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You Look Good For Your Age is a collection of writing by people who identify as women in our 40s upwards. Edited by Rona Altrows, the anthology deals with aging and ageism as experienced by women. It is being published by the University of Alberta Press this month, and the book launch is at 7 p.m. MST on May 27th. Because of the pandemic, it is being held online, but the great part of that is anything can join in. I’ll be reading from my essay “Adult Tween.” Here’s the link to register.

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I am happy to announce that I will be working on the following project in collaboration with #YEGFilm and the cooperation of several community organizations.

JEWISH EDMONTON STORIES ONLINE PROJECT SEEKS PARTICIPANTS

Jewish Edmonton Stories Online, a project for Jewish and non-Jewish Edmontonians alike to learn and connect with the stories and places of our community’s past, will launch in the fall of 2021. We are seeking remarkable stories and memories from interested members of Edmonton’s Jewish community that connect to a particular place in the City. Stories do not have to be submitted in a complete format. At this point, we’re looking for story ideas and summaries. We will follow up with you once the stories are selected for sharing on our coming interactive storytelling website. Stories will be recorded via audio, video, and/or written transcription via an interview process.

We intend for the stories to represent diversity within the Jewish community, including, but not limited to elders, Sephardim and Mizrahim, women, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities. All recording will be carried out safely with COVID-19 protocols in place. The storyteller will be paid a small honorarium. At this time when we are physically isolated due to COVID-19, it’s important to reach out in as many ways possible to connect and share our community’s knowledge, history, and experiences.

This project is being made possible with the support of the Edmonton Heritage Council, JAHSENA, WordsPicturesMusic.com, #YEGFilm, and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. To share your story, or for more information, feel free to connect with us at stories@jewishedmontonstories.ca. Deadline for stories: March 1, 2021.

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What a few months it has been! I’ve been trying to stay busy despite having all of my music gigs cancelled, all of the summer festivals I would normally photograph cancelled as well, and basically staying home as much as I can. Still, life goes on. Here’s a list of the latest:

I have an essay that will be published in the anthology You Look Good for Your Age, edited by Rona Altrows, University of Alberta Press, May 2021. The collection of writing by 29 writers from our 40s to 90s is about being a woman and dealing with aging and ageism.

A Monumental Secret was screened as part of the Kyiv Film Festival in July, and the Bobritsa Film Festival, also in Ukraine, in June. And by “screened,” it means people could watch the film online.

Nazi monuments in Canada, one of which being the focus of A Monumental Secret, became huge news when a monument commemorating the same WWII battalion was vandalized in Oakville, Ontario. I weighed in with an article for the Canadian Jewish Record.

I’ve kept the music coming, but online. In April, I performed a livestream concert as part of Femme Folk UK’s series of women/femme performers from the UK and Canada. I did a pre-recorded song as part of a Pride service in June. I performed a couple of songs for a video to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and I am performing the “Daughters Day Theme Song” as part of this year’s Daughters Day celebration, which is also a video instead of live. I’ve also done a series of videos from my basement studio, some covers I am learning and some originals. And there is more to come. Follow my Facebook or YouTube music sites to catch up with my performances.

I’ve been editing another community newspaper. The Stony Plain Road and Area News Network (SPANN) launched in March, just as lockdown began.

I’m also going to be updating the news here more often, so check back for another update soon!

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I found out today that my song “Summer” is a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. The song is about a homeless woman, and I am beyond excited that my work is being recognized in this way. In addition to the judges’ decision, there is a People’s Voice award. Please vote for me – you can vote daily until April 3:

https://songwritingcompetition.com/peoplesvoice~category-14

ISC2017_PV

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I used to write for Alberta Sweetgrass on a regular basis, until the publication went completely online in 2015, merging with Windspeaker.com. So, I was quite enthusiastic to be contacted by the editor and assigned my first piece for the website, which went online yesterday.

Indigenous artists living in poverty “show and grow” their talents

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Back in September, I was the keynote speaker for a workshop hosted by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights for the organization’s youth group. My topic was documenting activist events through photography and writing (particularly blogging and social media). Here is a video of my talk. You can also read my notes at my other blog, Sacred Social Justice.

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Hello readers of my work blog. I attended the third annual Edmonton New Media Awards (better known as “The Yeggies”) on May 9. RadicalCitizenMedia.com was short-listed for the second year in a row in the category of “Best in Politics or Current Affairs.” Although I did not win, it was super to have my work recognized by Edmonton’s social media community. However, I am happy to say that I Heart Edmonton, the blog for which I write book reviews, won “Best in Edmonton!”

Another booklet in the series of historical/educational titles about the McCauley neighbourhood should be heading to print soon. This latest one is on Chinatown. I am also currently overseeing the next booklet, which will be on the Aboriginal aspects of McCauley. These booklets are being produced in partnership with McCauley Revitalization/City of Edmonton.

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It’s been a busy new year. I just received my contributor’s copies of Toasts: The Perfect Words to Celebrate Every Occasion (Viva Editions, 2014). It was published back in the fall and features three toasts I wrote: for a new job, Passover, and Chanukah.

I created a short promotional video for Daughter’s Day, with interviews and photos. I interviewed Mayor Don Iveson, and I sing at the end of it. Here it is:

My community access program on Shaw TV, From the Ground Up: Activists and Activism in Edmonton, recently began it’s second season. The station informed me that they will be putting the show on their website, but in the meantime you can watch the web versions of the show here.