Writing Filipino America Through Poetry
Celebrate April as National Poetry Month through a Generative Poetry Workshop Series with Professor Randy Gonzales
What stories live inside your family’s photographs, letters, and records?
This four-session virtual poetry workshop invites you to explore artifacts and archives through the craft of poetry. Poet and community historian Randy Gonzales, author of Settling St. Malo, will guide you in transforming personal and community history into original poems rooted in lived experience.
Using family photographs, oral histories, letters, records, and meaningful objects, you’ll create work that honors heritage while engaging the historical record. Together, we’ll explore how poetry can recover silenced histories, amplify ancestral voices, and hold shared cultural memory. This is an active, generative space grounded in craft, reflection, and dialogue.
You will write.
You will examine history with intention.
You will leave with at least one fully developed poem — and a creative process you can return to again and again.
Limited seats available. First come, first serve.
About this Workshop Series
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Dates
April 6, 13, 20, 27 (Mondays)
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Times by Location
7:30–9:00 PM ET
6:30–8:00 PM CT
5:30–7:00 PM MT
4:30–6:00 PM PT
3:30–5:00 PM AKT
2:30–4:00 PM HT
8:30–10:00 AM PHT (following day)All times reflect U.S. daylight saving where applicable.
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Duration
4 weekly sessions
90 minutes each session -
Format
Live Virtual Workshop (Zoom) in English
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Enrollment Cap
20 participants
What You'll Experience
This Is For...
- Anyone new to poetry
- Poets exploring identity
- Exploring personal history
- Writers craving community
- Folks seeking guided writing
You Will...
- Study Fil-Am poetry
- Engage in generative writing
- Explore themes of diaspora
- Receive guided feedback
- Develop a poetic voice
You'll Walk Away With...
- Multiple new poetry drafts
- Substantially revised poem
- Clear craft strategies
- Greater confidence
- Poetry as cultural record
Your Community Educator
Randy Gonzales
A native New Orleanian of Filipino descent, Randy Gonzales is a poet, writer, and community historian. His work has been featured on CNN, the BBC, Huff Post, HBO Max's Take Out with Lisa Ling, and ABS-CBN.
Randy created the community media project Filipino La. to tell the story of Filipinos in Louisiana through archives.
His book Settling St. Malo won the 2024 Summerlee Book Award for making a significant contribution to the understanding of the Gulf Coast region.
He is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he holds the Dr. James Wilson/BORSF Eminent Scholar Endowed Professorship in Southern Studies.
Choose Your Enrollment Option
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GENERAL ADMISSION
ENROLL AS A GENERAL ADMISSION
Early Bird: $175 (through March 23)
Regular: $195 (March 24 - April 1)
✓ Full access to all 4 sessions
✓ Course materials included
✓ Certificate of completion -
⭐⭐BEST VALUE⭐⭐ Course + Membership Bundle
⭐ENROLL FOR COURSE + MEMBERSHIP BUNDLE⭐
Early Bird: $229 (through March 23)
Regular: $279 (March 24 - April 1)
✓ Everything in General Admission +
✓ 1 Year Founding Membership ($150 value)
✓ Member discounts on future courses
✓ Priority enrollment
✓ Exclusive member events -
MEMBER RATE
ENROLL AS A MEMBER
Early Bird: $99 (through March 23)
Regular: $125 (March 24-April 1)
✓ Must have active Founding Membership
✓ Will receive discount code for checkout
✓ Best rate for returning students
✓ All course benefits included
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GENERAL ADMISSION - Early Bird Special
Regular price $175.00 USDRegular priceUnit price / perSale price $175.00 USD -
⭐⭐BEST VALUE⭐⭐ Course + Membership Bundle - Early Bird Special
Regular price $229.00 USDRegular priceUnit price / perSale price $229.00 USD -
MEMBER RATE - Early Bird Special - $99 after discount code applied
Regular price $175.00 USDRegular priceUnit price / per$175.00 USDSale price $175.00 USD
Hear From Our Community
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"I came to Kuwento Co. unsure and left with a voice. Their programs gave me the confidence to finally call myself a writer."
- Marisol R. -
"Kuwento Co. isn’t just about writing. It’s about being seen, heard, and challenged. I grew more here in a few months than I had in years."
- David L. -
"I stopped hiding my work. Through Kuwento Co., I gained real skills, honest feedback, and the courage to share my story with the world."
- Kai M.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
What do I need to participate?
A computer or device with Zoom access, a stable internet connection, and materials you'd like to work with (family photos, letters, documents, or any meaningful objects connected to your story).
Who can enroll in this workshop?
Open to adults (18+).
Participants under 18 may be considered with parental consent - please contact hello@kuwentoco.com prior to registration.
This workshop intentionally centers Filipino and Filipino American stories and creates dedicated space for our community, while welcoming respectful participants from all backgrounds.
Writers and storytellers at all levels are welcome. No prior writing or archival research experience is required.
What's the difference between the pricing options?
General Admission (Non-Members) is $175 (Early Bird) or $195 (Regular).
Founding Members pay $99 (Early Bird) or $125 (Regular).
