Lake Erie Ink

Looking Back at 15 Years of Lake Erie Ink!

For 15 years, Lake Erie Ink has been a place where young people can discover their voices, share their stories, and inspire one another.

Co-founders Cynthia Larsen and Amy Rosenbluth, both coming from a teaching background, saw the slow phasing out of education outside of the purpose for attaining good test scores, and identified a need to promote creative expression for youth in a safe, validating space.

Since then, thousands of youth have explored writing, comics, podcasts, performance, visual art, and more, creating work that reflects who they are and what they have to say.

As we celebrate 15 years, we also honor Amy’s vision and leadership in helping build a community where youth voices are heard, valued, and celebrated.

Throughout the summer, we’ll be sharing memories, milestones, and moments from the journey.

Lake Erie Ink’s Leadership in Motion!

We would like to announce the next exciting chapter in Lake Erie Ink’s story. After co-founding Lake Erie Ink with Cynthia Larsen back in 2011, Executive Director Amy Rosenbluth will be passing the pen to Director of Programming Charisse Bailey.

See Amy's letter to the community here: https://heightsobserver.org/articles/heights-first-person/lake-erie-inks-rosenbluth-embarks-on-new-chapter/

“I am so grateful for Amy’s leadership for our first 15 years," says Cynthia, “without her as my co-founder, Lake Erie Ink would not exist and we would not be the healthy, sustainable, creative organization we are today. I will miss her, but I can’t wait to see what she does next!”

“Cynthia and I created Lake Erie Ink; we birthed it, we brought it to teenage-hood,” says Amy, “I feel so confident in the team that we have here, in the collaborative culture we have built, that I know the transition will be smooth.
“Regardless of who wears the title of director, this community is bigger than one person. New leadership means new perspectives and zero stagnation - we are a story in motion!”

“Amy and Cynthia built an incredible foundation rooted in writing, self expression, and youth voice,” says Executive Director-to-be Charisse Bailey, “I feel deeply honored to carry that work forward. There is so much possibility ahead as Lake Erie Ink continues to grow, evolve, and imagine what comes next.”

Lake Erie Ink’s vision has always been to create a space and community where the local youth can discover themselves, share ideas and inspire each other. We hope you continue with us as we journey forward!

A Message from our Board ~

"Dear friends of Lake Erie Ink,

As you’ve read, Lake Erie Ink is entering an exciting new chapter this summer. My fellow board members and I feel confident about the future of the organization and the opportunities ahead for our programs, partnerships, and community impact. These transitions come from a place of strength, creativity, and deep commitment to our mission." - Kari, Chair of the Board

Check out our summer programming here: https://lakeerieink.org/our-programs/

Lights, Camera, Action: Lake Erie Ink Celebrates 10 Years of Teen Voices Lake Erie Ink marked the 10th anniversary of its Teen Book Project with the launch of this year’s anthology, "Lights, Camera, Action," compiled by student writers from Ohio schools. The annual initiative gives teens the opportunity to publish their works.