By Natalie Taylor
Most of us know how to break things apart. Throw a plate on the floor, pull loose yarn from a sweater, or smash a fist into a pie.
But how about making a plate from clay, knitting a garment out of loose yarn, or baking something delectable out of flour, butter, and raw fruits? Those require imagination, planning, and organization. The same is needed with people. It takes someone with a vision, a leader who can motivate people to work toward a goal—an organizer.
Susan Page is the epitome of organizing, and has done it in different roles, and with a variety of groups. That skill was evident when she was just nine, and learned about a Brownie troop in another town. How cool, she thought, and went ahead and created a local troop with her third grade classmates.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Susan received her undergraduate degree from Oberlin College in German and Psychology. She went on to Washington State University in St Louis, where she ran a group focused on bringing faculty and students together, with professors hosting socials at their homes. She also raised funds for another program pairing students with kids from a disciplinary center to offer help and guidance; and other programs involving inner city children. A different path opened up when she became an ordained minister, then married and moved to Berkley. Once here she volunteered with Planned Parenthood. At Cal-U, Susan started a contraceptives services program for students, later expanded into one on Human Sexuality, including gay students. It was a pioneer organization based on the methods of Masters & Johnson. The program lasted seven years until a new director shut it down, and Susan left for a new position as executive director of The Care Center, with parental stress, and suicide prevention hotlines, and detection of child abuse. She founded a battered women’s center, another pioneer project when none such were available. .
After her divorce Susan remained single for six years, and based on her experiences wrote a book titled “If I am So Wonderful, Why am I Still Single?” It became a success, and continues to be read widely to this day. By then, she had met, and married Mayer Shacter, a ceramic artist and antiques collector. The experience of a good marriage motivated her to write her next book, “How One of You Can Bring the Two of You Together.”
In 1981 they saw an exhibit by the indigenous Huichol people of Mexico, and met Mariano and Susan Valadez—he is a Huichol, and she an American anthropologist. They were involved in the preservation of the unique art, and founders of a center dedicated to the preservation of Huichol culture. Susan and Mayer were fascinated by these woven artworks, and when the couple needed a ride back to Mexico, they offered to drive them. Then in 2002 Susan and Mayer made another trip and ended up in San Miguel de Allende. A real estate agent showed them an eight-acre property in Atotonilco, and they both agreed this was the place to be. They sold their property in Berkley, moved here, and opened the Galería Atotonilco which flourished.
Yet there was something missing - no venue for authors to promote and sell their works. As a good organizer, Susan knows how to create where there is a lack. She put an ad in Atención, and started monthly author readings. From there, another idea was born, a yearly writers’ conference. In 2003, with Jody Feagan, they put their idea into action by inviting John Berendt, the author of “Midnight in the Garden of Evil,” as their keynote speaker. The first conference drew a mere 26 participants, but it was extremely successful. From that rather humble beginning it has become one of the major yearly events in town, bringing thousands of participants, and major authors from around the world, and gaining the reputation as one of the best international writers’ conferences. This year the San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival will run from February 12, to February 16.
Jodi Pincus is now executive director, while Susan remains the Founder and President. After all her major accomplishments, the San Miguel Writers’ Conference is another of her crown jewels. And an inspiring lesson to all—how to make dreams and ideas reality. Susan Page is an example of this, and of someone who has made a major difference in the communities in which she has lived, including San Miguel de Allende.
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