(Courtesy photo)
By TRINA “INDI” JOHNSON
Special to the NEWS
Writers and nature enthusiasts are invited to the San Benito Cultural Center on Sunday, August 31, 2025, for a Creative Writing Workshop and Merienda Series event.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., the session, titled “Exploring Nature Writing: Re-Defining Boundaries,” will be led by Taylor Zavala, a certified Relational Forest Therapy Guide and Certified Nature-Based Education Teacher, who contributes to the education team at Quinta Mazatlán, as posted on quintamazatlan.com.
The workshop will guide participants through readings, group embodiment exercises, and short writing prompts designed to deepen their connection with the Rio Grande Delta. Zavala encourages attendees to explore their personal relationship with the surrounding ecosystem and reflect on how the natural world shapes both story and experience.
The San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum and Cultural Center provides the backdrop for this exploration. Joaquin Castillo, curator of the museum and cultural center, said the institutions were created “to strengthen and enhance quality of life and a sense of community in San Benito and the greater region.”
“The aim of our exhibitions, programming, and collaborations with regional cultural leaders is to create a collaborative environment that promotes, encourages, and shares the deeply talented voices behind the narratives of this region,” he said.
Accessibility and community engagement remain central to the center’s mission. Castillo explained, “One of the missions of the San Benito Cultural Arts Department is to not only emphasize the importance of the arts and stewardship of our culture but also to increase the accessibility of these spaces for the community.”
“Through our opening receptions and often free-to-the-public programming, we invite the community to go beyond touring the exhibits and to engage in activities and conversations centered around them. We provide access to cultural spaces that affirm identity and celebrate community,” he went on to add.
During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to view Glimpses of Nature: 12 x 12 Works by Rio Bravo Artes, a collection of 53 pieces by regional artists.
Castillo said, “The artists had two guiding stipulations: work within a 12 x 12 space and reflect on nature. Several of the artists are from or living in the Rio Grande Valley.”
The exhibition is designed to inspire reflection on local ecology, complementing Zavala’s nature-writing exercises and providing a visual conversation between art and the natural environment.
The workshop is free and open to the public. The San Benito Cultural Center is located at 225 E. Stenger St., San Benito, TX 78586. Parking is available near the side entrance across from the Elk Lodge.
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