Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth.
YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them.
Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
While novels that transcend the boundaries of time, such as everything I have been reading lately in English, are utterly fantastic, I find it hard to resist one that is directed so specifically to a contemporary concept. It is not simply the incorporation of current technology or our ever-evolving set of colloquialisms, but a novel that focuses around fan fiction.
Of course, as much as I like to prattle on about this being “unique” and “contemporary”, the themes of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell—the origins of creativity, our way of coping and responding to the world, and gosh darn it being yourself—do indeed transcend the boundaries of time.
It contains a lovely jumble of various elements: a set of estranged twins, an initially surly roommate, creative writing classes, and a fictional fandom. Simon Snow initially comes off as simply a Harry Potter parody, a young orphan boy who finds out he is a magician and thus must attend a magical academy with an enigmatic and wise headmaster, all while discovering it is his destiny to thwart the Great Antagonist (in this case, the Insidious Humdrum.) Yet Simon Snow seems to parallel the growth of the novel as his story becomes much more than simply that; the plot, concepts and characters become complex and (I’ll admit) almost more interesting than the main story itself. The excerpts of Simon Snow flip between the original and Cath’s fanfics until you stop noticing whether something is canon or not–and perhaps what Cath finds out is that doesn’t matter, at the very least, in life.
Perhaps what I found most impressive was Rowell’s ability to handle numerous different writing styles, her own narration, the occasional snippet of other writing, that of the Simon Snow books and Cath’s writing. They were all distinct and engaging and finally, the interplay between these two worlds, one fiction and one, well, technically fiction as well, was meticulously crafted. I felt incredibly cheerful after I finished, not only from Cath’s side of the story, but Simon’s as well.
I haven’t really read much fan fiction, but this novel certainly made me want to. And to start, why not read fan fiction about Fangirl?
I attended the Youth Week event Retro Movie Night where we watched Back to the Future 2. However, it was also a throwback to the past because the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary are celebrating their 75th anniversary.
Shown above isThe Hangar, a Boys & Girls Club space that was constructed back in 1929 for the Stanley Jones Airport, which was the first publicly owned airport in Calgary. Talk about a blast from the past! In 2008, it underwent a renovation and now includes a theatre stage, kitchen, music & DJ room, as well as a rock-climbing wall. In this case, the space was transformed for our movie-viewing pleasure.
Courtesy of B&G Club’s Facebook, check them out here
As part of their 75th anniversary celebrations, they’re posting pictures to showcase the rich history of their organization. Shown left is the Hangar back in 1929 and below is the present-day facility.
Besides hosting fun events like this, the Boys & Girls Club offers a variety of other programs and events.
I had the chance to interview Grant, staff from the Boys & Girls Club, to get the inside scoop of what makes Boys & Girls Club “A good place to be.”
The Retro Movie Night was organized by the Keystone. What is the Keystone and what do youth do in the program?
Keystone is a program that promotes leadership and empowerment for youth aged 14-18. Its philosophy is very much dependent on solid teamwork and group support, where youths gain knowledge and skills to make positive choices in their lives. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary supplies a place where these youth can use their creative skills to make a difference in the community through volunteer opportunities and special events.
Besides the Keystone, what other programs does Boys and Girls Club offer?
We offer 47 programs at 27 locations, with trained, dedicated staff and volunteers who support children and youth, ranging in age from pre-school to young adulthood. Some programs offer physical recreation, technology, the arts and personal growth, while other locations provide nutrition services, family support programs, emergency shelter and other supports to children and youth at risk.
Out of the Boys and Girls Club across the country, Calgary is home to the largest one. It was originally founded with the onset of World War 2, when fathers were in a short supply. As a result, rising youth delinquency became a concern. In Calgary, civic leaders agreed that providing a healthy environment where youth could engage in purposeful activities with adult guidance would help curb youth delinquency. 75 years later, the Boys and Girls Club continues to nurture youth and benefit the community as a whole.
Speaking from personal experience, how do you think people in the Boys & Girls club have benefited from these programs, for youth and adults? What have you learned from working with youth?
