Name: Writing the Words They Erased at Irondequoit Public Library
Start: 2026-10-06
End: 2026-10-06

Rochester, NY, is the third-largest metropolitan area in New York State, nestled along the southern shore of Lake Ontario. With a proud sports tradition, Rochester is home to iconic teams like the Rochester Red Wings (MiLB), Rochester Americans (AHL), Rochester Knighthawks (NLL), and Flower City Union (NPSL). Our vibrant sports culture thrives across all levels, from youth clubs and high schools to elite collegiate programs, creating a strong, year-round foundation for athletic excellence.

The Rochester NY Sports Commission champions Monroe County through the power of sports tourism. By attracting championships, invitationals, and tournaments across a wide range of disciplines, we help fuel the region’s economy and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Each year, Rochester welcomes a growing roster of sporting events, showcasing our top-tier facilities, supportive community, and dedication to teamwork on and off the field.

We invite event organizers, rights holders, and sports professionals to discover why Rochester and Monroe County are ideal destinations for your next competition or tournament. Let’s play in Rochester!

Visit Rochester

*Join us for a generative writing workshop against censorship at Irondequoit Public Library!*

This workshop is presented as part of our [Rochester Reads 25th Anniversary](https://writersandbooks.org/rochester-reads/) programming. Participants in this workshop will read excerpts on the subject of censorship from one of our 2026 Rochester Reads selections, Omar El Akkad’s *One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This*.

What is the role of the writer in an era of increased censorship, where the chilling of speech is a central tactic to suppress dissent, freedom, and social justice? Inspired by BELONG by Gianna Stewart this accessible, generative writing workshop invites you to “take back” one or more words on PEN America’s “Banned Word List” and say exactly what it means to you. Whether in poetry or prose, you’ll explore the associations, images, and personal definitions you have for words the powerful want to erase. Led by Tyler Barton, the workshop will include short readings of powerful works of literature that reclaim language, as well as prompts to get you thinking and your pen moving.

This event is organized in partnership with Irondequoit Public Library.

Read more about BELONG by Gianna Stewart, RoCo’s new public artwork, [HERE](https://www.rochestercontemporary.org/exhibitions/belong/)

**ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER**  
**Tyler Barton** is the Artistic Director of Writers & Books and the author of Eternal Night at the Nature Museum and The Quiet Part Loud. He has taught writing to children, high schoolers, college kids, library patrons, incarcerated individuals, nursing home residents, and new immigrants. He directs the Joe Flaherty Legacy Writing Workshops for Writers & Books and co-founded Fear No Lit with the artist Erin Dorney. Learn more at tsbarton.com.

Writing the Words They Erased at Irondequoit Public Library

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