Authors/Artists
Cindy Wright
Cindy Wright moved to Winston-Salem at the age of 22 to become an apprentice at La Chaudiere, a French restaurant. Since that time she married, has cooked in a number of professional kitchens, been a student, a stay at home mom, a community volunteer, and a special education teacher. Through all of the transitions, Cindy explored and developed her creative side. She self published collection of short stories and poems written over a 20 year period called “The Mothers Of Us All,” which is available on Amazon. For a number of years she worked on a series of pieces called “What Once Was Lost.” These are sculptures and assemblages which are made primarily from found objects and saved treasures. In 2016, her older child Milo passed away unexpectedly at age 24. Cindy devoted the next year to compiling Milo's poetry, which was published by Press 53 in a book titled Milo Writes. As she learns to live with the loss, she is now focusing on her work which includes building her tutoring business (Strategic-Tutoring.com), creating art, continuing to promote Milo Writes and its message, and producing short videos.
Milo Wright
Milo Wright was a poet, a story teller, and a true original, who struggled with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, social awkwardness, gender fluidity, and a willingness to trust that often backfired. Words were their most loyal friend. Milo, born Allegra, began reading before entering school and writing poetry and stories as soon as they figured out how to form the letters. Their poetry is filled with descriptions of these struggles as well as their amazing ability to forgive, to love people for who they were, to try again, and to hang on to hope. Milo, then going by Charlotte, graduated from Middle College at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. On this campus they found safety, a few friends, and their first writing group. This group helped Milo hone their skills and learn to speak to their audience. Another place where Milo found refuge was Trade Street in Winston-Salem, home to The Arts District that often played the role of muse. Whatever their current name of choice—Milo, Charlotte, Ravi, or Allegra—or whatever stage they were passing through, there was someone or someplace on Trade Street to share a conversation or their latest writing or to simply find inspiration for the next poem or play. During their last year, Milo had begun to assemble their writing with the hope of publication. Their life was cut short by an undetected heart defect. After their death, Milo's mother knew the book had to be completed. She searched computers, notebooks, and files for poems and drawings, adding those to what she had rescued over the years from Milo's trash. The result is this intimate compilation of poetry which spans Allegra/Milo's life.