Qwin Pisacane ‘25 and Ellie Pisacane ‘25 aimed to spotlight diverse writers from all across Easton in their second annual Easton and Lafayette College writing showcase on Sunday.
“Creative writing is just such a powerful way of expressing yourself and expressing who you are, so it’s just a really powerful way to connect people,” Qwin Pisacane said.
The title for the showcase was “One Community, Diverse Identities.” In keeping with that promise, the Pisacanes partnered with the Easton Area Middle School, the Forks Art Society and Country Meadows Senior Living Community to include writers from different age demographics.
The event hosted a group of eight to nine speakers, with up to 20 stories included in an accompanying booklet.
“When we came here and we saw a space where we could celebrate writers within the community, while also having that element of bringing people together, especially youth and younger writers as well as college students and adults, it was a really cool window,” Ellie Pisacane said.
The Pisacanes also centered on making the showcase as accessible as possible by making Spanish advertisements and choosing a venue that would be convenient for those with canes or wheelchairs.
“I think Ellie and Qwin do a good job of clarifying that all interpretations of community, diversity and identities are welcome in their showcase,” said English professor Gabrielle Kelenyi.
Kelenyi, who has a history in organizing community writing events, has advised and attended the event both years it was run by the Pisacanes.
“It was really, really meaningful to hear about all of those different generations and backgrounds, how they understand and look at Easton,” Kelenyi said.
Writers from Lafayette and the Easton community submitted their poems, short stories or any other creative writing to be featured in the showcase and the accompanying booklet that is given out at the event.
“The fact that we could promote our work through Easton and to a greater community made me feel like I could really share my voice with people other than students in classes,” said Luca Ferrucci ‘27, a writer who contributed to the event.
Ferucci — who also participated in last year’s event — read “To Restart a Life Cycle,” a poem about environmental devastation and global warming. He added that he enjoyed being able to hear from the different voices within Easton.
“It was really, really cool to see how we were all interacting with the same shared greater Easton space,” Ferrucci said. “Everyone came with a different idea, but then still came together and had something similar to share and similar to hold.”
After all submitters who wanted to read finished, audience members were open to go to the microphone and share some of their work.
The Pisacanes created the event last year. As members of the Maggin Family Creative and Performing Arts Initiative, better known as CaPA, they were tasked with developing an artistic event to help improve the community on campus.
Although the Pisacanes are graduating in May, they hope that the Easton and Lafayette writing showcase will continue in the coming years.
“There’s so many ways we could connect and expand and reach out to other groups within the community to bring this event into an even greater perspective,” Ellie Pisacane said. “So that would be an exciting place to go with in the future.”
Disclaimer: Business Director Luca Ferrucci ’27 did not contribute writing or reporting.