"It's very important that our elders have a voice to be heard because often, individuals who are marginalized in society are not heard. If it's not in the media it doesn't exist. So you have to find a way to give a voice so it’s heard. That’s what art is for."
- John Elberling, Executive Vice President, TODCO

As part of TODCO's Inner City Arts Program, the Creative Writing Class was formed in 1990 to give voice to seniors of the neighborhood for the City to hear. Poems like "This Section Closed," screams with voice, creativity and courage—characteristic of the senior students in TODCO's Creative Writing Class.

TODCO has been able to maintain this creative writing program for seniors in the South of Market Area under the stewardship of Nancy Deutsch, the Creative Writing Instructor. Ms. Deutsch has been able to tap into the richness and diversity of the senior housing community and lead each writer to find his or her own legacy, hopes, dreams, vulnerabilities and strengths in their own voice.

The senior poets perform regularly at civic events and community readings and boast six commissioned poems. Their poem, "Dare We Dream In Concrete" is the official poem of the Yerba Buena Gardens and can be found engraved in the granite cornerstone at the entrance to the Garden on Mission Street, between Third and Fourth Streets.

Over the years, many students have been part of the Creative Writing Class, the longest stay of any student has been 13 years. Currently the average attendance is 12 people per class. The senior participants range from age 70 to age 92 with new members welcomed to join any Monday class at TODCO's Ceatrice Polite Apartments. Maria Tan, a poet in the group says, "It's never too late to start writing poetry." She joined the class last year after turning 80.

For more information about the program, please contact Nancy Deutsch at
415-648-6121.