Equity & Inclusion

At Clarion West, we’ve seen how a writing community can inspire and encourage writers to continue their writing goals and help them overcome personal challenges. 

However, we are also aware that many barriers to accessing our community exist, especially for writers of the Global Majority or those identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). We are committed to addressing as many of these barriers as possible to create a more inclusive, welcoming, and safe space for the PGM/BIPOC writers wanting to be part of our community. 

We realize that inviting writers and instructors from different backgrounds to participate in our programming is not the only step toward a more inclusive and equitable community, and thus have been taking steps to ensure that our workshop culture is built to support inclusivity. This includes providing BIPOC writers with full- and partial-tuition scholarships to our residential workshops, lower-cost classes, and free seats in our online classes, as well as access to free community events and programs.

For additional resources: 

Pricing and Registration: 

The Supporting Tuition rate enables us to continue to pay our staff and instructors equitably, as well as support access to classes for others who may be in a different financial situation. 

The Helping Hands rate is available to folks under more limited economic circumstances, regardless of background.

Limited Free Registration: We reserve a percentage of free seats in every paid class for writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of Color (BIPOC) on a first-come-first-served basis, regardless of financial need. To request a seat, please fill out our Limited Free Registration Request form, and include the names of the classes you are interested in, in order of preference. We will email you 10-14 days before the class begins if a seat is available.

Read more about our reduced-price registration, discounts, and financial aid scholarships here.