Creative Resistance

Wisdom2Action recently hosted the Creative Resistance: Arts & Activism Against GBV Youth Summit, a two-day event featuring two keynote speakers as well as panel discussions and multiple skills-building workshops. The event began with an opening ceremony led by Grandmother Liz and her granddaughter, Winona. Grandmother Liz spoke about missing and murdered Indigenous women, led the participants through a smudging ceremony and Winona shared their knowledge through songs and drumming. This was followed by the event’s first keynote, entitled “Building Community Through Arts-Based Action” by Sumeiya Khassima from the Queer Muslim Network.

Following the keynote there were two workshops, the first of which was entitled “Telling Untold Stories through Art” led by Dev Ramsawakh, a storyteller and anti-GBV activist. The workshop focused on how to use the medium of writing for activism and self-expression. Participants were asked to translate their thoughts and feelings into words. The second workshop, “Your Art is Activism” was hosted by a Palestinian activist, educator, and poet (who has requested anonymity). Participants read and analyzed the works of an African American poet and discussed the power of words and art, and the importance of using that power for activism. The host then walked participants through poetry exercises using word association. The workshop’s final activity was a free writing exercise in which words that participants had identified in the word association were read aloud and incorporated into their work.

The Summit’s second day once again began with an opening ceremony by Grandmother Liz and Winona. It was followed by a keynote entitled “Liberation for All”, presented by Brad Evoy, the Executive Director of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario. Brad spoke about the importance of inclusive liberation centered on people with disabilities, and how they can often be forgotten in broader activist efforts. 

Following the keynote was the day’s first workshop, “Decolonizing Activism”. It was hosted by Asya Gunduz, of the Ontario HIV Treatment Network. Participants were presented with a painting by an Indigenous artist imagining what a world without colonization might look like. Participants were then asked to create their own art through which they could imagine a different world similar to that which was portrayed by the Indigenous artist, decentering the colonial legacy. The event’s final workshop was “Ethically Funding your Activism”, hosted by Layale Bazzi from the Queer Muslim Network. Layale spoke about different sources of funding, such as grants and fundraising platforms such as GoFundMe and answered questions about grant application and funding process.

Please take a moment to reflect on how your own skills could be used in arts-based activism to address and prevent GBV- there is always room for more art in this space!