Voices of the Street Literary Anthology 2022 Focus on Climate Change
byMegaphone Magazine has launched its 12th-annual special literary edition, Voices of the Street — Stealing Looks at the Sun: Writing about Climate Change in 2022 — showcasing the literary talents of marginalized writers in Vancouver.
“When I ventured too far
up a tree, my father
would catch me stealing
looks at the sun, aware
that the sky was
certainly my heaven.”
– JT Sandu (a.k.a. Ruby Diamond)
This past year, new phrases such as “heat dome”, “polar vortex” and “atmospheric river”’ entered our vocabularies as the elements that make up our world — Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Aether — cried out for us to accept what experts have been saying for years: Climate change is here.
So climate change is also here, on the pages of the 2022 Voices of the Street literary anthology.
Writers included in this year’s edition express the many challenges linked to the constellation of inequalities that come from a life lived in poverty. They are often the people closest to the ground during natural disasters and the ones least-equipped — at least economically — to navigate upheavals brought about by climate crises.
Stealing Looks at the Sun: Writing About Climate Change in 2022 features 34 powerful contributions from these writers, whose work reflects on memories of time spent in Haida Gwaii, contemplations on the mystery of crows and hummingbirds, recollections of surviving natural disasters, urgent calls for government action… and so much more.
For the second year, the anthology also features beautiful full-colour photographs taken by two community photographers, Priscillia Mays Tait and Mike McNeeley.
“Voices of the Street provides a platform for creative expression by those least likely to be heard: people surviving in the midst of poverty, inadequate housing, physical and mental illness, substance use disorders and other challenges,” says Megaphone Managing Editor Paula Carlson. “These are the residents in our communities who are silenced by stigma, so Megaphone seeks out and showcases their stories.”
In addition to buying Voices of the Street for $10 from vendors in Vancouver and Victoria, Megaphone supporters can now purchase this special literary anthology online, along with a copy of the latest Megaphone magazine.
Special Event
- When: June 22, 2022 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm
- Where: Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 W Hastings)
- Tickets: Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online
Some of the gifted community writers featured in the book will read their stories, and Mike and Priscillia will speak about their experiences being mentored as photographers. Vancouver’s Poet Laureate Fiona Tinwei Lam will offer a special reading.
Supporters are also encouraged to donate to Megaphone’s Spring Campaign, which will fund ongoing self-determined creative expression opportunities for marginalized people.
Related: Megaphone Magazine Launches Voices of the Street Podcast
