Since 2005, Magpie has been facilitating workshops about creative writing, writing for performance, performance poetry, public speaking and public literary readings. She has delivered workshops for seniors, adult learners, ESL learners, festival goers, young children, adults in recovery, youth at risk, seasoned writers, college, elementary and high school students.

In 2005 Magpie was instrumental in co-founding WordPlay poetry in schools program in Vancouver. This has since blossomed to take performance poets/spoken word into schools to do hundreds of workshops in the lower mainland. It has also spawned the Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam, and the BC high school poetry slam championships Hullabaloo.

I love to share what I do with other people.

Please contact me for speaking or workshop possibilities: magpieulysses@gmail.com

“Before Magpie, my writing class preferred trigonometry, and how to quietly go unnoticed, nervously whispering their orders to fast-food intercoms.  Before Magpie, they complained about a family of winged things living in their bellies, and a dusty cloth stuck in their throats. Before Magpie, they scribbled faint notes hidden at the bottom of their bag, like they had nothing to say. Like nothing mattered.”- Jeff Pew, Creative Writing, Selkirk Secondary School, Kimberley, BC

“The students LOVED her. Overall, they enjoyed the experience of being willfully, but unknowingly motived to write. They were writing and didn’t think of it as a “task” and that was the most fascinating aspect for them. That in addition to the verbal joust. A little healthy competition can be so motivating sometimes.” Elaina Devison, Teacher, Smithers Secondary School

” … I witnessed students and teachers being very engaged and enthused by her “spoken word” poetry presentations. I would highly recommend Magpie for both school and community performances/ workshops.  I am truly sorry that we no longer have her living in the Bulkley Valley.” Teresa Monkman, Teacher-Librarian, Smithers Secondary School, Smithers, BC

 

 

Facillitation & Community Involvement

* Workshop Facilitator ~ Word Play poetry in Schools – Vancouver, BC 2015

*Workshop Facilitator/youth mentor ~ Sequoia school ~ Slocan, BC spring 2015

* Weekend workshop facilitator ~ Oxygen Art Centre ~ Nelson, BC ~ March 2014

* Workshop facilitator ~ Selkirk Secondary school ~ Kimbereley, BC ~ Jan 2014

* Reading Series organizer ~ Booksmyth underground ~ Nelson, BC -2012-2014

* Workshop facilitator ~ Powershift BC ~ 2013

* Guest Speaker – University Of Saskatchewan ~ gender studies dept. ~ 2012

* Workshop Facilitator ~ Hullabaloo BC Youth poetry championships ~ 2012

* Workshop Facilitator ~ Northern Rural Writers In residence ~ Smithers ~ 2011

* Workshop Facilitator ~ 4000 Reasons Festival, Driftwood Foundation ~ 2012

* Workshop Facilitator ~ Creative Writing in Performance ~ Smithers Public Library -2011/2012

* Workshop Facilitator ~ Smithers Secondary School ~ February 2011/2012

* Workshop Facilitator/Mentor ~ Youth Empowerment Project ~ May-June 2011

* Promotions Co-odinator – Kispiox Valley Music festival – 2011/2012

* Performer’s committee co-coordinator ~ Kispiox Valley music festival 2011/2012

* Featured Guest Speaker ~ BC Youth Debate championships ~ 2008

* Co-founder/workshop facilitator/poet organizer ~ Word Play Poetry in Schools program. School workshops (K to College) throughout Vancouver and the lower mainland ~ 2004 to 2007

* Board member ~ Vancouver Poetry House ~ 2004 – 2007

* Co- Founder ~ Most Vocal Poets Society ~ Lethbridge, Alberta ~ 1999

 

Awards/Grants/Education

 

* Grant Recipient Ontario Arts Council ~ Literary awards ~ 2018

* Grant recipient Canada Council for The Arts ~ explore and Create ~ 2018

* Grant recipient Columbia Basin Trust touring initiative grant ~ 2015

* Poet of Honour award~ Canadian Festival of Spoken Word ~ 2012

* Participant ~ Banff Centre for The Arts ~ Spoken Word Program ~ 2011

* Grant Recipient ~ Canada Council For The Arts, spoken word and storytelling section~ 2010

* Anthropology/Environmental Studies associates degree ~ Langara College – 2009

* Local Winner & National Broadcast ~ Vancouver CBC Poetry Faceoff ~ 2008

* Member of two national Canadian championship poetry slam teams – 2005/2006