Drexel Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni and West Philadelphia Residents Aim to Unite the Community Through Art and the Written Word

Melville, N.Y. – Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., and Drexel University in Philadelphia today announced the launch of its latest anthology, entitled "Notes to Self." The book showcases the work of students and participants in the TRIPOD at Writers Room program, a Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences initiative with programming on campus and at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, co-founded and supported by Canon Solutions America. In its second year, the TRIPOD at Writers Room program featured camera instruction, field trips and cultural events, weekly meetings and monthly workshops. Groups of writers worked together over the past nine months to document West Philadelphia and other parts of the city through photography, stories, poems, and essays.

The Dornsife Center is an urban extension center in West Philadelphia's "Promise Zone", a designation created by the Obama Administration to provide areas of poverty access to higher education and other resources to improve their quality of life. Comprised of a diverse group of Drexel students, faculty, staff, alumni, and local residents of all ages, members of Writers Room aim to unite the community by bringing together intergenerational teams to tell the story of a changing city.

"We are so proud of our writers for all their hard work on this project," said Rachel Wenrick, director of Writers Room and associate teaching professor of English. "They have done an exceptional job of bringing their West Philadelphia experience to life through writing and images. We are thankful to Canon Solutions America for all their support and for their assistance in creating this beautiful book showcasing the participants' work, and to Canon U.S.A. for providing us with cameras to capture the images that tell our collective stories."

"Canon Solutions America is so thrilled to be a part of this program, which was such a success in its first year that more people wanted to join this year," said Peter Kowalczuk, President, Canon Solutions America. "We are grateful for the opportunity to support this important initiative, and we hope it continues to grow and provide opportunities not only for the students, teachers, and alumni but for local residents as well."

In addition to providing state-of-the-art Canon equipment for participants' use throughout the program, Canon U.S.A. also offered basic camera instruction and photography fundamentals, which helped TRIPOD members capture their images. The photos will be on display through September at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Additionally, community members will be able to borrow the Writers Room Anthology 5 book, "Notes to Self", from the Free Library when it is added to their circulation.

The program's participants are encouraged to join Writers Room's regular monthly workshops to provide additional points of engagement and spread awareness for these projects throughout the community.

TRIPOD at Writers Room participants and guests listen to readings from “Notes to Self.”