who said the group helped her return to storytelling after a difficult period.

“I honestly felt held and contained… it made me want to be brave and tell stories I was scared to tell.”

Another participant, Michael Mileham, a Vietnam veteran and filmmaker, wrote about his time aboard a nuclear submarine and as a reconnaissance Marine.

He described the workshop as stimulating and said it inspired him to continue writing, and he expressed gratitude to Mil-Tree for supporting military-connected creatives.

Writes of Passage was a four-week program held in March, but Mil-Tree continues to offer workshops and storytelling programs throughout the year.

For more information, visit mil-tree.org.