The National League of American Penwomen was founded in 1897, as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports and promotes professional women in arts, letters, music, and allied professions. I joined the organization in 2017, recruited by Sheila Firestone, the President of the Boca Raton Branch, at that time. At first, I applied as a Letters member, since I had authored several books, including three books of poetry. A couple of years later, I applied as a Music member, since I had composed well over 40 songs.
At two of the Florida regional conferences, I was a presenter. Also, I’ve been featured in the Pen Women Magazine. This has been a fruitful membership for me, introducing me to several authors, musicians, and visual artists. My ultimate goal is to apply as a Visual Artist in my 80s, which will happen by 2028, once I retire from teaching college and begin to paint, again.
On Thursday, September 12, 2024, I visited the Pen Arts Building at 1300 17th Street NW, Washington, DC, with my cousin Millicent Brady, for whom I organized her book, Stories, Poems & Musings. This building is 137 years old, and the interior is mostly original.
We were greeted by Evelyn Wofford, Director of NLAPW National. We had a pleasant meeting with Evelyn and got to meet the artist-in-resident pianist and composer, Simone Baron. The photos tell a lovely story. https://www.nlapw.org
Being a foreign teacher at Li Yang’s Crazy English Camp in Tungzhou, China, 45 minutes outside of Beijing, was one of the most intense and satisfying experiences I have had to date. Li Yang is one of China’s most famous motivational speakers. His goal is to teach 300 million Chinese people how to speak good English, which is almost a necessity, since Beijing has been awarded the 2008 Olympics site. At right, Richard Wu and his bride Daphne invited Joan to sing at their wedding.
Dr. Diva JC - Scholar . Teacher . Author 