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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260512T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T180000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260323T174140Z
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SUMMARY:Workshop - The Art of the Nonfiction Book Proposal
DESCRIPTION:Bringing a book into the world requires both vision and a plan. The proposal is where those meet—a living document that serves as the book’s blueprint\, strategy\, and invitation to publishers. While many writers find them challenging\, they are actually a gift to help you refine and articulate the essence and urgency of your work. \nThis three-part virtual workshop with with literary agent\, Wave Literary Agency founder\, and bestselling author Rachel Neumann is designed to support nonfiction writers in transforming their ideas and their work into compelling\, publishable proposals\, with expert support and in a community of values-aligned writers.   \nWorkshop Overview\nAcross three 2-hour sessions\, participants will gain a deep understanding of what makes a powerful nonfiction book proposal and how to position their work in today’s publishing landscape. Each session will focus on a part of the proposal and blends teaching\, discussion\, and hands-on workshopping\, with opportunities for feedback. \nParticipants will leave with a strong first draft of their proposal and a clearer sense of how to move forward toward agents\, publishers\, or continued development.  \nSessions will take place on 3 Tuesdays in May (12th\, 19th\, 26th) from 4-6pm PST. \nSliding scale: $300 for Mesa Refuge alums\, $325-$350 for general public. Limited to 25 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation. \nCancellation Policy: In order to receive a partial refund (a $15 admin fee is deducted from your payment)\, we require 7 days notice.  \nSession Breakdown\nSession 1: The Architecture of a Winning Proposal – May 12\, 2026\, 4-6pm PST \n\nWhat agents and editors are really looking for\n\nThe essential components of a nonfiction proposal (overview\, platform\, chapter outline\, sample chapter)\n\nUnderstanding the marketplace and positioning your book\n\nIdentifying your Keynote\, core idea\, audience\, and narrative stakes\n\n\nOutcome: A concise keynote and an understanding of all the proposal elements. \nSession 2: The Arc of Your Story – May 19\, 2026\, 4-6pm PST \n\nCrafting a compelling overview that captures voice\, authority\, and urgency\n\nBuilding a strong chapter outline and narrative arc\n\nWriting (or refining) your sample chapter\n\nSmall-group breakout sessions for feedback and accountability\n\nOutcome: Understanding of how to outline/arc  \nSession 3:  Positioning & The Path to Publication – May 26\, 4-6pm PST \n\nPositioning and Comps: Your space in the universe\n\nHow to find and approach the right literary agent\n\nQuery letters and submission strategy\n\nUnderstanding the agent-author relationship and next steps\n\n\nOutcome: Clear next steps to refine and build your proposal \n\nRachel Neumann is the President of Wave Literary\, a full-service leading literary agency developing the books we need for the world we want She teaches narrative healing and writing courses and retreats\, and provides mentoring for new authors on their journey to publishing. Rachel is also an award-winning author of four books\, including Not Quite Nirvana and I Am Home: Portraits of Immigrant Teenagers. Her latest book\, How to Start a Fire: A Story of Loss\, Love\, and Revolution\, shares lessons from her life growing up on a remote rural commune and in Oakland\, as well as her experiences in the middle of revolutions around the world. Her work has appeared in New York Times\, Lion’s Roar\, Tricycle\, The Nation\, and Dissent Magazine\, among many others. She has midwifed over 100 books\, including two dozen New York Times bestsellers and for over a decade was the publisher and personal editor for Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She is a 2024 Mesa Refuge alum and co-chair of Mesa Refuge’s Board of Directors. \n 
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/workshop-the-art-of-the-nonfiction-book-proposal/
LOCATION:Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T173000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260126T163632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T005622Z
UID:9669-1779033600-1779039000@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Kate Weiner and Kailea Loften
