Rachel Kann

Instructor Biography:

MFA, author of How to Bless the New Moon, a WORD: Bruce Geller Memorial Prize recipient. Ms. Kann has been a Writer-in-Residence for Brandeis Collegiate Institute, a New England Jewish Poetry Festival’s Featured Poet, and a Cosmic Sister “Women of The Psychedelic Renaissance” awardee at the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference. Her poetry film, The Quickening, was an official selection for Anaheim International Film Festival. She is a recipient of the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award.

Instructor Statement:

I was a professional poet for nearly ten years, and taught poetry workshops for nearly five years, before I first had the luxury of attending a writing workshop as a student myself. That workshop was through the Community Access Program here at UCLA Extension. This roundabout route to the writing workshop process has given me a unique perspective. I feel lucky to be in writing workshops. I feel lucky to teach. Language is just a codification of symbols we use to represent what we mean in the hopes that we can make ourselves understood. I want you to feel safe to take risks in my workshops. I bring a sense of play to the work, I love teaching for the same reason I love writing. It's the desire to connect with other humans. The desire to unlock the stories and poems from within, to feel connected with each other.

Our Students Say it Best!

“Rachel is extremely knowledgeable and I am a much stronger writer because of her. She was so encouraging that it built my confidence. She responds thoughtfully to every post, and it is clear that she devotes a lot of time and energy to the course.” — Writers’ Program Student

Instructor Website: Click here to leave our website and go to Rachel’s website.

To watch a video of Rachel reading from her work at the 2011 Writers’ Program Publication Party, click here.