The Red Badge Project is working to change that by giving veterans give voice to their stories through writing, poetry, song and/or filmography.

On May 18, a session of the Red Badge Project will come to BMCC Hermiston.

“Defending Your Voice” is a one-day workshop and presentation hosted by Shawn Wong, a professor at the University of Washington and one of the teachers in the Red Badge Project. For the past two years, Won has taught veterans at joint Base Lewis-McChord how to capture their stories in writing, whether from a first person, non-fiction voice or through a surrogate fictional voice.

The final presentation of this year’s Arts & Culture Festival, the Hermiston presentation will include both a writing workshop at BMCC Hermiston room 231 and a presentation about the project and its impact on communities from 5:30-7 p.m. at BMCC Hermiston room 134. Both presentations are free.

Wong will lead both sessions, and both events are open to anyone in the public — not only veterans.

During the writing workshop, Wong will work with all attendees about telling stories that may be difficult to articulate. Students from local high schools and BMCC will attend the writing workshop, and everyone in the community is invited to both the workshop and the presentation, said Alison Timmons, BMCC English instructor and head of the Arts & Culture Festival.

“This is something a little bit different that I think resonates with anyone in the community,” Timmons said. “This is a community soldiers in it — a lot of soldiers — so I think it’s a good fit for Hermiston.”

What: Writing Workshop

Date: May 18

Time: 1-3 p.m.

Location: BMCC Hermiston Room 231

What: Red Badge Project Presentation

Date: May 18

Time: 5:30-7 p.m.

Location: BMCC Hermiston Room 134