Raw Fiction 2015
Participant Bios
Joseph Capunay, Raw Fiction’s managing editor, resides in New York City, born and raised, in Queens where he spent most of his days. When he’s not making references to a particular 90s sitcom, he can be spotted under the large pile of homework assignments he receives as a senior at the Brooklyn Latin School. He hopes to eventually become a doctor and volunteers at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he meets people with an array of interesting personalities. Inspired by his daily encounters as well as his Dominican and Peruvian heritage, his hands are constantly jittering due to the ideas he wants to put on paper.
Maria Filipchenko, Raw Fiction's design and production manager, is an avid reader and writer, who hopes that one day she will combine her passion for words with her enthusiasm for astrophysics. She likes to think of people as separate galaxies that might fall within the same category, but, nonetheless, will never be exactly the same. Her passion for writing combines with her fascination with people, and she often writes in order to explore human character. Maria loves coffee, from rich Ethiopian cups of darkness to diabetes-infested Starbucks drinks, and thus often writes at odd hours due to sparks of energy caused by caffeine. When she is not busy thinking about dark matter, supernovas, and exoplanets, she writes stories. She hopes one day to become a college professor and a scholar. Reach for the stars, am I right?
Jeanette Foster, Raw Fiction's editor-in-chief, is a 19 year old New York native currently attending the City College of New York as a sophomore; pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. Jeanette uses her poetry as a sifter to delve into the relationship of the world, the woman and the You. She aspires to work in the publishing industry as an editor, with her well-equipped critical eye. As of now Jeanette explores the shelves of the Brooklyn Public Library, reading literature of all sorts to enhance and polish her creative instinct.
Mariam Kamate, Raw Fiction's Event Organizer and Documentarian, is Malian (born in New York City) and speaks Bambara, French and English. Figuring herself out, she is a dreamer who is currently in high school. She loves writing. She loves Spongebob, who doesn't?
Amari B. Tims, Raw Fiction's Publicist, is 17 years young. She attends Professional Performing Arts School and is an aspiring professional performing artist. Amari hopes to be seen as a singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, poet (and more) in the future. She hopes to better her writing skills and help her imagination to grow to create better songs while participating in Raw Fiction. In her spare time, Amari enjoy anything with the arts and hopes to go to a great college that encourages her love for the arts.
Mahlaney Wilson, Raw Fiction's Project Manager, represented NYC as an Urban Word NYC slam team member at the largest international teen poetry festival, Brave New Voices this year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Playwright and actor of her own one-woman show, Mahlaney was an ensemble member of Flaw(ed)less, an off-Broadway production at the New York Live Arts theater. She has performed at the world's famous Apollo Theater, the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe, St. Marks Church, and many other venues. As member of both Urban Word’s youth board and digital media team, Mahlaney organizes and curates events for the New York youth encouraging activism through a creative outlet.
Maria Filipchenko, Raw Fiction's design and production manager, is an avid reader and writer, who hopes that one day she will combine her passion for words with her enthusiasm for astrophysics. She likes to think of people as separate galaxies that might fall within the same category, but, nonetheless, will never be exactly the same. Her passion for writing combines with her fascination with people, and she often writes in order to explore human character. Maria loves coffee, from rich Ethiopian cups of darkness to diabetes-infested Starbucks drinks, and thus often writes at odd hours due to sparks of energy caused by caffeine. When she is not busy thinking about dark matter, supernovas, and exoplanets, she writes stories. She hopes one day to become a college professor and a scholar. Reach for the stars, am I right?
Jeanette Foster, Raw Fiction's editor-in-chief, is a 19 year old New York native currently attending the City College of New York as a sophomore; pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. Jeanette uses her poetry as a sifter to delve into the relationship of the world, the woman and the You. She aspires to work in the publishing industry as an editor, with her well-equipped critical eye. As of now Jeanette explores the shelves of the Brooklyn Public Library, reading literature of all sorts to enhance and polish her creative instinct.
Mariam Kamate, Raw Fiction's Event Organizer and Documentarian, is Malian (born in New York City) and speaks Bambara, French and English. Figuring herself out, she is a dreamer who is currently in high school. She loves writing. She loves Spongebob, who doesn't?
Amari B. Tims, Raw Fiction's Publicist, is 17 years young. She attends Professional Performing Arts School and is an aspiring professional performing artist. Amari hopes to be seen as a singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, poet (and more) in the future. She hopes to better her writing skills and help her imagination to grow to create better songs while participating in Raw Fiction. In her spare time, Amari enjoy anything with the arts and hopes to go to a great college that encourages her love for the arts.
Mahlaney Wilson, Raw Fiction's Project Manager, represented NYC as an Urban Word NYC slam team member at the largest international teen poetry festival, Brave New Voices this year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Playwright and actor of her own one-woman show, Mahlaney was an ensemble member of Flaw(ed)less, an off-Broadway production at the New York Live Arts theater. She has performed at the world's famous Apollo Theater, the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe, St. Marks Church, and many other venues. As member of both Urban Word’s youth board and digital media team, Mahlaney organizes and curates events for the New York youth encouraging activism through a creative outlet.
Adult Participants
Kristen Myers - Youth Mentor and Workshop Facilitator
Provides training in graphic design, project management, media relations and supports youth professional development in other ways by coordinating workshops and recruiting human resources
Christian Hawkey - Faculty Advisor
Raw Fiction is currently funded by the Pratt Center's Taconic Fellowship and Professor Hawkey provides key support directly to the founder and director
Writing Workshop Facilitators
Eduardo Palma
Cecily Schuler
Mahogany Browne
Marjua Estevez
Saretta Morgan
Provides training in graphic design, project management, media relations and supports youth professional development in other ways by coordinating workshops and recruiting human resources
Christian Hawkey - Faculty Advisor
Raw Fiction is currently funded by the Pratt Center's Taconic Fellowship and Professor Hawkey provides key support directly to the founder and director
Writing Workshop Facilitators
Eduardo Palma
Cecily Schuler
Mahogany Browne
Marjua Estevez
Saretta Morgan
