Welcome to Richard Hugo House

I first came to Hugo House when I was eleven, as a participant in the after-school writing program. Every Wednesday I would spend several hours reciting poets like Langston Hughes, Denise Levertov and W.H. Auden, while learning to compose my own poems with a writing mentor and five classmates. My apprehensive after-school walks to the program quickly became brisk and eager ones. Along with building confidence in my writing, I learned how the various literary forms could be vehicles for articulating my own messages.  

Over the years I have had several opportunities to facilitate others’ connections to Hugo House. During high school, I helped run programs for youth that provided an accessible place for them to take the reins of their literary creativity. Once I began college, I volunteered to help maintain a space where adults could create new work both for themselves and for sharing with others.

As a staff receptionist, I had the opportunity to welcome newcomers to the House. Some first-timers were what I came to think of as “closeted” writers and/or readers. Just as I had once been, they were apprehensive at first…tentative. I would take them on tours of the House or just remain at the desk engaging in long conversations about their literary interests and aspirations. My favorite part about welcoming new faces was finding out what compelled them to step inside–and then exploring how Hugo House could be a consistent space for them to experience the boundlessness of writing and reading.

           Fay Gartenberg, former Scribes student, employee and volunteer