Our Mission
We believe in the transformative power of story.
Through dialogue, workshop, and performance, veterans, first responders, and their families gain new understanding about themselves and the world around them. Empowered, they seek integration back into the community, and at the same time the community gains new perspective and understanding about what it means to serve.
Our Mission
Programs & Events
Returning Soldiers Speak and Poets & Writers present
A Poetry and Creative NonFiction Reading
featuring R. S. Carlson, Ken Klemm, Kyrie Ravencry, and Benjamin Fortier.
Our four United States Veterans will present their original poetry and creative nonfiction about their experiences in the military and coming home. In addition, they will explore what defending the Constitution of the United States means to them. After the readings, the veterans will engage in dialogue with the audience.
February 8, 2025 @ 2:00-3:30 PST
Grief Dialogues: memorial Day
Veterans Version
Call for PLAY Submissions
Play submissions are limited to United States Veterans currently living in Southern California. Submissions can be a monologue (2 to 5 pages) or a short play (10 minutes). Click below for more information on submission guidelines and how to submit.
A program in collaboration with Grief Dialogues, Returning Soldiers Speak, and In Their Honor.
Ongoing Event — Join Us!
Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop
All Writers WelcomePoetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...
Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST
Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.
Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop
All Writers WelcomePoetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...
Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST
Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.
Veteran Short Film Project
ArtsUP! LA and Veterans Empowerment Theatre is launching the inaugural Veteran Short Film Project. The project provides military veteran writers with screenwriting workshops to hone their skills, learn more about the film-creation process, and to fully produce one selected screenplay.
Returning Soldiers Speak is a partner in this project.
The Letters Project
Across Time: Love & Humanity During War
An original theatrical production inspired by letters from past wars and conflicts that provide a poignant window into the hopes, fears, and experiences of those who served.
Read more about the play, the cast, and the veteran playwrights at the link below.
The Letters Project is a collaboration of ArtsUP! LA & RETURNING SOLDIERS SPEAK.
Programs & Events
Returning Soldiers Speak and Poets & Writers present
A Poetry and Creative NonFiction Reading
featuring R. S. Carlson, Ken Klemm, Kyrie Ravencry, and Benjamin Fortier.
Our four United States Veterans will present their original poetry and creative nonfiction about their experiences in the military and coming home. In addition, they will explore what defending the Constitution of the United States means to them. After the readings, the veterans will engage in dialogue with the audience.
February 8, 2025 @ 2:00-3:30 PST
Grief Dialogues: memorial Day
Veterans Version
Call for PLAY Submissions
Play submissions are limited to United States Veterans currently living in Southern California. Submissions can be a monologue (2 to 5 pages) or a short play (10 minutes). Click below for more information on submission guidelines and how to submit.
A program in collaboration with Grief Dialogues, Returning Soldiers Speak, and In Their Honor.
Ongoing Event — Join Us!
Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop
All Writers WelcomePoetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...
Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST
Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.
Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop
All Writers WelcomePoetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...
Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST
Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.
The Letters Project
Across Time: Love & Humanity During War
An original theatrical production inspired by letters from past wars and conflicts that provide a poignant window into the hopes, fears, and experiences of those who served.
Read more about the play, the cast, and the veteran playwrights at the link below.
The Letters Project is a collaboration of ArtsUP! LA & RETURNING SOLDIERS SPEAK.
Veteran Short Film Project
ArtsUP! LA and Veterans Empowerment Theatre is launching the inaugural Veteran Short Film Project. The project provides military veteran writers with screenwriting workshops to hone their skills, learn more about the film-creation process, and to fully produce one selected screenplay.
Returning Soldiers Speak is a partner in this project.
The Latest
First-Time Playwright Speaks
Ken Klemm
My First Time Writing A Stageplay
Benjamin Fortier
Never the Same, Again
Leilani Squire
Patriotism — A Better “ism”
Lester Probst
The Latest
First-Time Playwright Speaks
Ken Klemm
My First Time Writing A Stageplay
Benjamin Fortier
Never the Same, Again
Leilani Squire
Patriotism — A Better “ism”
Lester Probst
The Latest
First-Time Playwright Speaks
Ken Klemm
My First Time Writing A Stageplay
Benjamin Fortier
Never the Same, Again
Leilani Squire
Patriotism — A Better “ism”
Lester Probst
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.
Our Approach
Since the inception of Returning Soldiers Speak, we have held the belief that a neutral space allows our veterans, first responders, and their families to express their views and stories without fear of being judged or rejected. If we had said, “We are a liberal organization,” then the veteran with conservative views might have turned away. If we had said, “We are a conservative organization,” then the veteran with liberal views might have fled. It does not matter to us if the veteran’s views are to the left or to the right or in the middle of the political spectrum.
What has always mattered is that we offer a safe place for veterans to write their stories, and a venue for them to tell their stories, to speak their truths.