Vermont Studio Center Writing Residency

Hi, I'm Christina, a Los Angeles based writer with an MFA in nonfiction creative writing. I work as an adjunct instructor, and am also a caregiver for a disabled family member.

My fiction manuscript, about the 1973 military coup in Chile, won Honorable Mention with the Miami Book Fair 2023 Emerging Writer Fellowship, and I was the Katharine Bakeless Nason Contributor Award Recipient in Nonfiction at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Vermont last summer where I studied with Melissa Febos. Now I'm focusing my efforts on a nonfiction project.

I was recently accepted to the prestigious Vermont Studio Center for a 2-week writing residency. They've graciously awarded partial funding, however, the fee is still out of reach for me. The funds raised here would go directly to paying the residency fee (including room and board) which is $3,000. (The additional money is for the $700 taxes they advised to set aside and this platform's 5% fee.) I'll also have to purchase a plane ticket from CA to VT ($300-$600).

During this residency, I'll work on a memoir about eating disorders and trauma. In a society that still actively promotes harmful diet culture, this book explores the impact of anti-fat bias, the aftermath of sexual assault, and grappling with two cultures as the daughter of an immigrant from Chile.

This would be my first writing residency and the time and space away from everyday responsibilities is crucial for the attention this project needs. It's also about connecting with other artists and building community. In addition to this crowdsourcing, I'm applying for grants, and working additional gigs to pay the balance before the May 2023 deadline.

Even if you can't make a financial contribution, words of encouragement are welcome.

Thank you for your support!

Update: This is now funded! You're welcome to continue to contribute or support other artists elsewhere.