Many of Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary’s programs are offered primarily during the after-school hours, when studies have shown that young people are most vulnerable at becoming drawn into anti-social behaviours. Many Clubs also offer programs during evenings and weekends. For 75 years, Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary has carried on a tradition of helping young people to discover, develop and achieve their full potential as adults, citizens and leaders, by engaging them in activities that challenge and enrich their minds, bodies and spirits and nurture their self-esteem. Our safe, caring Club environments and enriching programs have enabled thousands of young Calgarians to play, learn and develop valuable skills for life.
“There are a few things I have learned from my experience working at Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary. The first is the honesty and willingness of the children and youth to explain exactly how they feel about something or someone. Second, I have learned that every day is different, and challenges or successes can be seen on a daily basis. Through this, I have seen that I our children and youth are constantly learning and challenging themselves to be a better people. The final aspect, and definitely the reason I continue doing the work I do, is the way the children and youth think: their imagination, creativity and optimism in terms of their outlook on life, and coming up with solutions to problems is something we often lose when we reach a certain age. If we could all foster their ideas, and show that their voice matters, the future generation will continue to think this way, and hopefully make a positive impact on the world.” – Grant Fulford
The Boys and Girls Club was part of Youth Week again this year. What other projects where you partner with community organizations are currently happening? How about for the future?
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary partners with the Calgary community through various projects that support and celebrate our children and youth throughout the year. This year is Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary’s 75th anniversary and we are planning several events later on in the year to celebrate the successes of our children and youth. In addition to these anniversary celebrations, we will continue to partner with individuals, other community agencies and businesses with fundraising, volunteering and awareness activities.
One such example is the Keystone program, which is specifically working on ways to advocate the anti-bullying message through engaging youth their own age in the discussion. In the past, Keystone has worked with Waste Management to help clean up after special events at the Saddledome. Keystone also attends youth conferences in order to network, share resources, and develop fully as a team.
In the future, Keystone is going to be a part of the River and Pathway Clean Up in May, and we have events in the future that will promote Keystone and try to increase enrolment in our program. Through Keystone, youth learn how to foster respect between groups and individuals. They learn valuable leadership skills and form lasting friendships with other teens across the country.
What do you want to say to youth looking to get involved with Boys and Girls Club? Why do you think youth involvement is important?
We want to make sure that when youth have an idea about helping in the community that we are advocating on their behalf. It may be difficult to know the resources available or how to go about accomplishing a project, but with the network available to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, we are able point them in the right direction and set them up for success. The council we currently have is completely youth driven, and ideas they come up with are planned and executed by them, and as leaders of Keystone we can help make the process fun and rewarding.
Youth involvement is key to us being relevant in our community work! We say “come on out and get involved”!
We have the Beltline Youth Centre downtown, which is an amazing place to just show up and hang out. They have access to a gym and basketball court there if you just want to hang out and be active. They also have art classes, and a professional hip-hop recording studiothat you can access for free!
Then we also have the YEAR program which takes place in Bowness. It’s focused on working with youth in the Bowness, Montgomery, and Greenwood Village communities. YEAR helps youth play an active role in their community.
Are there plans for Back to the Future 3in the future? (pun intended) I’d love to come watch.
I think if anything we would have to go back… Back to the Past. This might help with those who haven’t seen the original to figure out what was actually happening in the second one. Saying that, everyone had a really positive experience working on this project so we could definitely do another one in the future with a different movie, and open it up to families!
Now, it’s your turn to get involved!
The Boys and Girls Club has something perfect for everyone.
They also have their annual Capital One Race for Kids on May 31st. Teams of 4 will be competing in a series of fun challenges while also raising money for all boys and girls to have an opportunity for a bright childhood. Funds raised will go directly back into the communities in Calgary so that we can continue offering the types of programs that young people need the most.
I’ll end off with a video about the Race for Kids and again: Go on out and get involved! Boys and Girls Club is a fantastic organization with a rich history and lots of exciting opportunities for all ages.
Forget Elsa’s perpetual world of snow in Frozen; in Calgary, a perennial snowfall is reality. People complain about the snow at this time of year, yet, snow in the spring/summer season is old news for Calgarians.
