MFA Alumna Collaborates with Youth Poets on Marin City Exhibit

Nichole Turnbloom MFA ’23 recently worked with Marin County youth poets to nurture poetry and raise awareness about the history of Marin City in support of “The Legacy of Marin City: A California Black History Story (1942-1960)” exhibit. 

“The Legacy of Marin City” exhibit, curated by Marin City community leader Felecia Gaston, showcases the story of Black History in California and the nation, revealing the true-life stories of Black Americans. The Marin City story is shared through exhibits at ten distinct branches of the Marin County Free Library, providing a view into places, people, perspectives, and history you might not otherwise know. The exhibit runs through January 2, 2025. Exhibit partners include Dominican, the Marin County Office of Education, the Marin Community Foundation, and Marin Transit. 

When Dr. Gigi Gokcek, dean of Liberal Arts and Education, mentioned this exhibit to Dr. Judy Halebsky, director of the MFA program, Halebsky immediately knew Nichole would be the perfect collaborator. 

“Nichole is a talented poet and also a yoga therapist, so she brings a strong embodied presence to her teaching,” Halebsky says. “On campus, she’s led writing workshops with our Summer Bridge program and has presented guest lectures in our poetry classes. I knew she’d be great at working with young people and in bringing a performative aspect to these poetry events.” 

Nichole worked directly with Mira Sridharan, Marin County Youth Poet Laureate, and two Marin Poet Laureate Youth Ambassadors, coaching the students on how to teach a poetry workshop and lead a group activity for young people aged 8-16. 

The workshops explored different forms and uses of poetry to interact with the history of Marin City. They created posters with collaged materials that they found in scavenger hunts and devised through free writing. 

Nichole graduated with an MFA focused on poetry from Dominican. She also completed the “Poetry as a Tool for Wellness” facilitator training course at the Institute of Poetic Medicine. 

Nichole works at a nonprofit in Santa Rosa that focuses on healing from traumatic experiences. She uses creative writing and yoga in her teaching and small group therapy sessions. She lives in Sonoma County. Look for her writing in Acumen and Flash Fiction Fridays.

“When thinking about legacy and history here in Marin, it’s important we include our youth and the arts,” Nichole says. “Poetry is a great tool for making connections. The Marin County Youth Poet Laureate and Ambassadors were engaging, thoughtful, and creative.”