From the Magic Pencil: Voices of Writing Through

In this episode, our former interns Rachel Wachman and Eva Phelps interview Sue, Writing Through’s CEO and Executive Director. On this, our 10th Anniversary, she takes time to reflect on the experiences, revelations, and hopes that have led her to grow the organization to what it is now. Sue tells us about the desire to help that has followed her from childhood to the present, and her use of writi...

In this episode, Kristin speaks with Mr Lux, the Executive Director of PEPY Empowering Youth: an organization that runs personal and professional development programs for students in Siem Reap and one of Writing Through’s partners. With Kristin, he discusses the importance of creativity to today’s youth and how to best foster it, his journey as a businessman-turned-photographer and social worker,...

This week’s episode features Christie Pink, a freelance graphic designer based in Cambodia and the founder of Creation Haus, an organization that offers graphic design services, classes, and workshops worldwide. Kristin invited Christie to the podcast after attending her stellar presentation on the importance of creativity, and together they discuss the importance of playfulness, curiosity, and le...

In this episode, Kristin speaks with Carlos Andrés Gómez, an award-winning Colombian American poet and public speaker. Carlos worked with Writing Through during our first Great Lake Poets Express workshop in Cambodia’s Prek Toal Floating Village back in February of this year, an experience he now considers one of the highlights of his life. On the podcast, they discuss the childhood difficulties t...

In this week’s episode, Kristin sits down with Andrea McKenna Brankin, a multitalented writer-journalist and long-time Writing Through facilitator based in Singapore. As someone who has always expressed herself creatively through words, fashion, and tattoos, Andrea now works to teach students to do the same, be it in poetry workshops, rugby matches, or yoga sessions. They discuss the difference in...

In this episode, Sue speaks to Eugénie Munakarmi, the COO of Enfants du Mekong (Children of the Mekong), an incredible French organization established back in 1958, that helps children all over South-East Asia. EdM was one of our first partners, so Sue and Eugénie have been friends a long time. This is the first time we have had someone on the podcast who didn’t consider themselves a particularly...

In this week’s episode, Sue interviews  Lucia Orellana, an Ecuadorian social and clinical psychologist-turned-poet and one of Writing Through’s long-term volunteers. They discuss how living in different cultures, places, and languages can change you, the differences between writing poetry in English and Spanish, and the challenges one may face when translating between both languages. Lucia explain...

In this week’s episode, Sue is joined by her friend, Dr Lisa Wong, a pediatrician, musician, teacher and musical education advocate. She explains the fascinating links between how and why playing music makes someone a better physician and how the skills that children learn playing instruments can later be applied to the study and practice of medicine. They also discuss the power of giving people o...

In this episode, Sue interviews one of the members of Writing Through’s fantastic Board of Directors, Votey Cheav. They get into a wide array of topics during their conversation. Votey really has had a fascinating life; she shares her experience as a Cambodian American and a child of refugees, her personal relationship with poetry, creativity and her great love of learning. She explains how she ap...

In this episode, Sue interviews Writing Through’s former Deputy Director, Jess Blackledge, who now lives in Edinburgh and works as a Learning Officer for the world-famous Fringe Festival. They discuss her wide-ranging career, which has the common thread of  inspiring young people to cultivate their creativity. She also talks about how her life-long love affair with the theater has led her to belie...

In this episode, Sue interviews the incredible Dara Hout, the Chief Executive of Phare Circus, a live show of drama, dance and impressive acrobatics, known as the ‘Pride of Cambodia’. Listen to how he  defines creativity, why we should all embrace the feeling of fear and perseverance in the arts and how every decision we make is creative. You’ll also learn more about the history of the arts and ci...

In this episode, Sue interviews the fascinating Lizzy Plapinger, known professionally as LPX. They discuss what it means about to be an artist, how we can all live a more creative life, her unique relationship with color and AI and how she rediscovered her first love, visual art, during the pandemic. LPX is now bravely moving out of her comfort zone and living and leading with curiosity. Check out...

In our Season 1 finale, Kristin is joined by Soucheng, another student from Liger Leadership Academy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Using her unique voice, Soucheng discusses how the pandemic has affected her creativity, the importance of taking the time to write and developing kindness and compassion. We hope you enjoy this episode, and we will see you in Season 2!

This week, Sue is joined by Alexa Santillana, a former participant of Writing Through and the founder of Youth Advocates Club in West Covina, California. She and Sue discuss her first year at university, her expectations vs the reality of studying on the East Coast, and her rewarding work volunteering at a medical center in Baltimore, Maryland.

In this episode, Kristin Schuster, our deputy director, is back chatting with the lovely Kim Ann Khlang from PEPY, one of our partners in Siem Reap, Cambodia. They discuss the impact on the PEPY scholarship students when they learn to write creatively in a second language, have the freedom to make mistakes, and question their own limitations. Kim Ann discusses her own relationship with writing and...

Sue continues her conversation with Patty, discussing the need for creative writing in America and how creative writing can be used as a tool to learn the skills of listening and connecting with others.

Sue speaks with long-term volunteer and facilitator Patty Bierley about how our environment affects the ways we think and feel. They also discuss how to cultivate an environment where we can be free to express ourselves fully.

This week, Sue chats with her friend Jason Baron, the founder of the Chelly Foundation, a non-profit in Kampot in Southern Cambodia. He explains how and why the organization began and the ripple effects of bringing education to the young people of that province.

This week we are back with Writing Through alum and professional photographer, Roun Ry to discuss the importance of arts and experiential education. Roun also reflects on his creative journey and takes the time to share one of his poems with us. If you would like to see Roun’s extraordinary work, you can follow him on Instagram here:  www.instagram.com/rounry/  

In this episode, Sue sits down with Roun Ry, a good friend and former student of Anjali House and Writing Through. Roun is now a celebrated professional photographer living in Phnom Penh City. He and Sue discuss his artistic process, how he tells stories through both images and words, the importance of self-expression, and how he gives back to his community. If you would like to see Roun’s work, y...

Sue continues her conversation with Martha, a long-term Writing Through volunteer. They explore the impact of the pandemic, its subsequent challenges, and what it means to come home after an extended period of living abroad. She also shares a beautiful poem written by a Filipina English teacher. Learn more about HOME: https://www.home.org.sg  

Executive Director Sue is joined by Martha Scarborough, one of Writing Through's very first volunteers! Together, they discuss Writing Through's origins, Martha's lived experiences across the globe, and how the organization has been shaped by an increasingly globalized, interconnected set of perspectives.

In this episode, Deputy Director Kristin Schuster speaks to Cheatra, a brilliant student from the prodigious Liger Leadership Academy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He discusses his school, how he incorporates the Writing Through Workshop rules into his life, being creative during the pandemic, and his journal rituals, among other things. We cover so much in this episode! Cheatra’s energy and enthusiasm...

What factors impact creative writing? In part two of our interview with Jess Blackledge, Writing Through’s former Assistant Director, Sue and Jess discuss the ways in which culture and age inform creative processes. Jess tells us about the differences she has observed facilitating in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore. She also shares her experience working with both kids and adults and how people’s...

What is co-creation? This week, Sue is joined by Writing Through’s former Assistant Director, Jess Blackledge, who discusses her move back to the UK during the pandemic, her unexpected culture shock, and the unique challenges posed by the co-creative process. Jess also speaks about her experience as the Creative Producer of a new pilot program at the Theatre Royal Plymouth and the role that co-cre...