In July 15, 1999, a snowfall surprised Calgary during the Stampede. Just imagine actual snow falling into your snow cone. Mother Nature also produced a gust that established a -14°C wind chill. Yet a week before, Stampede-goers had been experiencing temperatures of approximately 30ºC. Ironically, Calgary was the host to one of the warmest Winter Olympic Games with a maximum of 18.1ºC in 1988. Another odd event in Calgary’s weather history took place in 1991, where the city saw hail of 10cm in diameter.
Embrace Calgary weather, instead of being caught up in the storm. (Retrieved from link)
Needless to say, Calgary is infamous for unpredictable weather conditions. Yet, as true Calgarians, we must embrace the inevitability of the unpredictable. Come rain or snow, Calgary will always prove to be a place with bizarre weather. But we can make use of it. Just think of it as a prolonged winter, with a longer skiing season, an excuse to continue putting off losing that winter weight and/or more reasons to stay under the warm comforts of one’s own home and have a movie night. Nonetheless, it is time that Calgarians just, “let it go.” The city’s weather is not going to change any soon, so let us embrace what is given before us.
Eggs Oasis is a family-oriented restaurant with new locations opening throughout Calgary.
The menu at Eggs Oasis is quite large; you can see it for yourself here. The menu contains a wide variety of things from egg variations to sweet stuff like waffles and crepes, and even sandwiches. As you can see, the menu is looks great with splendid visuals and a large variety. They will also accommodate you if you would like a simple substitution.
From what I have experienced, the food is quite delicious, especially the sweeter dishes. During my most recent visit, I ordered a strawberry crepe. When it had arrived it had been plated beautifully, and tasted even better with a generous amount of fruit and with a side of cream. If you want some tasty breakfast food, go to Eggs Oasis.
Lastly, the service. Eggs Oasis seems to be short staffed at times. While I was there, the only problem that I had encountered was that the waiter did not come often enough. Other than that, the service was spot on.
Ratings
Menu 4.5/5
Food 5/5
Service 3.5/5
Total 4.5/5
Overall I give this restaurant a 4.5/5 for its wide ranged menu, tasty food and slightly short staffed service
When we go on vacation, we usually don’t take note of the beauty of the roads or the bridges. But look below at these beautiful pieces or art and system of transportation. Bridges are amazing, so let’s learn to cherish their magnificence here.
Khaju Bridge: A crossing, damn and public meeting spot in IranAnd of course, the Golden Gate Bridge.Ponte Vecchio in Italy. It was built in 1345.Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany. This aqueduct is a bridge of water over water!Tower Bridge in England made with the Victorian Gothic style.Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is stunning all the way round.Henderson Wave in Singapore is definitely magnificent and awesome.Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge in Brazil is unique and cool!
A volunteer is generally defined as a person who gives their time and knowledge into an action which helps the greater good, including their community, city or even country! According to dictionary.com, a volunteer is defined as:
1. A personwhovoluntarilyoffershimselforherselfforaserviceorundertaking.
The mayor of our lovely and lively city of Calgary gave a speech to my community about the importance and value of volunteering as well as the role of community within daily living. He addressed the tragic disaster our city faced during the Alberta Floods of 2013. If you remember, it was around the end of June last year where some of your exams got cancelled and the diploma’s became optional, (Crazy that CBE actually shut down the schools hey? They never seem to!). This was a devastating time for many individuals throughout the city. Yet, in the end the city of Calgary pulled together and we were able to fix the city within no time. So, why am I debriefing you on an event you were probably affected by in some way or another? It’s to remind you of the value that each of you posses and the ability and power to do something.
The mayor brought up an interesting idea that sparked inspiration within me. What if we all did three acts of altruistic volunteering for the city of Calgary? It could be something as small as shoveling your neighbors driveway, or doing a park cleanup, volunteering at shelters or fundraising for a charity. What if we each committed to three things for Calgary? What if we spread the word? If we each encouraged three people to perform three things for Calgary our city would have a minimum of 1 million acts of volunteerism.
