Running a successful non-profit writing workshop has taught Eve Bridburg an unexpected lesson: that perfect strangers can make deep connections, but only if they care about the words they use. Meanwhile, we send off tweets and texts carelessly, expressing our anger without always acknowledging the impact our words have–even online. Taking a moment to consider the writer’s responsibility before we post might just preserve our civil society during this tumultuous time.
Eve Bridburg is the Founder and Executive Director of GrubStreet. Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a national literary powerhouse by expanding offerings to better educate and equip writers in the digital age, launching new, innovative programming for advanced students, and significantly expanding scholarship opportunities to ensure access. Eve curated GrubStreet’s NEA-funded Publish it Forward lecture series and our innovative Launch Lab, led GrubStreet’s Diversity Task force, laying the foundation for GrubStreet’s next chapter, and was the driving force behind establishing the country’s first Literary Cultural District in downtown Boston. Eve’s work has been recognized by Boston Magazine, who named her one of Boston’s 50 most powerful women in 2010, and by BostInno Magazine who gave her their 2014 Arts and Entertainment Award for driving innovation in Boston.
In this TEDx talk, Bridburg shares the incredible journey of Grub Street, from a small startup, 20 years ago, to becoming the biggest non-profit creative writing center in the United States.
