BIPOC Programming

Welcome to our BIPOC-led wing!

We’re Kim, Mari, and Asifa, three writing coaches at Firefly. While our identities are diverse, what we all have in common is that we are people of colour.

We started these programs because we wanted spaces where we could write stories and poems we might not feel comfortable writing anywhere else. We wanted to put down the responsibility of being on guard in our writing. We wanted to say no to the ways we’ve so often been edited by society. We also wanted to look out onto a sea of diversely hued faces and feel kinship, connection and understanding.

We want to feel seen in all our fullness... and we want that for others too.

Coaches Asifa, Kim and Mari smiling on a sunny porch

We know that hearts can be tender coming into these spaces.

Everyone arrives differently each time we gather. Sometimes the weight of microaggressions and white supremacy is too heavy and we may want to just write about the sound of the waves at the beach. Other times, participants might bring their fierceness and want to push boundaries. We’re here for all of it, and we invite each writer to be at the wheel of their experience in these spaces.

Listen to Kim and Mari talk about our programs on the On the Edge Podcast.

Why do we use the term “BIPOC”?

For us, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) is the only term that adequately acknowledges our identities as together but distinct, and not in relation to whiteness. We know some folks prefer the term ‘racialized’, but we prefer a word that doesn’t lump all identities into one, and also one that is independent from whiteness. (Racialized in comparison to whom?)

We know the term BIPOC isn’t perfect. Perhaps one day there will be a word that better captures the many identities, experiences and nuances of the collective whole. For now, this is the word we’re using.

Of course, people of colour are invited to all Firefly’s spaces.

The three of us also run small group workshops, large format writing programs, retreats and we work one-on-one with clients. As a team we do regular anti-oppression training to make sure we are holding these mixed spaces as safely as possible. We encourage you to explore the beautiful bouquet of offerings at Firefly, there’s so much here for you.