We each have the power to make a change, whether large or small. So why not do so? Below, I have listed ideas that assist you in your three things for Calgary:
Shoveling your neighbors driveway
Donating to the food nank
Helping in the soup kitchen in homeless shelters
Gathering winter coats for the less fortunate
Donating money to organizations that provide gifts for Christmas
Community gardens
Fund-raise money for an important cause
Check out some links that will help you start your philanthropic journey in Calgary!
So get involved! Experience the world around you from a different perspective than the norm. Convince others to support you and accompany you on your journey. There is so much more you can do for the city of Calgary. I’m willing to do three things for the city I love, are you going to accept the challenge?
IB is the international baccalaureate program which is offered at many high schools in Calgary. Here are four reasons to enter the program:
1. IB is an internationally recognized program, hence the name. Many argue that universities don’t even look at your IB mark, but many universities do take into account that you took IB. It reflects your courage, work ethics, passion and risk taking nature. A lot of the universities even allow credits which means certain IB courses are regarded equivalent to first year university study.
2. Meet people: More people in an IB class (if not all) are highly motivated and equally passionate about school as you are.
3. Small class sizes: An average class size of an IB class is about 25 people, which is luxurious comparing some of the regular program classes consisting of over 40 students.
4. You get to know yourself better: This might sound silly but IB really tells you your limits (and they are never DNE!). DNE = ‘does not exist’ in math. You become aware of how you act when you have two all nighters in a row. You know the brand and concentration in mol/L of the coffee you drink and how many minutes before the due date you usually finish the assignments. You are amazed at your ability to procrastinate.
Retrieved from http://www.shorpy.com/node/9606, submitted by Dave.
A few months ago, I was asked the single most difficult question in my entire life: What was the greatest innovation of the 20th century that contributed to modern society? My mind dwelled upon the obvious, cellphones, the Internet, airplanes, rockets, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, cornflakes, teddy bears, and of course, the resource that makes everything seem possible, Google. But this question was for an application of sorts so my answer had to be distinguishable, to say the least. Additionally, I hate to be what the kids are calling, “mainstream.” I decided to search my own life for answers as I am one of the 7 billion people a part of modern society.
As I sat that Sunday afternoon, pondering upon the seemingly impossible answer to this question, I felt my hand gravitating towards the newest National Geographic that lay on my lap in hopes to distract myself. Boom! Sure, it was not as great or as definite as the discovery of nuclear power, but the National Geographic was what I felt encompassed everything about our society. Without avenues like the National Geographic, the majority of society would be ignorant of the neglected population of the world, such as endangered animals and diminishing native tribes as well as the natural beauty and spectacles provided by our planet.
So today, I wanted to share my answer with you and explain why I think the National Geographic was the greatest innovation of the 20th century:
“I am an avid reader of the National Geographic magazine. Not only am I a devoted subscriber to the magazine, I actually read the magazine for more than its stunning pictures. The 20th Century was the epiphany of the most revolutionary times in mankind. Many innovations occurred during this time, such as the development of automobiles, planes, antibiotics, women’s rights, and the Internet. The National Geographic was there to document all of these events. As the Egyptians once used hieroglyphics to record their history, the National Geographic served as an innovative and modern way to record aspects of our evolving culture and society. Not only did this magazine serve to document our present and future events, it also shared historical monuments and discoveries with the world. Even though, the National Geographic was first founded in 1888, it was not until 1905 that the magazine began to be heavily pictorial. The January 1905 issue included the start of an imagery revolutionary magazine with the showcase of Tibet. The National Geographic magazine utilized photos as the universal language that could be understood with the entire global community. In the late 20th Century, the magazine began publishing in local languages with Japanese being its first. The National Geographic will forever hold as a semblance of how our world began to record our history and culture in the 20th Century and beyond.”
My thoughts are affirmed as I scroll through this week’s edition of the National Geographic Sunday Stills.
What do you think was the greatest innovation of the 20th century? Let us down below, or tweet me @YAABecca.
I recently visited Cucina 500 a hip restaurant in Inglewood. In this review I will be judging three aspects of this restaurant: The menu, service and food.
First of all, the menu contains a variety of options from pastas to pizza, steak, veal and more which is quite good. This restaurant seems to have appeal for a variety of people resembling that the majority of people will find something. Including all the menu contains a variety of options of types and details within the food.
