This week on Unpacked we are chatting with Wakefield Brewster, Poet, Participant, Producer and Promoter in Canada’s poetry and spoken word communities since 1999. He is a Black man born and raised in Toronto, by parents hailing from the island of Beautiful Barbados, and he has resided in Calgary since 2006. For 21 years Wakefield has spent fiercely and ferociously spearheading Poetry and Spoken Word into every single circle of society he can infiltrate. He has spoken across Canada, and several States, and chats with us about his life story, mental health and the connection to poetry, speaking in classrooms and finding healing and hope in recovery from addiction. Wakefield shares a reading for us at the end of the episode so listen to the end! Wakefield is a community builder through engaging in volunteering, leadership, and mentorship for youth and through the arts. He is an active advocate for literacy and the humanities; Healing arts & alternative medicine; alcoholism & addictions; mental wellness & recovery.

Unpacked is a podcast exploring life as messy people. It’s conversations with counsellors, leaders, and storytellers discussing the experiences of being human. We talk about the strength that comes from big messy failures and vulnerable moments so we can learn to live more authentically. Subscribe and leave us a review!