Kemosa Reading Event
It was so humbling to meet some of the recipients of the Kemosa Scholarship for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Mothers Who Write at the Kemosa Reading Event held on April 14, 2023. These women inspire us in so many ways with their beautiful, haunting, and moving words. Thank you so much to Ellen Kartz Carol Holmes Giorgia Severini and all the Writers’ Guild of Alberta team for being so supportive of the Kemosa Scholarship.
As co-founder Richard Van Camp says, “I felt so privileged to witness such an empowering and supportive series of readers.”
Richard opened the night with a moving statement:
“It is my honour and joy to welcome you all to tonight’s Kemosa Reading Event honouring our 2023 recipients Brittany Whitford, Josephine Small, Falon Fayant and we’d like to honour our past recipients: Apryl Gladue, Holly Frances, Trish McOrmond, Shelley Wiart, Rhonda Gladue and Brittany Johnson.
My wife Keavy and I have prepared gifts for you all. These gifts, our friends, are for you. May they warm you when you need them most and when you use them, remember all of us here who gathered to honour you.
Looking back on my own career, I wanted to honour the names of those matriarchs who have guided me—and probably many of you in this room tonight–all these precious years as an author and storyteller: Lee Maracle, Jeanette Armstrong, Chrystos, Beth Brant, Maria Campbell, Ruby Slipperjack, Marilyn Dumont, Kateri Akiwenzie Damm and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Eden Robinson, Rosanna Deerchild, Cherie Demaline and so many others. I share their names with you because I promise years from now, someone, somewhere will stand and say your names, Brittany Whitford, Josephine Small, Falon Fayant, Apryl Gladue, Holly Frances, Trish McOrmond, Shelley Wiart, Rhonda Gladue and Brittany Johnson as their literary heroes.
Please know that tonight we celebrate you, your families, the families of your hearts, your communities and your Nation.”
