The actual "empowerment" (modest but real) comes in getting a more detailed understanding of the way the systems we already use handle text, and in learning more ways to manipulate that text, beyond the confines of any single program. The business of plain-text-slinging, a minor craft on its own, nonetheless forms a natural starting point for thinking more deeply about analyzing digitized texts, expressing yourself in "code" of various kinds, and composing in the digital medium.
In order to do the workshop on your own, first install Pandoc and LaTeX (links above). Komodo Edit is optional; any text editor will do, though I'll occasionally refer to details in Komodo (menu items, etc.) that may be slightly different in other editors. See below for text editor suggestions.