Joy Letters Journaling Club
About
Joy Letters is a journaling club based in New York, founded by journalist Akili King. The club brings members together for communal reflection and healing through writing prompts and conversation. This club reminds people that journaling isn’t something you have to always do alone, or when you’re going through tough times. It can both be the thing that brings you joy when going through a difficult phase, but also joy can be the very thing you journal about, too! Joy Letters focuses on creating a personal wellness space for community, promoting mental and emotional well-being through creative writing and shared experience.
It’s a space for everyone to gather, reflect, and feel less alone wherever you are in their journey of life: whether you just started journaling or are a seasoned journaler/writer looking for ways to enhance their routine and community experience.
The journaling club itself was inspired by Akili’s love for community and journaling, her personal periods of challenge, joy, and reflection, as well as her Grandmothers: Lillian King and Annie Ruth (“Mama Ruth”) Leslie. Akili recalls her late Grandmother Lillian often journaling her thoughts as a way to process, while Mama Ruth is the founder of a sustainable Stationery company, Annie Bioko.
Mama Ruth on the left. Grandma Lillian on the right.
What to expect from a session
Every Joy Letters Journaling Club session, typically held at Early Yves Café in Brooklyn, has a theme (for example: love, grief, friendship, etc.) inspired by the seasons and what community members might be going through.
After a theme is selected, Akili creates prompts surrounding that theme. She brings printed cards for attendees to use to support their journaling session.
Additionally, Akili creates a playlist to accompany each session.
Attendees can of course free journal—they’re not limited to the provided prompts. They can also write their own prompts to pose to the group. Attendees also can feel free to journal quietly or talk amongst peers, sip drinks and enjoy snacks provided by Early Yves, and more.
In other sessions, Akili collaborates with specialists who co-create the prompts, playlists, as well as co-host the day of. These events typically involve special elements, such as group conversations, workshops, product testing, etc.
