OCTOBER 3, 2025 CREATIVE WRITING YpsiWrites 2025-2026 Writers of Ypsilanti YpsiWrites, a writing-based nonprofit that believes everyone is a writer, is excited to introduce the 2025 Writers of Ypsilanti. YpsiWrites’ theme for the coming year is Writing Together, and all nine of this year’s writers embody that theme. Celebrate the writers at this year’s YpsiWrites Birthday Party on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Whittaker Road branch of the Ypsilanti District Library. RSVP at tinyurl. com/YW101125. Below is more information on each of this year’s Writers of Ypsilanti. Alexandra Pryplesh (she/her) is a writer who attends high school in Ypsilanti and writes philosophy papers, essays and poetry. She believes that writing is essential for human connection and understanding. Brandi Wentworth (she/her) just graduated with her Bachelor’s in General Studies from Eastern Michigan University’s College in Prison program at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Brandi is co-editor of “Behind the Wire,” the first college-in-prison newsletter in the state of Michigan. She writes short stories and poetry and finds writing daily in a journal to be very therapeutic. Brandi considers revision key to her writing process and loves watching her writing change as she rewrites, by hand, her drafts. Jared M. Bentley (he/him) lives in Ypsilanti and is an Eastern Michigan University alum. He writes long-form fiction and short stories, including his book called "Robots, Please," a collection that humorously absurdity. Jihyun Ko (she/her) lives in Ypsilanti and writes poetry and journalistic investigative pieces about the community. She values how deeply personal moments in fiction and poetry can also become collective experiences. Jim Clark (he/him) is an Eastern Michigan University alum who lives in Ypsilanti. He writes op-eds, informative journalistic pieces and interviews. You can catch his writing in Groundcover News, and he enjoys both the historical importance of writing as well as its entertainment value. John Allen Taylor (he/him) lives in Ypsilanti and believes there is something uniquely special about the city. Poetry is his genre because it lights up the “dusty, tangled parts” of his brain like nothing else. Lee Van Roth (she/they/he) is an explores Eastern Michigan University alum and local journalist whose work covers Ypsilanti organizations through a solutions-based lens. They love the sense of community in Ypsilanti and how everyone here wants to see everyone else succeed in whatever capacity they can. Stephanie Heit (she/her) lives in Ypsilanti and codirects Turtle Disco, a somatic writing space grounded in Truth or Lies: A found friend “Hey, did you hear Mom talking to Auntie Naomi? She was telling her that we’re going to camp for two weeks. Then they started laughing,” said Jizzi-B. “What is a camp?” asked Cassey. Jizzi-B said, “I don’t know what a camp is, however Mom paid her money.” “I’m scared,” said Cassey. “We will be a nine and ten year old lost at camp. Is camp outside? Do we sleep on the ground?” “Calm your imagination down; Mom won’t let us go somewhere to be lost,” said Jizzi-B. “Besides, you have me and I have you. Don’t worry, I heard it’s lots of fun. I think it’s swimming, games and arts. That's what Mom told Auntie. We leave for camp this weekend.” The alarm blared at 4 a.m. “Get up, time to rise and shine!” said Mom. “Time to get ready for camp, aren’t you excited?” Mom asked. “Yes,” said Jizzi-B. “No,” said Cassey. “Don’t worry, it’s gonna be fun,” Mom said. “If you hurry I will take y'all to Coney Island for breakfast.” The girls looked at each other saying harmoniously, “Coney Island.” “Boy, Mom sure has strange places planned today,” said Cassey. “Just hurry, I want to see this place,” said Jizzi-B. It was a special day; toast with egg and cheese with orange juice from a restaurant named Coney Island. Mom pulled into a parking space on the other side of the buses. We were at the Olympia Stadium, where all the parents were dropping off their children. “Are we going camping in that big building?” asked Cassey. “No. Now, get your suitcases and follow me.” Mom walked them to the bus, hugged and kissed them. “See you in two weeks,” Mom said. Cassey and Jizzi-B got on the bus and took their seats. All of a sudden Cassey started crying. “I don’t want to go! I am scared I want my mommy!” “Hush, crybaby! I’m here with you,” Jizzi-B said, grabbing her sister's hand. “You're scared to have fun. Come on sis, look out the window. We will be there soon.” Camp Tecumsen. The bus driver instructed everyone to get off and line up alongside the bus. “Hello, welcome to Camp Tecumsen little campers. For the next two weeks The bus pulled up at FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 you are little Tecumsen campers. Everyone group up into fours, let's go. Until you leave these are your partners. Never leave a teammate behind,” said the director. Jizzi-B, Cassey and one other little girl were the only ones not chosen. Cassey looked at the other little girl and asked her, “What is that stick you have?” Jizzi-B tapped her sister and said, “Don’t be rude.” Cassey explained that she wasn't rude. “I don’t understand why she has a stick with red paint at the bottom,” said Cassey. “Hi, my name is Jizzi-B and that's Cassey asking about your stick. Please forgive her, she doesn't know that you are blind.” “What?” Cassey’s mouth dropped. “I am sorry, please forgive me,” said Cassey. “No worries, I am Savianni, and that happens a lot. People don’t pick me because I am blind.” Jizzi-B replied, "Well, today none of us got picked. However we are a team now; lets beat them at all the games by working together. Just because you’re blind does not mean you can’t win.” Jizzi-B and Cassey helped Savianni for the next two weeks. During paint tag they hid Savianni behind a big rock, allowing her to tag anyone who passed by. Even though she could not see to paint, the girls helped her finger paint. They even held her hands, allowing her to go swimming. The girls had so much fun helping and playing with Savianni. When the time came for them to go home, no one wanted to leave. The girls exchanged phone numbers hoping to keep in contact. However over time they lost touch. Time passed and Jizzi-B was 17 visiting her Auntie Naomi for the weekend. Auntie Naomi told Jizzi-B to run a store errand. Jizzi-B was walking down the street of Newport approaching the Harper Street Bridge, when she saw a lady cutting tulips from her yard for a bouquet. She knew the lady was blind because she had the stick with the red at the bottom. Jizzi-B asked her if she needed any help. “No, but thanks anyway,” the lady said. She continued on to the store. However, on the way back, Jizzi-B spoke to the lady once again. “You know I once helped a little girl at camp who was blind. I don’t remember her name, it was an odd name. All I remember is we were all scared and leaned on each other. It was her, me, and my little sister Cassey.” The lady asked, "Is your name Jizzi-B?” Thanks Groundcover News readers! I hope you guessed the right answer ... "Truth or Lies: The Invader," published August 8, 2025, was TRUE. Look out soon for the Mystery Lane Reading Game online. disability culture. She engages in poetry, essays and movement as forms of writing. Stephanie believes writing is “an act of imagination that can document the past, amplify the present, speculate the future, and create mediums with which to engage the world.” Tree Hammons (they/them) lives and works in Ypsilanti. They write poetry, creative nonfiction, grants and short stories. Tree loves the experimental and playful aspects of writing poetry, such as alliteration or determining where to put a line break. To them, writing is important because it necessitates thinking, and it helps put words to feelings. Learn more about the Writers of Ypsilanti at ypsiwrites.com/ writers-of-ypsilanti-2025/ GROUNDCOVER NEWS 13
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