A summer poetry series organized by the Student Justice Centre (SJC) and Human Rights and Equity (HRE) at Brock will explore the works of Black authors, and inspire participants to pen their own creations.

The biweekly poetry workshops will take place Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. from May 5 to Aug. 11 and will be led by writer and activist Lydia Collins (BA ’17), who is also a Brock alumna.

Workshops participants will explore poetry in depth and learn about various poetry forms through the works of Black authors and creators. They will engage in light reading followed by workshop activities to hone in on topic-specific writing skills.

With sessions such as Storytelling in Poetry, Introduction to Freeverse, and Spoken Word and Black Culture, the series is open to beginners and established writers alike.

Student Justice Educator Michelle Mudge said the chance to learn from Collins, who worked as the workshop co-ordinator in the SJC during her undergraduate studies, is a “can’t-miss opportunity” for anyone interested in poetry or social justice.

“We receive many requests from students each year to bring Lydia back to run workshops — they are always a huge hit,” said Mudge. “We are incredibly excited to virtually welcome Lydia back to offer this fantastic summer poetry workshop series for students, staff, faculty and community members.”

Though the workshops are free, space is limited. Anyone interested in attending is asked to sign up on Eventbrite.

Please email Mudge at mmudge@brocku.ca for more information and/or accessibility requirements.