b'INDSPIRE Q&Astepped back to work on my owndont yet necessarily have the wordsDid you have a guiding professional goals as an educatorfor. But they dont need the wordsfigure or mentor who has and hope that there are otherfor [that] because they have musicbeen particularly important people who can also step into thethat can be a voice to express soto your personal or arena and keep this dialogue going.many different things.professional growth?Some Elders of mine use a veryEach medium is powerful in its ownI would love to mention Harold beautiful goose analogy. Marjorieway, but politically, writing is theJohnson. He was a Cree lawyer Beaucage, who is a Mtis two-spiritmost powerful catalyst for change.and retired Crown prosecutor from poet and filmmaker, said thatthe Montreal Lake Cree Nation. He when we want to lead difficultA writer has the power to not justreceived his law degree at Harvard movements, people in the front, atcritique unhealthy or unjust situa- University and wrote many books, the lead, get tired out very easily,tions, but to present arguments andincluding his last one, Power of but that its OK to step back andpossibilities for alternatives.Story: On Truth, The Trickster, and allow another person to step in at the lead. Its OK to be like the geese who take turns at the front and then, when one gets tired, another one moves in. Im tired, so Im stepping back and taking time for my health and well-being and professional growth. Various art forms are central parts of your life, such as music, photography and writing. How do you see them as being catalysts for change?Writing is the most powerful form of artistic expression. Your words can reach a broader audience of people and inspire their thoughts, and conversations can keep them rippling outwards. I see photography as the second most powerful tool because it can accurately capture the reality of a community, a landscape, a family, or a life, and give the viewer an honest image. [Photography] is irrefutable; people can argue with your writing, trying to pick at flaws in your logic, but with photography, its an image that is indisputable. I suppose thats why photos can be described as a proof.As for music, I think that is a medium that often has the most immediate emotional impact. Music also has the power to teach emotional literacy to young people by giving them songs that might describe feelings theyre having but 2022indspiration17Indspire - Starblanket - 4.583 x 7.indd 1 2022-08-26 10:09:55 AM'