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May 6, 2025 36 mins
What is the power of poetry?  In this episode of The People Teaching People Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with the remarkable Wakefield Brewster. Our conversation was a deep dive into the power of poetry, the importance of literacy, and how one can find and embrace their voice through poetry. Wakefield Brewster is not just a professional poet and spoken word artist with over two decades of experience. He is an educator and a passionate advocate for literacy. Known for his powerful words and captivating performances, Wakefield's work spans schools, festivals, corporate functions, and more. As Calgary's sixth Poet Laureate from 2022 to 2024, he has dedicated his career to inspiring others to find their voice. Through our conversation, Wakefield shared his philosophy on the transformative power of language, emphasizing that "we lead with language." By helping others find their voice, he strives to create a world where everyone's story can be told and appreciated. Moreover, his work demonstrates how poetry and spoken word are dynamic tools for learning, inspiring people of all ages to connect with language deeply. Wakefield Brewster's journey is a testament to the intersection of words and wellness and the importance of sharing one's story. His work encourages us to consider how language can enrich our lives and communities, inspire change, and cultivate understanding.   Listen in as we talk about: 03:12 Finding purpose through challenges 11:16 When poetry found Wakefield  22:08 The power of sharing your voice 26:00 Fostering a love for language 31:04 Finding connection through storytelling 33:48 Creating community as Calgary’s Poet Laureate 40:45 Being brave and sharing with the world 43:33 Writing WakeWORD - a book of poetry 53:05 Poetry and the art of listening 01:03:30 A moment of recognition and pride 01:05:39 Being seen as a poet 01:08:21 Words and wellness   Connect with Wakefield: Website: https://www.wakefieldbrewster.com/ LinkedIn: Wakefield Brewster Instagram: @wakefield_brewster Facebook: @wakefield.brewster TEDxCalgary - Wakefield Brewster - The power of “I can” Book: WAKEWord   Connect with Tiana: Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech  Facebook: @tianafech  Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course    FINDING PURPOSE THROUGH CHALLENGES Growing up isn’t easy, especially when life throws incredibly difficult experiences your way. Wakefield talks about how his early years were shaped by personal traumas and an educational system that didn’t truly see or support the different needs of its students. School was a tough place for him, but those struggles helped shape the teacher and mentor he is today. Instead of focusing only on information, he believes in bringing energy, compassion, and connection into every classroom. His approach is all about entertaining, engaging, making it easy, educating, and enlightening. If students can feel even a small spark, it can open the door to bigger growth over time. Wakefield reminds us that we don’t always get to see the results of the seeds we plant, but that doesn’t make the planting any less important. Even when you can’t see the impact right away, showing up with heart, energy, and care has the power to change someone’s world.   WHEN POETRY FOUND WAKEFIELD Wakefield’s connection to poetry wasn’t something he pursued. It was something that found him. At 16, after years of studying music, including the organ, piano, and percussion, he felt a powerful creative spark (from something that he saw on TV) and wrote his first (admittedly terrible) two poems, marking the first time he truly created something of his own. Even though he kept his writing hidden for years, worried about how it would be perceived, the need to express himself through poetry never went away. His first public reading turned out to be an accidental entry into a poetry slam and was a tough experience.
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