ithaca writing studio collaborates with local artists, writers, collectives and organizations, ragtag duos, hellraisers, little witches, crafters and makers

MEET OUR COLLABORATORS

People and Places

Keyturah Moore is a creative writer, lyricist, and amateur film maker living in Ithaca, NY. She has supported the literary community by creating and hosting poetry events in Tompkins County as well as designing a workshop for Spring Writes Literary Festival. She has a self-published chapbook of poetry titled Broken Words which is available for purchase. Passion Behind the Pen Productions is Keyturah Moore’s creation that bridges the gap between poetry workshops, events, and other literary endeavors within the community. A special thank you to CAP for awarding Moore a Community Artist Grant for her workshop series to be a highlight of Spring Writes in 2025.

Hello, my name is Desoni Cooper. I’m a recent Ithaca College graduate with a degree in Documentary Studies and Production. I’m a filmmaker, poet, and songwriter who uses art to shine light on social issues and uplift marginalized voices through storytelling. I hope this space encourages expression, healing, and the freedom to create from the heart.

Jada Simone (aka a_note_from_jada) is a local Ithaca-based poet and visual artist working in sculpture, painting, and performance mediums. Originally from Grand Rapids, MI, she took her words to the stage for the first time at a local open mic in 2023 with the launch of her first chapbook, "Unfollowed Into the Dark" in 2024.  Her commitment to the creative process led to a deep involvement in the Ithaca poetry community by hosting community conversations, leading summer writing workshops at the Tompkins County Public Library, and even starting month-long poetry challenges on social media. Focusing on themes of love, loss, family, and change, she hopes her words inspire, comfort, and shed light on truths in our daily lives. Connect with Jada Simone on Instagram @a_note_from_jada, or follow her blog at anotefromjada.com.

Ashley Cake was born and raised in Ithaca, NY and has been a lifelong service worker in the hospitality industry, most recently owning and operating The Watershed & The Downstairs. She is an award-winning labor and public safety advocate, serving on the boards of organizations from Ithaca Underground to Alternatives Federal Credit Union. In her academic career, Ashley has written and taught extensively on Enwhitenment European philosophy -- particularly Soren Kierkegaard and Lacanian psychoanalysis -- as well as comparative religion -- particularly American social justice and liberationist histories. Her current praxis seeks to work the critical junctures of abolition, emergent strategies of care and transformative justice, which is to say: Land Back & Reparations.


Located at 415 N. Tioga St. in downtown Ithaca, NY, Media Arts Collective + Resource Exchange (MACRE) — pronounced “maker” — is a media arts collective and resource exchange based in downtown Ithaca, rooted in responsiveness to the needs, interests, and issues of our beloved community.

Launching June 1, 2025, our dream is for MACRE to grow into an innovative interdisciplinary arts organization—serving as both a creative incubator and community-centered space for experiential learning, collaborative making, and cross-disciplinary connection. We aim to foster a dynamic environment where new forms of creativity emerge through the fusion of art, technology, and community engagement.

Through hybrid programs and workshops, we support creative exploration across disciplines. Structured as a cooperative with a nonprofit arm, MACRE expands access to media tools and resources—prioritizing marginalized and underfunded groups—fostering shared ownership, inclusion, and community-driven collaboration.