Our Teaching Artists
Our creative writing workshops are taught by an all-star group of teachers ranging from poets to illustrators, filmmakers, novelists, performers, clothing designers, and comedians – many of whom hold several of these titles!
Above all, they are experienced classroom practitioners. Uptown Stories teachers write terrific curricula, are dynamic and engaging in the classroom, can tailor their lessons to different age groups and abilities, and most importantly, are passionate about the craft and art of writing.
To top it off, most of our teaching artists are residents of upper Manhattan. Discover more about the fantastic Uptown Stories teachers below!
Daemond Arrindell is a multi-genre writer, filmmaker, educator, and performer interested in found poems, visual poetics, persona, experimentation and exploring what legacy means.
His work has appeared in City Arts, Specter, Crosscut, Poetry NorthWest, Seattle Review of Books and The Pitkin Review.
In a previous life I was a life guard at Jones Beach!
Ariella is a daydreamer, body worker, writer, and student of community organizing. As an educator, Ariella is always excited to learn from their students.
With a B.A. in Human Rights and Written Arts from Bard College, Ariella's writing collects the wisdom of others and—at its best—becomes an embodied spiritual practice, distilling lived experience into spacious meaning.
As a kid, I wanted to be a pirate when I grew up. Now, I am a professional chef!
Gal Cohen is an artist and educator based in Washington Heights, NYC. Her work explores the intersections of memory, identity, and place, often drawing on personal narrative and urban environments.
As an educator, she is committed to creating inclusive, imaginative learning spaces where students of all ages can experiment, reflect, and grow.
I am an art and urban tour guide, leading urbanic tours at the High Line, and gallery tours in Chelsea. Also, my studio space is in the Cornerstone Center, right above Uptown Stories!
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Stacy shares her expertise in creative writing and musical theater with kids of all ages, drawing from experience as a performer and published author.
With a rich catalogue of plays, musicals, and award-winning children’s books like Chance to Fly, she's acclaimed for her Camp Rolling Hills series.
Stacy once sang the National Anthem solo for a NY Jets game! She was 16 at the time.
Nelson Diaz-Marcano is a Puerto Rican NYC-based theater maker, advocate, community leader, and educator.
His plays have been produced and developed by The Road Theatre Company, Pipeline Theatre Company, Clubbed Thumb, The Lark, Vision Latino Theater Company, The Orchard Project, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The Parsnip Ship among others.
The first time I ever came up with a story was because I was afraid of a pig!
With an MS in Education from City College, Geeta has worked in schools teaching literacy and after school programs and doing hunger relief work as a volunteer.
Geeta has dedicated most of her professional life to volunteerism in agriculture, food, and the environment but has found intersections in peace movements, the arts, activism, and education.
Geeta lives on the Upper West Side with her husband and daughter where she weaves, knits, crochets, and plays with her cat Tito!
Gina Goico is an artist, educator, and PhD candidate in Performing & Media Arts at Cornell University. They hold an AFA in Illustration from Altos de Chavon, a BFA from Parsons The New School for Design, and an MA in Arts Politics from NYU.
Gina's multidisciplinary work examines the construction of Dominican identity, gender, and rebellions in the Dominican Republic and its NYC diaspora.
I love climbing trees and dancing. I also play some bass guitar!
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After earning her MFA in writing for young adults from The New School, Molly has taught creative writing at schools across NYC, including NYU, Fordham, FIT, and SVA.
Molly is the author of young adult novels "Epically Earnest" and "Thanks for Listening" (named a Kirkus Best YA books of '24), as well as picture book "I Have Seven Dogs". Her play "The Patron Saint of Other Women" won the Georgia College Arts and Letters Drama Prize in 2021.
My middle school superlative was most likely to save the turtles!
Miss is a published author and illustrator of celebrated graphic novels and comic books. She specializes in teaching comic writing and illustration.
Her graphic novels such as Henni and Escape From “Special” have made top book lists, The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, and been nominated for awards.
Miss once played a zombie in a low-budget horror movie.
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Jane - poet, performance artist, and educator - publishes student work and teaches writing, literature, and performance across all age groups.
Jane's published poetry book Names is part of the award-winning ABC Chapbook Series. One of her poems has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Jane fronts the band The Icebergs and was a part of Sister Spit, the famed west coast women’s poetry troupe!
Erik/Advocate of Wordz is an award-winning performing poet, certified breeder of mythical creatures, and educator.
