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Veterans Program

Are you a military veteran or the family member of one? If so, we want to hear from you!
In an effort to provide meaningful programming to those who have served, SDHC seeks input from our veterans.

So that we can better serve those who have served, please provide us with your ideas and/or suggestions by completing our survey. 

Vietnam memorial flag

Veterans Writing Workshops Scheduled for Spring/Summer 2025

To support and honor our military veterans, the South Dakota Humanities Council is sponsoring a series of five Veterans’ Writing Workshops in Rapid City.
The monthly workshops will be held in the Hoyt Room at the Rapid City Public Library, 610 Quincy St., beginning on April 5. Facilitated by SDHC scholar Molly Barari, the two-hour sessions will focus on identifying and reflecting on memories, practicing simple techniques for life story writing, and connecting with other veterans through the sharing of stories.

SDHC encourages all military veterans, active service members and their family members to attend.

The workshops will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. MT on the following dates:

  • Saturday, April 5

  • Saturday, May 10

  • Saturday, June 21

  • Saturday, July 12

  • Saturday, August 23

SDHC scholar and workshop facilitator Molly Barari holds an EdD in Adult Education from the University of South Dakota and an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. She has extensive experience teaching writing, including the Heirlooms: Creative Life Writing workshop, in which she provides prompts that encourage participants to record life memories through sensory detail. This type of writing allows participants to process and make meaning of past events and connects them with others through sharing and listening protocols.

Registration for the workshops is encouraged by emailing drmollybarari@gmail.com, but walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, contact the South Dakota Humanities Council at (605) 688-6113.

We hope you’ll join us!

SDHC Sponsoring FREE Veterans’ Writing Workshops

The South Dakota Humanities Council offers a series of writing workshops to connect veterans throughout the state. 

Following are the primary goals of the workshops:

  • To connect veterans with others who have shared similar life experiences
  • To provide a welcoming and comfortable place for veterans to “tell their stories”
  • To create a collection of stories that can be shared with a broader audience
  • To provide a platform for veterans to engage in lifelong learning through writing

SDHC Scholar Amber Jensen will facilitate the Brookings workshops. Jensen teaches in the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies at South Dakota State University. She teaches writing with an emphasis on the genres of creative nonfiction and poetry. Her memoir, The Smoke of You: A Memoir of Love During & After Deployment, focuses on how her husband’s military service has influenced her family. She has worked with military families to encourage the sharing of experiences to better understand the significant impacts of war in our culture.

SDHC Scholar Molly Barari will facilitate the Rapid City workshops. Barari holds a Doctorate in Adult Education from the University of South Dakota and an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. She has extensive experience teaching writing, including the Heirlooms: Creative Life Writing Workshop, in which she provides writing prompts that encourage participants to record life memories through sensory detail. This type of writing allows participants to process and make meaning of past events and connects them with others through sharing and listening protocols.

Please check back regularly for schedule updates.

For more information, please contact SDHC at (605) 688-6113.

SD Department of Veterans Affairs –  Upcoming Events

The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs has shared a schedule of events directed at honoring our veterans and their families. Click here for the full schedule.