Lisa Beech Hartz founded Seven Cities Writers Project in 2014 to bring cost free creative writing and literacy programs to underserved communities. She has guided writing workshops at the Norfolk City Jail and the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk. She has also guided Resistance & Resilience: A Memoir Workshop of the Jim Crow Era.

A poet, Lisa’s collection, The Goldfish WIndow, was published in 2018 by Grayson Books. Lisa’s poems, largely about visual art and artists, can be found in many literary journals.

Lisa holds masters degrees from Hollins University (M.A., English Writing) and the University of Miami (M.F.A., Creative Writing). She has lead community writing workshops and taught classes in writing for over eighteen years. She lives in Portsmouth with her husband and sons.

Norfolk City Jail