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Spoken word

March-April 2016

Speak out

How an inspiring new generation of spoken word poets found their voices—and are using them to confront racism and challenge damaging stereotypes about Muslim women

Fatima Syed@fatimasyed401

Nasim Asgari is looking at the tofu sitting in her shopping cart, waiting for her mother to join her at the food aisle at the No Frills store in north Toronto. I wonder what it’s going to taste like, she thinks. She adjusts her headscarf. Tomorrow she’ll start her trial 40 days as a vegetarian. […] More »

FTW Friday: Shane Koyczan and Instructions for a Bad Day

Simon Treanor

“There will be bad days.” That’s the start of this inspirational poem by Canadian spoken word artist Shane Koyczan.   The poem, appropriately called “Instructions for a Bad Day” offers some helpful advice on how to deal with those days when everything just won’t go right.  Now hopefully you’re not having a bad day, especially seeing […] More »

Gender Block: awesome video

Hillary Di Menna

Here, Lily Myers finds the words to describe what it’s like growing up as a female,  compared to growing up as a male. Keep everything in—don’t grow out. Keep quiet—don’t speak up. Remember to be passive, “I asked five questions in genetics class today, and all of them started with the word sorry.” Check it […] More »

ThisAbility 27: A Brave New Voice

aaron broverman

Waiting for you to stop staring, and see me. — Crutches,  Britney Wilson. Britney Wilson stopped waiting a long time ago. These days if anyone is still staring, it’s usually in rapt attention after she delivers a reading of Crutches. _ One part rallying cry and one part scathing indictment of able-bodied ignorance, the poem […] More »