His work has been featured/covered by the LA Times, CNN, PBS, and more. He has performed at establishments including Lincoln Center and Princeton University. He is the recipient of a BRIO and Toronto Film Festival award.
I love baseball (my 15 year old son is a great pitcher!), and Comic books (Marvel, DC, Manga, etc.)! I believe dogs are humanities truest and best friend.
Tess Michaelson is a writer, interdisciplinary artist, and educator with an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.
Tess’ articles have been published by The Chicago Review, independent online magazine The Rumpus, The Brooklyn Rail, and more.
Tess has an identical twin!
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Our deputy director, Dorkys currently educates students of all ages in writing and art across Washington Heights and Inwood.
Her bilingual works have appeared in Time Out NY Kids, BET, Parents Latina, Syracuse Post-Standard, and the Manhattan Times.
Dorkys keeps the gears of Uptown Stories turning, but when she's not at US she spends her time painting and illustrating!
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Kate, a dedicated educator, taught middle and high school humanities in both public and private schools for over 25 years before founding Uptown Stories.
Her own fiction has appeared in The Madison Review, Brain Child, Salamander, and The Ledge!
Kate is a lifelong New Yorker and has lived in Washington Heights since 2003 with her two kids. Thank you Kate for the gift of Uptown Stories!
Joel is an educator who is passionate about helping kids find their voices through creative expression.
He has experience working in education and community programs that inspire confidence and curiosity. He is excited to continue this work with Uptown Stories at Amistad Dual Language School.
I have watched every Marvel movie, I love storytelling in all forms (video games, movies, and books), and I am always up for a riddle or puzzle game.
Kristilyn is a Brooklyn based writer, visual artist, and educator. She loves doing illustration and design work for musicians, and has had the pleasure of working with a number of important artists including Money Mark, Binky Griptite, and the Bernie Worrell estate.
She has had writing and comics published in various indie magazines including MOOF, DoubleBlind, and Forevermore.
I once accidentally locked myself and a raccoon together in an apartment!
Kai Naima Williams is a multidisciplinary writer, performing artist, and educator. She is passionate about telling stories across different mediums - from the page to the stage and on screen.
The author of two poetry chapbooks and children's picture book "The Bridges Yuri Built," Kai's work has been honored by the Asian American Arts Alliance, the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival and the NYT.
I am fascinated by fortune-telling and enjoy giving my friends I Ching readings!
Gerry
Parent
Isabella
Student
Joseph
Student
Anna
Student
Annie
Parent
Elias
Alumnus
HK
Parent
Nina
Parent
Ready to Join a Workshop?
Do you have something you care way too much about? Or an unforgettable story you love telling people? A moment that went a little (or very) wrong? Maybe it’s how you got that scar on your shoulder, or a weird adventure that began when you got lost at a concert, or how you first fell in love with anime. This workshop is about turning those moments into personal essays that readers can’t put down.
Personal essays are rooted in real life — your obsessions, your accidents, your “why did I do that?” stories. In this workshop, we’ll learn how to take a real experience or passion and shape it into a compelling narrative with a clear voice, strong structure, and a clear sense of meaning. Essays can be funny, uncomfortable, emotional, or all three, but the goal is always the same: tell a true story that takes the reader somewhere and leaves them thinking.
When we think of storytelling through time, what usually comes to mind is oral history and the written word, but storytelling through arts and crafts has made just as big an impact!
Crafting Stories is a storytelling class made tactical! We’ll explore all different kinds of handicrafts throughout history, like bookbinding, weaving, paper sculptures, and clay modeling, to tell tales that spring to life. In the end, these storytellers will have molded a whole world with their hands and have a story to go along with it, all the while learning some really special and useful skills along the way. Artmakers and writers, unite! Every young person is a visual storyteller — Crafting Stories will give them all new skills to share their wonderful imaginations with us all.
If you can’t wait to turn the page, the writer has succeeded in telling you a great story. What does it take to develop characters, settings, dialogue, and plot elements that have you on the edge of your seat? This workshop answers those questions and more! We’ll breakdown the parts of fiction writing each week and test out what we’ve learned with some on-the-spot writing. You’ll work with your peers, too — giving advice and feedback, while hearing what they have to say about your work.
Not only does this workshop make you a better writer, but when you understand the process, it makes you appreciate your favorite writers even more. Don’t leave us on the edge of our seats — register now for this workshop!