Secondly, the service. At this restaurant the service was a little off. Some of my party had to be seated between our table and another even though we had a reservation. After the point at which we had received our appetizers our waiter left for long periods of time often forgetting about things we ordered (drinks). The service did not meet my expectations for the standards that they seemed to set for themselves through their pricey menu.
Last but certaintly not least, the food. We started of with the Burrata, bread with delightful mozzarella cream and more mozzarella. This dish was quite good especially because of the cheese. If you go to Cucina I definitely recommend you order this dish. After this came my main meal, a Margherita pizza. I found that the crust was lacking as the majority of the bottom was burnt but the toppings were adequate. The food that I experience at Cucina had a wide range of quality.
Ratings
Menu 4/5
Service 2/5
Food 3/5
Total 3/5
Overall, I do not recommend this restaurant. Even though the menu had a large variety, it did not make up for the whole restaurant. The service was disappointing while the food went from good to upsetting.
There are many things we done everyday that affected the people around us. There is positive but also negative. Here is a awesome music video showing the domino effect of the positive energy. Show your kindness.
As a part of Youth Week Calgary 2014, I had the opportunity to go down to button making at Crowfoot Library. Having no idea what this event would be like, and seeing as how is only had a short duration of an hour (I assume due to library hours of closure), I walked in and found that the event was relatively easy to spot, as it was on a table right at the front near the entrance. When I went over to the table, I was greeted by two very nice youth volunteers helping out with the event and the organizer. The table had an assortment of old magazines and the button making machine, where they explained to me how to make one using images from a magazine.
Spending the next hour making buttons and interviewing people there as the event went by, I became aware of the fact that many of the youth I had interviewed had not heard of Youth Week prior to me asking, including the volunteers! Only about three or four of those I interviewed had heard of it. Those informed of Youth Week came to know it through a friend or social media such as Facebook or the Youth Central website. As Talia had already addressed in her article, the issue of whether Youth Week is getting enough exposure to the youth in Calgary is still evident. However, there are bright points in this issue. The people I had informed about Youth Week said they would definitely check out the other events that would be happening now that they were aware of it.
These are the buttons I made, after some vigorous searching around. 🙂A fellow youth I interviewed made these buttons, quite cool!
To me personally, Youth Week brings together youth and helps them to gain a sense of community and togetherness. Since the table for the event was right at the front, a lot of kids, and not just youth came by and made some buttons. This event at Crowfoot Library really brought all kinds of young people together, and really showed off how creative people could be with choosing what they wanted on their buttons. One of the places I enjoy more than anything in the world is a library, and just by being there I could feel the spirit of involvement of youth in our community, even if it was only for a short time. Although many were not aware of this event being a part of Youth Week, I truly believe that as Youth Week grows in the following years, more and more youth will be aware of it, and hopefully get involved.
Youth Week Calgary is nothing new for Crowfoot’s YMCA. Kevin Aranas, the location’s youth coordinator, explains it is a yearly event at their location. Youth Week is something that the Crowfoot YMCA has known about for a long time, but this year, the programs they offered were bigger and better than ever before. Programs were offered to 12-17 year olds and took place from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday.
The YMCA Youth Week poster
The YMCA kicked off their Youth Week activities on April 21 with a hip hop class and an art by youth activity.
On Wednesday night, the YMCA hosted an improv demo before opening the floor to Ping-Pong.
Friday evening focused on fitness, with a Zumba workshop being offered before a demo on the YMCA’s weight floor with youth resistance training. From 7-10 p.m. on Friday the YMCA hosted a youth night, with drop-in basketball, dance and ping-pong. The YMCA also opened their general facilities for the youth; the weight floor and pool were free to attendees.
On Saturday, the YMCA was off to a hardcore start with parkour demos, followed by art by youth, and scatterball, a game similar to dodgeball but played in a circle every-man-for-himself style. Following these events, a youth yoga class was offered, along with drop in soccer. The YMCA closed down their Youth Week with hip hop and break dancing demos to get youth pumped up for next year’s Youth Week.