Members will receive a discount code via email to apply at checkout.
The Course + Membership Bundle is $229 (Early Bird) or $279 (Regular). This bundle includes one full year of Kuwento Co. Founding Membership (regularly $150), which provides discounted access to future workshops and community offerings.
When you purchase the bundle, you are automatically enrolled in both the course and the Kuwento Co. Founding Annual Membership.
Do I need to attend each session?
This is a cumulative workshop experience, and each session builds on the one before it. We ask that you plan to attend all four sessions. If you need to miss a session, please email hello@kuwentoco.com in advance.
What's your refund policy?
Registration Policy
Registration for Kuwento Co. workshops, courses, and programs is confirmed upon full payment through our secure checkout system.
Enrollment is limited to preserve an interactive, high-quality learning environment. Once capacity is reached, registration will close.
Participants are responsible for providing accurate contact information at checkout. All program communications, including access details and updates, will be sent to the registered email address.
Kuwento Co. reserves the right to cancel or reschedule programs due to insufficient enrollment, instructor availability, or unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, registered participants will be offered a full refund.
Refund Policy
This policy applies to all workshops, courses, and educational programs offered by Kuwento Co., including those presented through The Kuwento Academy. This does not include books and digital products.
Participants may request a full refund up to seven (7) business days prior to the program start date.
A “business day” is defined as Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
Refund requests must be submitted in writing to hello@kuwentoco.com with the subject line:
Refund Request – [Program Name]
Requests must include the participant’s full name, email address used at registration, and the program title.
Refund requests made fewer than seven (7) business days before the program start date are not eligible for refund.
No refunds will be issued once the program has begun.
Because enrollment is limited and instructional planning, facilitator preparation, and cohort coordination begin in advance, late cancellations cannot be accommodated.
If Kuwento Co. cancels a program, a full refund will be issued to the original form of payment.
If a program must be rescheduled, participants who are unable to attend the new dates may request a full refund within seven (7) business days of receiving notice of the schedule change.
Refunds, when approved, will be processed within 5–10 business days.
Accessibility Statement
Kuwento Co. is committed to providing inclusive and accessible cultural and literary learning environments.
We welcome participants of diverse abilities and backgrounds. If accommodations are needed to fully participate in a program, please contact hello@kuwentoco.com at least one week prior to the start date.
While we may not be able to accommodate all requests, we will make reasonable efforts to support equitable access whenever possible.
Participation Expectations & Community Standards
Kuwento Co. programs are designed to foster thoughtful dialogue, creative rigor, and cultural respect.
By enrolling, participants agree to:
- Attend sessions prepared and engaged
- Contribute constructively to discussion and feedback spaces
- Respect diverse lived experiences and perspectives
- Refrain from discriminatory, harassing, or disruptive behavior
- Kuwento Co. reserves the right to remove any participant whose conduct undermines the safety or integrity of the learning environment. In such cases, refunds will not be issued.
Contact
For questions regarding registration, accessibility, or program details:
Email: hello@kuwentoco.com
Response Time: 1–3 business days
Terms & Conditions
By accessing or using www.kuwentoco.com, you agree to comply with the following terms and conditions.
All content on this website, including text, images, course materials, and intellectual property, is owned by Kuwento Co. and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without written permission.
Participation in workshops and programs does not grant ownership or rights to reproduce instructional materials.
Kuwento Co. reserves the right to update content, pricing, programming, and policies at any time without prior notice.
Use of this website and enrollment in programs constitutes acceptance of these terms.
If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue use of the site.
Privacy Policy
Kuwento Co. respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.
When you register for a program or make a purchase, we collect necessary information including your name, email address, and payment details to process transactions and communicate program updates.
We do not sell, trade, or share personal information with third parties, except as required to process payments or comply with legal obligations.
Email addresses may be used to send program updates and relevant communications. You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.
Our website may use cookies or analytics tools to improve user experience.
If you have questions about your data or wish to request removal, please contact hello@kuwentoco.com.
I have a question. Who do I contact?
Please direct any questions you have to hello@kuwentoco.com or feel free to call or text 281-939-5271. Please anticipate a response within 24-48 business hours.
Ready to Transform Your Story Into Poetry?
Join Randy Gonzales and fellow storytellers for this transformative 4-week journey. Limited to 20 participants. Enrollment closes April 1, 2026.
About The Kuwento Academy
The Kuwento Academy is the cultural and literary education platform of Kuwento Co.
Designed to support Filipino American writers at every stage, the Academy offers structured workshops, master classes, and community-based learning experiences grounded in both craft and cultural responsibility.
Rooted in LAHI — Legacy, Arts, Heritage, and Innovation — the Academy advances Filipino American storytelling through rigorous instruction, intergenerational dialogue, and creative accountability.
About Kuwento Co.
Kuwento Co. publishes, educates, and empowers underrepresented voices—transforming lived experience into books that preserve cultural memory and create lasting community impact.
As a national cultural and literary home for Filipino/a/x writers and storytellers across the United States and diaspora, Kuwento Co. builds long-term infrastructure for storytelling through publishing, education, and community-centered initiatives.