THUNDER BAY - While words are often used to inflict pain on others, they also have the power to heal, and a local feminist group have taken poetry out into the community in the hopes of healing the divide that exists in Thunder Bay.
On Wednesday, Northern Feminisms hosted a series of pop-up poetry sessions at various locations throughout the north and south downtown cores.
Taina Maki-Chaha, one of organizers of the event with Northern Feminisms, said there is too much division in the city of Thunder Bay and it’s time for the people to start taking action.
“Every person in the region of Thunder Bay has to do his or her share to combat all the racism, the symbolic rhetoric and the actual material violence that is happening in our city and our region,” she said. “We need to speak up in our own unique ways.”
Pop-up poetry sessions were held at several locations, including McVicar Creek, the Waverly Street Library, and the Spirit Garden. Everyone of all backgrounds were welcomed to share their work.
The use of poetry to challenge racism and division was fitting, said Maki-Chaha, because it allows for a wide range of emotional expression and freedom that has more power than just words.
“Poets have a specific way of speaking,” she said. “They use words in a specific, crafted way and they use sound and it touches people on a different level than at the rational mind. It touches the heart, the emotions, and the spirit.”
For poet, Jana-Rae Yerxa, who shared her work at the McVicar Creek location, poetry is the language of the heart and provides a way to speak truthfully.
“I just think with the current climate in the city and the racial tensions being really high, art and poetry specifically is a way to speak truth and share your heart and hopefully touch other people’s hearts,” she said. “I think it’s a really creative way to try to speak to what is going on here in the hopes of making it less racist.”
Poems were shared from a variety of perspectives and often touched on very emotional and difficult subject matter, including issues of racism, discrimination, and violence.
Poetry has already made a difference for several people involved with Northern Feminisms through poetry workshops and readings.
“Just to see the building of relationships amongst people who normally wouldn’t come together, being together for a common cause through poetry and wanting to address racism in our city,” Yerxa said. “So in that sense, I think it has already created change.”
“It’s to mentor voices that are rarely heard, that are marginalized,” Maki-Chahal said. “Mentor their voices in their writing, in their speaking. If we can encourage a few voices who are fragile or hesitant to speak, I consider that a success.”