All in all the Crowfoot YMCA’s Youth Week was an activity-packed week, filled with events encouraging youth to get active, have fun, and meet other youth in their community.
Interested in fitness, and keen to try out the open workout floor the YMCA hosted on Friday, I decided to drop in for the Youth Resistance Training to
Daisy, the staff member who ran the Youth Resistance Training class
get some tips on lifting. Daisy, another Youth Coordinator at the Y, led the class, which consisted of me and a couple other girls. Daisy started off by correcting our workout stance, because yes, that can be wrong. This proved to be the most valuable part of the class for me, I learned a couple neat tricks from Daisy in regard to stance. For instance:
Imagine a tail growing from your tailbone, now point it towards the floor. This lengthens your spine and straightens your back, correcting your posture.
Your pelvic region is a bowl, it is full of cheerios, soup, something, and you don’t want to spill it. Keep the “bowl” of your hips forward facing, this will prevent slouching and is a helpful check for a variety of weights.
Daisy then went on to do a basic weight circuit with us, and worked personally with each girl to correct her posture, give her advice, or just cheer her on. I found out that I have generally good posture while lifting weights, and Daisy kept pushing me to add more weights to my lunges! Another neat trick I learned- when practicing squatting technique, position a chair behind you, and squat until your bum just brushes the chair. When you go to lift with some weight, you won’t lose your technique.
After our workout, we went and stretched, while we went over the importance of stretching in avoiding tight muscles, injuries, and a runner’s worst nightmare: shin splints. At the end of the class, the girls gave their feedback- the class was a success, most of them saying they would return to the Y, and do classes similar to the one we had just done if offered again. I would too, if I didn’t live in the South, and as I admired the YMCA’s track, I vowed I would visit a YMCA in the South sometime soon.
The Youth Resistance Training was a great success, it was a awesome way to introduce youth to lifting weight, something most teenage girls do not consider when focusing on their fitness, in a way that ensured that it would be done properly and safely should the girls choose to pursue it further.
While I had to go soon after the end of the class, I made sure to make time
Post-run #YouthWeek at YMCA
to run a quick K on the track to try it out. I definitely am in love, and will be making a trip to the Y closest to me to try out their track in the near future.
After the event I got an interview with Kevin, and asked him about the event. Heavily involved in the running of the YMCA’s Youth Week, Kevin helped manage and promote programs, going to community businesses and schools to promote Youth Week, and attending all of the events to ensure they ran smoothly.
Overall the Youth Week was fairly successful, but like any event, some programs were more popular than others; the most popular being parkour, drop-in soccer, improv, and resistance training. Of all of them, parkour, which involves using one’s body and the objects around oneself to project from one object to the other, was the most popular. There were many onlookers to the event, and the astonished youth asked many questions about the “sport.” For a video of what parkour is, click here.
Kevin says that the YMCA is definitely planning on hosting more Youth Week events next year.
For next time, they hope to see more community involvement with the events, promote the events more, and hold group projects where youth can go out into the community, rather than just holding classes.
Where ever the YMCA goes with Youth Week, one thing that is clear is that it will continue to grow, and that next year’s Youth Week will be even bigger and better.
In honour of Youth Week Calgary, there were Super Mario Smash Bros. and Mario Kart games on the Wii at the Nose Hill Public Library. I would say that the event was a success because a lot of youth showed up. I’m not sure if it was due to the snacks that were there, but the atmosphere was really fun as I watched several people play Mario Kart and Super Mario. Lots of Calgary Zoo as well as laser tag and paintball passes were handed out to the youth and their hearts and faces were filled with so much joy.
The Super Mario Smash Bros and Mario Kart games were at first based solely on competition, but as time went on, it became less of a competition and a lot more fun. The atmosphere turned out to be very entertaining and amusing. At the event, I was able to interview a player named Fred just to hear his thoughts on how the competition was going.
He said:
“I am playing just for fun and it is very exciting, but I want to be a good sport, I don’t want to be all gloaty. There’s a competitive aspect that gets your heart pumping.”
I was also able to interview a girl called Rachelle, just to get her thoughts on what she felt the atmosphere was like.
