2026 SPE Annual Conference: Catalyst for Exchange
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print this pageAnother Kind of Courage
Film by Lynn Estomin
Friday, October 20 - 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Corn Center, Schley Gallery
Another Kind of Courage features moving performances by veteran poets, musicians and family members expressing their experiences with war and homecoming. The creative writing by Warrior Writers poets is powerful, emotional, and haunting. It is critical for veterans to share their stories, as they are too often silenced during their military careers and have minimal opportunities to share their perspectives. The sharing of veteran artwork helps to bridge the gap between veterans and civilians. There is a history of veterans telling their stories, both as a personal healing process and a community educational process. Author Maxine Hong Kingston has been facilitating an ongoing writers' workshop for Vietnam era veterans for over 50 years, inspired by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who invited Vietnamese war veterans and their family members to retreats to meditate, write and heal. Warrior Writers poets continue that tradition of education, healing and building community.
The poets featured in this short version of the film are Chantelle Bateman, Jennifer Pacanowski, Brian Turner, and Jon Turner. The opening music is written by Tomás Doncker and Yusef Komunyakaa and performed by Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars; the ending music is written and performed by the Parkington Sisters. Another Kind of Courage was filmed at the Dodge Poetry Festival at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Poets spoke their truths, bringing their stories to the 17,000 in attendance at the festival – moving some in the audience to tears, but more importantly, educating and advocating for change.
speaker
Lynn Estomin
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