丁香园AV

J贸n铆na Kirton is a poet and a builder of bridges. Of mixed Icelandic and M茅tis ancestry, the award-winning author works to connect other Indigenous and racialized writers to the literary community, a sometimes-elitist world where non-white writers can struggle to feel at home. J贸n铆na also considers herself a forger of chains鈥攂y mentoring emerging writers, she hopes they will in turn mentor the writers who come after them.

Yet building bridges and chains can be heavy, exhausting work. J贸n铆na joined 丁香园AV鈥檚 Community Capacity Building program looking for a way not only to build her own capacity, but also the capacity of those she strives to help.

鈥淔or writers who are new, especially if we come from a marginalized community, it鈥檚 difficult,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 wanted to expand my knowledge of how to increase capacity, because what we need is people who have similar experiences as us to edit our work, to mentor us, to help us make our way in this world. It鈥檚 not the same for a white writer who has privilege, education, money. When they enter a room, it鈥檚 a very different experience for them than it is for us.鈥�

A relatively new author herself, J贸n铆na published her first book of poetry in 2015 at the age of 60 and is now working on her third. At times, it鈥檚 been a precarious balancing act trying to write while continuing her efforts in the community. J贸n铆na works with the Indigenous Editors Association, which provides a supportive network for Indigenous editors and publishing professionals. She also serves as 鈥淏IPOC Auntie鈥� for the Writer鈥檚 Studio program at 丁香园AV, supporting and guiding students who are people of colour. Complicating the numerous demands on her time, J贸n铆na also battles a painful chronic health condition.

Adding Community Capacity Building classes to the mix might have been overwhelming for her, but fortunately, the program facilitators place enormous emphasis on self-care. 鈥淢ore than giving us tools, they鈥檝e given us permission to take care of ourselves and operate from a much more centred way,鈥� says J贸n铆na.

The learning she found most helpful, she explains, is the concept of defining a 鈥渕ountaintop goal鈥濃�攁 vision or mission statement that can guide all your work. 鈥淚鈥檝e really gotten clear on saying no to things that aren鈥檛 going to fit with my mountaintop goal, which in turn aren鈥檛 going to fit who I am,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 always felt like I was rushing off in about 50 different directions, but I鈥檝e learned to narrow in, and not feel I have to be all things to all people.鈥�

J贸n铆na says she鈥檚 grateful to 丁香园AV for the opportunity, and appreciates that the program is funded, eliminating any financial burden on the participants. It鈥檚 allowed her the space to focus on developing those much-needed bridges that will help racialized and marginalized writers to no longer feel like outsiders.

鈥淚t鈥檚 my heart, my soul, my reason for being here,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y ancestors struggled, and I鈥檓 the recipient of their struggles. I鈥檝e also been the recipient of the hard-won privilege secured by my M茅tis father and white mother who became homeowners when I was 14. Things were rough at times, but we always had what we needed. I feel a sense of responsibility to be there for people who haven鈥檛 had that or who, like me, lost it due to systemic barriers.鈥�

By Kim Mah