She Said:
“I thought it was fun! The atmosphere was really inviting; it felt like an ‘anybody can join’ kind of thing. It would have been cooler if it was in a bigger space with more games and people, but it’s kind of hard to do that in a library, so it was well done for what was possible!”
So as you can see, the event at the Nosehill Library was pretty fun.
Spoken word poetry can touch the human soul regardless of age, gender, race and religion – it transcends physical traits and connects people on an emotional level.
For more info: click here. I highly recommend you get the book!
I recently had the opportunity to attend theCalgary Spoken Word Festival and watch a Youth Poetry Slam. I have to say that it was a life-changing experience for me.
I watched one-by-one as poets got up on stage and poured out their soul to the audience. They spoke of the power of a girl in a male-dominated society, they spoke of broken relationships, and they spoke of lost childhood innocence in the face of teenage pressures.
There were poets around my age and some much younger; there were poets of all skin colours; there were poets male and female. All these physical traits faded away as their words started to envelop me because I could relate to what they were saying.
I want to promote Spoken Word as a tool to mend broken souls, to inspire our citizens and to connect the community.
Above are pictures of the lovely individuals who were at the Youth Poetry Slam. I apologize for not being able to meet all of you, but you all did an awesome job!
If any of the poets see this, or if you know any of the poets who are pictured, please tell them they are doing something wonderful. Encourage them to continue pursuing the dreams and passions, because that is how the world will be made a better place for all.
On this same note, I got in contact with one of the youth poets and interview them about their experience with Spoken Word Poetry.
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Meet Jessica, an individual who I believe has an inspirational story to tell.
Me: How did you start spoken word poetry? Was there someone or something that inspired you?
Jessica: I actually started quite recently. Maybe a year or two ago. I think it all started when I head the poem “To This Day” by Shane Koyczan. After that is was a train of new poetry from different artists such as Jeanann Verlee, and Catalina Ferro. I didn’t start writing until later, when I had something emotional to write about.
Wow, I remember watching Shane Koyczan’s work too and being amazed at powerful words can be. What is it about spoken word poetry that compels you?
I think it is the extreme beauty in this form of art. I have a theatre background so I’m huge on performance. The thing about spoken word is that you aren’t always just saying words that were given to you. You’re giving your heart and soul to an audience in the form of words, but with a purpose. The most compelling part about spoken word is the way it hits. The way some lines speaks to someone, connects the audience to the poet. You gain an understand from the poet, and the poet, in turn, is understood. That incredible connection is why I do poetry.
Yeah, I can definitely relate to what you’re saying. How has your experience with spoken word help you grow? What lessons have you learned?
As a performer it has helped me connect to the words I am saying, taught me how to pull on the heart strings a bit more. As a person, it’s hard to say. I’ve become more comfortable with who I am, and I’ve been able to share that with people. Poetry has been my outlet though. I have vented so much emotions on paper its ridiculous. I guess, to put it in words, A lesson to be learned from poetry is that there’s something beautiful in every dark situation.
That’s great, I agree. Last question: What words of advice would you give to people who are interested in doing their own spoken word poetry?
My advice: Just do it. Don’t hold back, if there is something you need to say, say it. Writer’s block isn’t about not knowing what to write, but being afraid that your writing will suck. And sometimes it will, but you can’t let that stop you.
Write because you’re passionate about something. If you don’t care about the topic, nor will your audience.
Finally, get out there. Spoken word is meant to be heard. Speaking in front of a crowd can be terrifying, especially knowing that your being judged. Don’t think about the points, do spoken word because you know, somewhere, in some audience, there is someone who needs to know what you have to say. You will be heard.
That’s the same message I want you to remember after this post: “[…]Do spoken word because you know, somewhere, in some audience, there is someone who needs to know what you have to say. You will be heard.”
Even if you don’t aspire to be a spoken word poet, I encourage you to promote it and also reflect if it’s helped you in some way. Like Jessica, the video “To This Day” by Shane Koyczan is what got my hooked on the art that is called spoken word. So it’s only appropriate that I leave off with his video.
Meet Jessica, an individual who I believe has an inspirational story to tell.