Reclaiming Our Voices Poetry Workshop & Community Screening | 19+

Reclaiming Our Voices is a poetry workshop exploring how identity, culture, memory, and lived experience shape the stories we carry. Through guided discussion, reflective writing, and creative expression, participants will engage with selected readings from influential Black poets such as Audre Lorde and bell hooks, then create original poems rooted in their own experiences. Those interested can also create a visual companion through collage and zine-making.

The evening will conclude with a community screening of Moonlight (2016), followed by an optional sharing circle. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided; attendees are welcome to bring their own snacks.

While this workshop centers Black storytelling, diaspora, and cultural memory, participants of all backgrounds are welcome to attend with openness, curiosity, and respect. This is designed as an intentional yet low-pressure evening — a welcoming and accessible space for reflection, creativity, and connection.

The workshop is facilitated by Chinenye Kalu (she/her), a writer, poet, Registered Social Worker, and community organizer based in Oakville. She is the Founder & Creative Director of The 905 Circle and has facilitated writing workshops with Studio.89, the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton, and other organizations. Her poetry explores themes of womanhood, cultural memory, intimacy, softness, and self-determination.

Tickets are non-refundable. As events are intentionally intimate with limited capacity, refunds and transfers cannot be accommodated. Ticket proceeds support the continuation of community-based creative programming.

Follow @the905circle and @haltonblackvoices for updates on future gatherings, workshops, and community events.