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. 

Group photo
Cast from ACROSS TIME: LOVE & HUMANITY DURING WAR.

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. 
Cast of Across Time: Love & Humanity During War, a play from Returning Soldiers Speak.
Cast from ACROSS TIME: LOVE & HUMANITY DURING WAR.

Programs & Events

Join us for

A Reading of Creative Nonfiction

Join us for a reading of creative nonfiction told through the various lenses of the military family, followed by a discussion between the writers and audience. Writers featured are:

  • Elizabeth Coplan
  • Sarah Cosgrove
  • Cherielyn Ferguson
  • Richard Fluck
  • Kate McLeod

Facilitated by Leilani Squire.

Saturday, May 3, 2025
3:00pm - 4:30pm PST

Online via Zoom

Grief Dialogues:
Memorial Day

Get Tickets

Grief Dialogues: Memorial Day is a powerful three-hour immersive experience dedicated to honoring our military and Veteran communities, especially those affected by the Los Angeles fires. This event will provide a space for reflection, storytelling, and collective healing, ensuring that the sacrifices of our service members are never forgotten.

A program in collaboration with Grief Dialogues, Returning Soldiers Speak, and In Their Honor. 

More Information

Reflections:
Nurses on the Frontline During the Pandemic

Writing Workshop
and
Public Reading Project

The Reflections: Nurses on the Frontline During the Pandemic project comprises six writing workshops culminating in a public reading and panel discussion.

A program in collaboration with
Chin Family Institute for Nursing.

More Information

Ongoing Event — Join Us!

Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop

All Writers Welcome

Poetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...

Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST

Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.

Register via Email

Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop

All Writers Welcome

Poetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...

Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST

Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.

Register via Email

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.

More Information

Programs & Events

Join us for

A Reading of Creative Nonfiction

Join us for a reading of creative nonfiction told through the various lenses of the military family, followed by a discussion between the writers and audience. Writers featured are:

  • Elizabeth Coplan
  • Sarah Cosgrove
  • Cherielyn Ferguson
  • Richard Fluck
  • Kate McLeod

Facilitated by Leilani Squire.

Saturday, May 3, 2025
3:00pm - 4:30pm PST

More Information

Grief Dialogues:
Memorial Day

Get Tickets

Grief Dialogues: Memorial Day is a powerful three-hour immersive experience dedicated to honoring our military and Veteran communities, especially those affected by the Los Angeles fires. This event will provide a space for reflection, storytelling, and collective healing, ensuring that the sacrifices of our service members are never forgotten.

A program in collaboration with Grief Dialogues, Returning Soldiers Speak, and In Their Honor. 

More Information

Reflections:
Nurses on the Frontline During the Pandemic

Writing Workshop
and
Public Reading Project

The Reflections: Nurses on the Frontline During the Pandemic project comprises six writing workshops culminating in a public reading and panel discussion.

A program in collaboration with
Chin Family Institute for Nursing.

More Information

Ongoing Event — Join Us!

Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop

All Writers Welcome

Poetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...

Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST

Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.

Register via Email

Veteran's Creative Writing Workshop

All Writers Welcome

Poetry, Prose, Creative Nonfiction and everything in between...

Thursdays 4pm - 6pm PST

Online via Zoom.
Must be registered to join.

Register via Email

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.

More Information

The Latest

Featured image for “Dream and Implications”

Dream and Implications

Sometimes they say / “I knew something was wrong / when she was standing at the foot of my bed / and said to me, / ‘I’ll be fine. I love you’” / And then…

Ralph Carlson

Featured image for “Fire & Flowers”

Fire & Flowers

When one sits down to put pen to paper in an attempt to make sense of the despair and destruction left in the wake of fires such as have stuck the Los Angeles area, it…

Kyrie Ravencry

Featured image for “First-Time Playwright Speaks”

First-Time Playwright Speaks

What’s in a play, write? A lot more than I thought before participating in the Returning Soldiers Speak Letters Project. I had endured numerous stage productions in the past, mostly reluctantly (and don’t get me…

Ken Klemm

Featured image for “My First Time Writing A Stageplay”

My First Time Writing A Stageplay

First, I’d like to thank Leilani for inviting me to this fantastic event. My understanding of the project was that a small group of veteran writers would gather under Leilani’s direction to write a ten-minute,…

Benjamin Fortier

The Latest

Featured image for “Dream and Implications”

Dream and Implications

Sometimes they say / “I knew something was wrong / when she was standing at the foot of my bed…

Ralph Carlson

Featured image for “Fire & Flowers”

Fire & Flowers

When one sits down to put pen to paper in an attempt to make sense of the despair and destruction…

Kyrie Ravencry

Featured image for “First-Time Playwright Speaks”

First-Time Playwright Speaks

What’s in a play, write? A lot more than I thought before participating in the Returning Soldiers Speak Letters Project.…

Ken Klemm

Featured image for “My First Time Writing A Stageplay”

My First Time Writing A Stageplay

First, I’d like to thank Leilani for inviting me to this fantastic event. My understanding of the project was that…

Benjamin Fortier

The Latest

Featured image for “Dream and Implications”

Dream and Implications

Sometimes they say / “I knew something was wrong / when she was standing at the foot of my bed…

Ralph Carlson

Featured image for “Fire & Flowers”

Fire & Flowers

When one sits down to put pen to paper in an attempt to make sense of the despair and destruction…

Kyrie Ravencry

Featured image for “First-Time Playwright Speaks”

First-Time Playwright Speaks

What’s in a play, write? A lot more than I thought before participating in the Returning Soldiers Speak Letters Project.…

Ken Klemm

Featured image for “My First Time Writing A Stageplay”

My First Time Writing A Stageplay

First, I’d like to thank Leilani for inviting me to this fantastic event. My understanding of the project was that…

Benjamin Fortier

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 story

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 story

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.