Keynotes, Conferences, Book Festivals, Writing Workshops, Classroom and Library Visits!
ABOUT MY PRESENTATIONS:
All presentations can be done alone or with co-author, Marie Marquardt.
As a Young Adult author, I feel comfortable working with students in grades 6-12.
I have designed engaging, hands-on, workshops for students around the themes described below.
All sessions include an interactive presentation, worksheets and a teacher lesson plan.
Writing workshops can include the opportunity for students to share their work and receive feedback.
I have experience offering presentations and workshops in ELA, Social Studies, History, Humanities, Creative Writing, Literature, ESOL/ ELL, and Spanish classes.
“Students were highly engaged and had so many questions for Mayra during and after the workshop session. She stayed well after her presentation time in order to connect with students on a one on one level.”
SAMPLE PRESENTATION THEMES:
The Author’s Life: I discuss where I grew up, the stories that shape my books, and my journey to becoming published author. I offer writing exercises in which students are encouraged to explore their own history and identity, and we brainstorm ways to create safe and affirming creative spaces, particularly for sharing the stories of marginalized communities.
The Craft of Storytelling: I walk students through the craft of novel writing, including in-depth discussion of characterization, plotting, creating strong themes and settings, and other essential elements. We also discuss how these tools can be used in other forms of expression, including comic books and graphic novels, podcasts, song lyrics, and poetry.
Writing Against the ‘Cancel’: I help students critically analyze discourse around “cancel culture” and think together about how reading and writing stories can help us to build trust and empathy across differences, build civil discourse, and encourage the practice of “calling in” rather than “calling out”.
Am I a Feminist? I explore the many ways that people can identify as feminist, which uses Does My Body Offend You? as an accessible pathway to exploring intersectional feminism and feminism across generations/waves.
Writing for Justice: I discuss how novels promote social justice, which dives into the questions of what, exactly, social justice is and why storytelling matters for those of us who seek it. I brainstorm with students on what it means to be an active member of their school and community, and we discuss how they can work together to be advocates for effective, lasting change.
Journaling and Meditation: This was created with teen mental and emotional health in mind. We discuss how journaling and meditation can be tools for addressing the anxiety and depression teens often experience. For this workshop, Mayra uses examples of her own experiences as a teen who was diagnosed with both anxiety and depression at age 16. Today, she is a qualified meditation teacher and part of Kadampa Meditation Center Georgia’s Teacher Training Program.
ABOUT COLLEGE VISITS:
For college students, I offer a journalism presentation and Q&A based on my CNN career. We cover topics like news-gathering, vetting, story development and social media for journalists.
“Mayra exceeded expectations. Allowing the students to ask personal questions gave them an opportunity to open up and think about their own goals. ”
MORE Testimonials:
"Mayra was an absolute joy to host on the release day of Salty, Bitter, Sweet. She was so real and encouraging with our young writers and readers, and we had more than a few young female writers share that Mayra's experiences and advice really resonated with them! Her passion for "own voices" and cultivating a broader representation of books featuring Latinx authors and main characters is truly inspiring! She will move your students in a way that makes them hungry for more Latinx-Lit!" - Carrie Deem, Young Authors Club Sponsor, North Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett County, GA
“Mayra's virtual visit with our Creative Writing class was delight as she very insightful in sharing her writerly life and her personal path to being a published author. Our group of aspiring writers loved interacting with her gleaning knowledge from her experiences. We are so glad she was able to engage and inspire our high school students.” -- Dr. Angelyne Collins, Brookwood High School Librarian, Snellville, GA
"The Chaffey College Journalism Department was honored to have Mayra Cuevas host an effective and motivating presentation on working in the journalism industry. We appreciated her creativity, engagement, enthusiasm, and the invaluable information and resources she provided our students. We admire her dedication to educate aspiring journalists." - Hector A. Solorzano Castillo Program Assistant, Language Arts/Journalism, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
“Mayra's virtual visit with our ESOL students at Norcross was pure joy! She was delightful, and the students loved listening to her stories and travels. For many of our students, this was the first time they have ever met a published author, so her visit was extra special. Mayra was so engaging, and our students are still talking about the visit!” - Lorraine McCullough, Media Specialist, Norcross High School