DESCRIPTION:Kate Weiner and Kailea Loften discuss their new book\, Compassion in Crisis: Building Disaster-Resilient Communities (Heyday Books) at this event presented in partnership with the Pt Reyes Books. \n“As we enter an era of climate shifts and more frequent\, layered catastrophes\, this is the book you want beside you to navigate the realities of disaster and recovery. Drawing from survivors\, practitioners\, and thinkers\, this book offers a guide to cultivating the kind of attentiveness and care that might help us think about preparedness wholistically\, from philosophical ideas about how our experiences of time shift to practical and profound advice that can move the needle towards justice in the aftermath of grief and loss.” —Candis Callison\, Member\, Tāłtān Nation\, and author\, How Climate Change Comes to Matter: The Communal Life of Facts \nRegistration info coming soon! \nAbout the book\nA vibrant and holistic grassroots guide to disaster preparedness that builds community resilience. \npolycrisis noun /’pa: .li\, krai.sis/\na time of great disagreement\, confusion\, or suffering caused by many different crises occurring simultaneously and amplifying one another. \nHow do we live in the age of disaster? In this updated and expanded guide to collective crisis preparedness\, Kailea and Kate\, organizers and coeditors for the book and magazine publisher Loam\, share community-shaped strategies on how to practically navigate the challenges posed by overlapping catastrophes–be they environmental\, economic\, political\, or otherwise. Help is here for our bodies\, hearts\, minds\, and shared homes. By amplifying resources for resilience\, the authors underscore preparedness as a constant\, communal practice. They offer inspiration from frontline organizers who help their communities prepare for emergencies\, demonstrate how to envision probable futures after upheaval\, and showcase people-powered projects that nurture collective regeneration. With engaging prompts\, concise checklists\, and heartfelt advice\, Compassion in Crisis helps its readers build and sustain the durable mutual aid networks necessary for rapid response in the face of disaster. This is your invitation into the lifelong work of caring for our Earth and one another as we all find our way through the polycrisis. \nAbout the authors\nKailea Rose Loften is a mother of Tahltan\, Kaska\, and Black American ancestry. She is coeditor for the community publisher Loam and has guided climate change policy with an emphasis on Indigenous rights\, previously serving as a Climate Commissioner for the City of Petaluma\, California. You can contact her through kailealoften.com. \nKate Rose Weiner is a writer\, editor\, and publisher working at the intersections of culture and climate justice. She is coeditor of Loam and director of Loam Library\, a mobile library committed to bringing the power of print to the people. Weiner’s work is shaped by her studies in environmental art\, social practice\, and community herbalism.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/kate-weiner-and-kailea-loften-compassion-in-crisis-building-disaster-resilient-communities/
LOCATION:Dance Palace\, 503 B Street\, Point Reyes Station\, CA\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260526T193000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260420T205324Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T205324Z
UID:10177-1779818400-1779823800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Panel - Fundraising for Arts and Literary Nonprofits
DESCRIPTION:Art and literary nonprofits often depend on the kindness of strangers to secure funding and serve the public. How do they do it? What does it take to support the arts in today’s economic climate? Hear from experts on both sides of the grant-making process as they discuss the ways philanthropy and the tricky task of asking for money create a sustainable arts ecosystem that serves us all. With executive directors J. K. Fowler (Bay Area Book Festival)\, Kamala Tully (Mesa Refuge)\, artist and grant-writer JD Beltran\, and philanthropic leader Dimple Abichandani. Moderated by Elizabeth Forsyth (The Writers Grotto\, Local Words). \nCurated by Mesa Alum Janine Kovac. \nNo registration necessary. To learn more about this event\, visit the San Francisco Public Library event posting.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/panel-fundraising-for-arts-and-literary-nonprofits/
LOCATION:Koret Auditorium at the SF Main Library\, 100 Larkin St.\, San Francisco\, CA\, 94102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260528T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260528T190000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260326T173906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T201550Z
UID:10109-1779987600-1779994800@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour Before Bay Area Book Festival
DESCRIPTION:Kick off your Bay Area Book Festival weekend by joining the Mesa Refuge community for a happy hour at Telegraph Beer Garden (Beeryland) in Oakland! We invite all Mesa Refuge alums and those interested in our writing retreat to connect with each other\, board members\, and staff. \n 
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/mesa-refuge-happy-hour/
LOCATION:Telegraph Beer Garden\, 2318 Telegraph Ave.\, Oakland\, CA\, 94612
