This curriculum was developed by Nathan Ross Freeman throughout his career as an artist and teacher, and over a span of 18 years as the Artistic Director and Co-founder of Authoring Action. Together with Co-founder and Executive Director, Lynn Rhoades, and a collection of collaborating artists, the Authoring Action Process became a living, breathing and evolving curriculum that has affected the lives of hundreds of teens and reached the ears of thousands of adults. In a time when communities are not listening to young people, Authoring Action’s signature creative and presentation processes aim to cultivate vocal, film, multimedia and visual art outlets that speak to systemic societal issues. 

For the past 21 years the Authoring Action Creative Writing Process has been used with teen authors, in public school classrooms, for private workshops, in professional settings, at conferences and large-scale public events. The Process has provided a structure for topics ranging from the environment, to domestic violence, from the education achievement gap to workplace relationships.

Our People

Nathan Ross Freeman

Nathan Ross Freeman is the co-founder of Authoring Action. He is the recipient of the B.E.S.T outstanding faculty member of the Intensive writing program as UNC Charlotte and was the Visiting Writer at Salem College (2009). He has cultivated young authors with Authoring Action for 21 years and developed the group into an eight year running keynote speaking group at the National At-Risk Educators’ Network annual conference. Nathan graduated from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA. He lives in Winston-Salem, NC.

Nathan was a recipient of the 2015 WSFC Arts Council Award, and was one of three statewide adjudicators for the finalist of the 2009 NC Arts Council Screenwriting/ Playwriting Fellowship.  

As a statewide resident NC Playworks Playwright, Nathan is a key co-developer of the NCEdTA state wide curriculum for Playworks in the Schools (K4-12). Nathan is also a member of the NC Humanities Speakers Bureau.

Lynn Rhoades

Lynn Rhoades is co-founder of Authoring Action and Executive Director for the organization. Along with administrative oversight, staff and program development and vocal/stage coaching, Rhoades provides emotional and spiritual support for Authoring Action teens, young adults and their families. An artist in her own right, Rhoades’ love of performance art and passion for the health and well-being of young people merged with her commitment to social justice to give birth to the idea of Authoring Action —where the voices and dreams of young people find a forum among the adults who most affect their lives. Together with Nathan Ross Freeman, they developed Authoring Action (formerly known as The Winston-Salem Youth Arts Institute).

Prior to directing Authoring Action, Rev. Rhoades, served as pastor of the Danbury Community Church in Danbury, NC (2003-2012), and as associate pastor of the Wake Forest Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC (1990-2001). A graduate of Carson-Newman College and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynn is a clinically trained chaplain, and has co-facilitated Cultural Competency and Closing the Achievement Gap training for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. At Salem College, Rhoades taught service and leadership classes for 3 years. Trained in domestic violence counseling (Interact-Raleigh, NC and by Marie Fortune, Seattle, WA), she co-led other clergy in domestic violence awareness and served as a member of the Faith in Action Committee of the Domestic Violence Community Council.

Willie Holmes

Willie Holmes is the assistant artistic director, and alumnus of the “Apsouliste” ensemble. He graduated with a degree in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Willie is a published writer, with film credits. He has been apart of the Authoring Action staff as Assistant Artistic Director, mentor and teacher since 2010. He currently resides in Greensboro, NC.

Sara Graybeal

Sara Graybeal is a visiting writer with Authoring Action. A poet, spoken word performer, and prose writer, Sara has had work published in Moon City Review, Philadelphia Stories, Floating Bridge Review, Tempered Magazine and elsewhere. She founded and directed the Poeticians, a spoken word and Hip-Hop collective in Philadelphia. She is now an MFA candidate in Fiction at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Alexandra Hoskins

Alexandra Hoskins is the Executive Director, Systems Coherence & Strategic Planning for the Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools. She is a Member, NC Professional Educators Preparation & Standards Commission (PEPSC), and Co-Chair, PEPSC Licensure Committee

She has worked for the WSFCS district since 2006. She has over 23 years of experience as an educator, and she impacted lives as a high school English teacher in high-poverty schools for 9 years. Her personal mission statement reads, “I am an authentic advocate who builds capacity by empowering others.” In addition to her work with Authoring Action!, Alexandra enjoys being on the Board of Directors for Forsyth Educator Partnership as well as a/perture Cinema, and she is a proud resident of downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.