Author Evelyn C. White firmly believes that the voices of her African ancestors impelled her into writing her latest book, Every Goodbye Ain't Gone, a Photo Narrative of Black Heritage on Salt Spring Island, which she produced with the photographic collaboration of Joanne Bealy.
"The process was completely organic," she said. "I worked at my own pace."
The result was rewarding - she became friends with the direct descendants of the early black settlers who still live on Salt Spring.
White moved to the island from California after a career in journalism and teaching. As a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1986 to 1995, her work coincided with the film release of The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker's acclaimed novel. After reviewing one of Walker's many books for the Chronicle, White corresponded with the author and later became her official biographer. Her next project is an illustrated book that involves another American icon, Aretha Franklin.
White and Claire Robson, author of Love in Good Time (Michigan State U. Press), will bring their experiences to the Coast on Friday, May 21, for an evening of readings at the Heritage Playhouse, entitled Reading Across Taboos, and on Saturday, May 22, for an all day writing workshop, Writing Across Taboos, at Capilano University in their campus in Sechelt.
"The taboo theme came from conversations I've had with my workshop co-presenter, Claire Robson," White said. "Basically, we both feel that it is important for writers, especially women, to break silences, to traffic in the voices that have been censored either by family, community or society."
She quotes the late, great, black lesbian writer Audre Lorde, who once said that "our silence will not protect us."
"Claire and I feel there is value and healing that can come from shining light on and delving into the so-called unacceptable, risky, impolite, terrifying places in our lives," White said.
In the writing workshop, the two promise a safe place to embark upon the dangerous, but self-loving journey of speaking or writing the truth.
Robson, who is a doctoral candidate in the field of memoir and identity, has previously taught several intensive writing workshops on the Coast to rave reviews from the participants. A few of the students, poet Martha Royea and writer Meera Shah, will give short readings at the Friday evening event engaging the theme of taboo. Also reading will be actor and writer Caitlin Hicks of Roberts Creek, writer Bernadette Richards, who explores the shaky territory between mother and daughter, and transwoman Kerrianne Ferrier who moved from man to woman in 2009. This will be Ferrier's first public reading since her transition.
Robson will also be reading, and White has been moved to read an original essay that she describes as musings on race and empowerment against the backdrop of Canada's complex history as a part of the British Commonwealth.
The reading evening is open to all and starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21, at the Heritage Playhouse. Tickets for $10 are available at Coast Books or at the door. Funds raised support a bursary for Coast writers to attend workshops. A book table of local authors' works will be available, including books from Harbour Publishing. The writing workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To register, contact Judy Lynne at 604-886-7334 or e-mail [email protected].
