It's Election Day. It's Poetry Month. And so, although I haven't yet pulled together all the things I want to share with you, here is a little timely update and announcement.
I got to share a poem with the CBC recently, and apparently, it "reflected the mood and momentum of this pivotal moment." The truth is I selected the poem because the hosts said they wanted to ask me about the most recent national headline for Peterborough: our mayor using a racist slur in a lecture. I was ready to tell them how our mayor does not even attempt to understand marginalized communities. How this 'mistake' was actually a sign of a racism that is deeply entrenched in local governance. However, when I showed up, they instead asked me about the federal election. Of course, it's all related. We need leaders who understand realities beyond their own.
The poem is called "At the Risk of Listening." It's the title poem of my most recent book. And on that note.... Please save the date! We will be celebrating the book with music, readings, and more.
June 9 - Tkaronto (Toronto)
June 13 - Nogojiwanong (Peterborough)
You can listen to the CBC interview/ poem here.
You can read about the mayor here.
You can read about my thoughts on the local race for the federal election in this blog post : "My vote is not sacred."
If you are in Peterborough, please sign the Pledge for Progressive Voting Action to be connected to a burgeoning movement for local democracy.
If you are voting anywhere in Canada today, you can find your polling station here.
Please remember, whatever happens on Election Day, our work remains the same: ENJOYING the world, CARING for one another, and CONNECTING up to collective action. (And yes, I know I owe you a poem... Stay tuned...)
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