Sexuality and disability. Beauty and beastliness. These are some of the topics to be covered at Love on Wheels, a free poetry workshop led by Mexican poet Ekiwah Adler-Belendez on October 20th from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre.
“We will articulate and discover ways that poetry can be a second body to move more freely and communicate with the world,” says Adler-Belendez. “The goal is to raise these questions, to offer support for each other, and to deepen our own curiosity.”
Born and raised in Mexico, Adler-Belendez published his first book of poetry when he was only 12 years old. He has written and acted in three plays and he speaks at universities across the United States and Mexico advocating for the power of poetry and its use in understanding disability. His first name means “warrior” in the Purepecha language.
“What I really enjoy about teaching this workshop is that as a man in a wheelchair, I have no steadfast answers but a tremendous curiosity to exchange information and experiences,” says Adler-Belendez, who has Cerebral Palsy. “We will open a safe space to discuss how our disability defines us and how it does not.”
The event is sponsored by Spinal Cord Injury BC (SCI BC). “Disability and sexuality is not something people are generally comfortable with and it is rarely discussed publicly,” says Chris McBride, SCI BC’s executive director. “We decided to host this event because poetry is a powerful medium that can transcend our normal assumptions about what it means to live and express oneself with a disability.”
Love on Wheels is a free event for all SCI BC members. Non-members can attend for a suggested donation of $10, although no one will be turned away for lack of financial resources. Space is limited so advanced registration is required: http://sci-bc.ca/event/poetry-workshop/
For more information contact:
Candice Vallantin
Communications Specialist, Spinal Cord Injury BC
604-326-1203, cvallantin@sci-bc.ca, http://www.sci-bc.ca/
On Mar. 22, 2012, John Stapleton spoke at a workshop entitled “People with disabilities living in poverty: why are the numbers going up?” In his address, “The Welfarization of Poverty,” John examines the often confusing patchwork of programs that make up the social safety net in Canada for people with disabilities.
The workshop was sponsored by:
– The Allan Simpson Memorial Fund
– The Manitoba League of Persons with a Disability
– The Council of Canadians with Disabilities
– The Disabilities Issues office, Government of Manitoba
– The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
View a video of the presentation at the following link:
In partnership with Shelter Net BC and BC Society of Transition Houses, the Woman Abuse Response Program at BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre will be delivering free training on Improving Women’s Safety in Co-Ed Shelters in 7 communities around the province. This training will enable front line shelter staff to learn more about how to keep women safe in a co-ed shelter environment. The training is open to all service providers who work with vulnerable populations, though priority will go to co-ed shelter staff.
ONE DAY FREE TRAINING for front line workers to learn more about how to keep women safe in co-ed shelter environments. Training will provide information on women’s experiences of violence and how it is connected to homelessness; impacts of violence, including mental health and addictions; barriers women face accessing services and trying to achieving safety; and examining policy and practices in shelters that impact women safety. This training is funded by ShelterNet BC, and jointly developed by BC Society of Transition Houses and BC Women’s Hospital’s Women Abuse Response Program.
TRAINING DATES
REGISTRATION
April 27, 2012 – Burnaby
May 2, 2012 – Fort St. John
May 8, 2012 – Kelowna
May 14, 2012 – Prince George
May 29, 2012 – Langley
May 31, 2012 – Nanaimo
June 4, 2012 – Vancouver
