Elana O'Loskey

I am a cultural journalist and producer of arts and literature events in Contra Costa County. I have worked as a cultural journalist at The Orinda News for over 16 years and submitted work to other media such as the Lamorinda Weekly. In the past 16 years I have been active in a variety of arts oriented organizations and venues including: board member at the Lamorinda Arts Council where I collaborated with artist Bill Carmel to provide a free youth face painting booth at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival (2018 – 2025); founded the Art Embraces Words programs at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center (2019 to present) and founded the Art Embraces Poetry program (2023 to present) at the Town Hall Theater in Lafayette.

Also, I collaborated with the Lafayette Public Art Committee to bring about its Poetry for the Ages program (2023 to present); and currently collaborate with Linda Hartmann, Emeritus President of the California Writers Club Mt. Diablo Branch; we are co-chairs of the Art Embraces Words and Art Embraces Poetry programs. Ms. Hartmann and I are also co-chairs of the Youth Ambassadors Program for teens (13 to 18) co-founded by teens Emma Wong, Emily Jingzhu Bennett and Sharanya Roy. Its purpose is to connect creative teens in Contra Costa County. At Peace Lutheran Church in Danville I founded the “Films with a Spiritual Thread” monthly program (2013 to present). I received honorable mention for a poem by the Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest and hosted the monthly “Gardening With Spirit” radio show for five years on KCRK in Walnut Creek. In 2026 I joined the California Writers Club, Mt. Diablo Branch to enjoy time with fellow writers.