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The Joy of Writing: Exploring the Art of Storytelling

From cookbooks to archives, zines to poetry, join us to explore how the written form can be an outlet for your interests and passions.

This panel will take place on the West Hollywood Park Stage. 

Gabrielle Civil is a black feminist performance artist, poet, and writer, originally from Detroit, MI. She has published five performance memoirs, most recently the déjà vu (2022) and In & Out of Place (2024), both available in the LA County Library. Her writing has also appeared in New Daughters of Africa, Kitchen Table Translation, Poetry Goes to the Movies, and A Mouth Holds Many Things. A member of the 3rd Thing Publishing Collective, she was creative lead for Experiments in Joy: A Workbook and its Spanish translation, Experimentos En Alegría: Un Libro De Ejercicios. Co-editor of the forthcoming Migrating Pedagogies anthology, she teaches in community and at the California Institute of the Arts. The aim of her work is to open up space.

Jazz Smollett is a multi-hyphenate producer, published author, television personality, lifestyle expert, and entrepreneur. She serves as Executive Producer and co-host of CLEO TV’s hit series Living By Design. With over 15 years of industry experience across television, film, and digital media, Jazz has established herself as a trusted voice in food, home, wellness, and intentional living. A versatile storyteller with a keen eye for compelling narrative structure, her producing and showrunning credits span unscripted television, high-profile award shows, documentary specials, and major studio feature film content. She is also the author of the celebrated cookbook The Family Table: Recipes and Moments From a Nomadic Life, which explores the power of food, family heritage, culture, and connection through thoughtful entertaining and shared meals. Driven by a passion for sensory experiences and elevated daily living, Jazz expanded her footprint in the lifestyle space as the founder of Dreaming of Juniper, a California-crafted luxury wellness and home fragrance brand rooted in elevated, nature-inspired daily rituals. Designed to inspire joy and nourish the mind, body, and spirit, the collection features premium hand-poured candles and body-care items crafted with natural essences and botanicals, with additional items coming soon to celebrate meaningful moments around culinary experiences.

Alice Wynne is a writer and zine librarian from San Gabriel Valley. Her zines include "Face Value: Understanding and Combating Face-ism" and "Dena Dishes: Sandwiches of the Pasadena, CA Area." She is the host of Looseleaf Hour, a monthly music and culture show on Los Angeles' KCHUNG Radio, as well as Alice's Los Angeles Checklist, a podcast about Los Angeles history and media. Find her work online at subconsciouspoetry.wordpress.com and on Instagram @saltychipspress.

Sheila James Kuehl is a pioneering public servant, Harvard Law graduate, and former child actress whose career spans entertainment, academia, activism, and government. She made history as the first openly gay or lesbian person elected to the California State Legislature, where she served for 14 years, including a stint as the first woman to serve as Speaker pro Tem of the Assembly, before going on to serve as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Before entering politics, she was widely recognized for her portrayal of Zelda Gilroy, the iconic, brilliantly strategic girl on the popular Dobie Gillis television series, as well as for her earlier work playing Jackie Erwin on Trouble With Father, one of the earliest filmed TV series. In her memoir, And Then What Happened?: My Life From Zelda to Politics, Kuehl chronicles the pivots that defined her extraordinary life. When suspicion about her sexual orientation ended her acting career, she turned to her other passion: education and justice. She served as an Associate Dean of Students at UCLA during a period of turbulent revolution, anti-war activism, and the growth of feminism. A combination of magic and intention, as she describes it, led her to Harvard Law School, where she prepared for the battles ahead as a feminist and gay rights activist, law professor, and eventually a groundbreaking legislator. Her story is one of reinvention, resilience, and purpose. Now retired from public office, Kuehl lives in Santa Monica, California. 

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