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260612T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260612T130000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260309T180507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T180507Z
UID:10013-1781254800-1781269200@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Garden Workday
DESCRIPTION:See where the magic happens! Join us for a morning of mulching and weeding. Visit Mesa’s serene property and support us by preparing the garden to look its best for the 2026 Garden Party. After tending to the garden\, we’ll have lunch together overlooking Tomales Bay. \nPlease email nkansky@mesarefuge.org to volunteer.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/garden-workday/
LOCATION:CA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260620T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260620T160000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260309T174323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260504T171441Z
UID:10009-1781964000-1781971200@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Garden Party
DESCRIPTION:Join us for our annual Garden Party! Enjoy delicious local food\, desserts\, beer\, mead\, and wine; and connect with Mesa alums and our larger community! \nRecommended $25 donation for Mesa Refuge alums. Recommended $50-$150 donation sliding scale for general public.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/garden-party/
LOCATION:CA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260708T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260708T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T005213
CREATED:20260221T000132Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T185535Z
UID:9936-1783515600-1783528200@mesarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Workshop - Writing In the Artists' Garden
DESCRIPTION:“Summer afternoon\, summer afternoon\, to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language\,” said Henry James. \nJoin us for an inspiring summer afternoon of writing at the Mesa Refuge – the former home of well-known California Abstract Expressionist painter Sam Francis. The home and gardens of Sam and Margaret Francis provide the ideal setting for exploring our inner and outer landscapes and enjoying the gardens\, writing sheds and views of the Giacomini Wetlands and the San Andreas Fault. In this workshop led by former Mesa Refuge Executive Director and teacher Susan Page Tillett and author and teacher Elizabeth Fishel\, students will learn the history of the artists’ home and will be encouraged to find a place on the property that resonates with them\, as an inspiration for their writing. \nOpen to writers of all experience levels. Short writing prompts and poems shared in small groups will help you sharpen your observational skills\, mine your memories\, and use all your senses to create surprising pieces of prose by the end of the session. \nThe instructors have co-taught popular writing workshops at the Mesa Refuge\, Ghost Ranch and online for UC Berkeley’s Osher Lifelong Institute and at the 92nd Street Y in New York for the past 10 years. They particularly enjoy teaching at the Mesa Refuge\, where they first collaborated. \nSliding scale $50-100. Limited to 18 participants. Please reach out to nkansky@mesarefuge.org if the cost of the workshop is prohibitive to your participation. \n\nSusan Page Tillett became the first executive director of the Mesa Refuge in October 2013. She originally came to the Mesa Refuge as a writer and later moved to West Marin to lead the artist community from founder’s startup to a sustainable organization. Susan has a deep commitment to supporting the work of creative people and connecting them to the local community. Prior to directing Mesa Refuge\, Susan was executive director of the Ragdale Foundation\, a large artist community north of Chicago\, from 2000-2012. During her tenure\, she welcomed more than 2\,000 artists-in-residence\, restored the historic property\, increased Ragdale’s profile in the community and raised more than $10 million. Before working in artist communities\, Susan had 25 years of experience in museums\, including the Smithsonian\, the Art Institute of Chicago\, the Chicago History Museum and the Cape Cod National Seashore. You can read more about Susan here. \nElizabeth Fishel is a widely published journalist and author of five nonfiction books including Sisters; Reunion; and Getting To 30: A Parent’s Guide to the 20-Something Years (coauthored with Jeffrey Arnett)\, as well as a contributor to publications including Vogue\, Oprah’s O\, Ms.\, New York and The Writer. You can read more about Elizabeth here.
URL:https://mesarefuge.org/event/in-the-artists-garden/
LOCATION:CA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mesarefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bird-Drawing-Workshop.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Mesa Refuge":MAILTO:info@mesarefuge.org
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