As a poet and single mom, Marianne moved to a new area looking for a safe space to share her work and her heart. This journey led her to creating an open mic organization where creative writers come together every Thursday evening at 7:30 PM. Enlighten bakery has become a safe place where writers and dreamers feel seen and heard.

It is often those who feel marginalized that are hungry for a space to feel noticed, to have their lives witnessed by people who are willing to hear their experiences. Marianne encourages anyone who is struggling to write, write it down. Healing comes when we share our experiences, even if at first our sharing is just with a piece of paper.