Helen Knott is a Dane-zaa and Nehiyawak writer, spoken word poet, and advocate from the Prophet River First Nations living in Fort St. John, BC. Currently completing a Masters in First Nations Studies at UNBC, Helen was recently named one of 16 Nobel laureate-honoured world activists and one of 150 Indigenous Canadian artists honored with the Hnyatyshyn Foundation REVEAL Indigenous Art Award. She has published short stories and poetry in the Malahat Review, Red Rising Magazine, CBC Arts, the Surviving Canada anthology, alongside many other publications and poetry video productions. Helen has forthcoming academic pieces that focus on connecting violence against Indigenous lands and bodies. Her first book is a memoir that weaves in poetry entitled, In My Own Moccasins Now, to be released in Fall 2019 by the University of Regina Press. At Words North, Helen will be taking part in the panel discussion, Writing to Engage Community at 10 am, giving a presentation, From Hard Lines to Heart Lines, at 2 pm and a collaborative performance with Jasmine Netsena at 7 pm, all on Saturday at the Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre.

Helen describes her workshop, From Hard Lines to Heart Lines as follows:

Writing uncomfortable truths that make people squirm in their seats is never the ultimate dream of writers. Hard lines are words written from the crossroads of injustices and oppression that often provide insight and build understanding. Heart lines are words that have evolved from human experiences that are emotionally charged with “the feels.” Often hard lines and heart lines are intertwined and can be utilized to not only provide powerful social commentary, but to deepen our abilities to connect to each other as human beings. Helen will discuss how she has used writing to heal from oppression and to illuminate social injustices. Discover the power that is in the uncomfortable and often avoided hard and heart spaces.

Read this article online at The Dawson Creek Mirror.

For more information on the Words North festival, visit https://peaceliardarts.org/words-north/words-north-2018/