Mother Peace

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?
 
Some of the mainstream stuff like Beyonce, Keri Hilson and Kanye West with a main diet of my true school hip hop collection: Amanda Diva, Othello, Mos Def, Z-Trip, The Perceptionists, Blueprint….too many to name
 
Why should people, especially youth, vote?
 
Youth have a clearer perception of life and how it is supposed to be, there are good things about idealism.  Vision is less clouded with petty details so they are better able to see who is genuinely working towards our best interests and who is not.

What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?
 
Some of the mainstream stuff like Beyonce, Keri Hilson and Kanye West with a main diet of my true school hip hop collection: Amanda Diva, Othello, Mos Def, Z-Trip, The Perceptionists, Blueprint….too many to name
 
Why should people, especially youth, vote?
 
Youth have a clearer perception of life and how it is supposed to be, there are good things about idealism.  Vision is less clouded with petty details so they are better able to see who is genuinely working towards our best interests and who is not.

 
What music are you listening to / art are you checking out these days?
 
Some of the mainstream stuff like Beyonce, Keri Hilson and Kanye West with a main diet of my true school hip hop collection: Amanda Diva, Othello, Mos Def, Z-Trip, The Perceptionists, Blueprint….too many to name
 
Why should people, especially youth, vote?
 
Youth have a clearer perception of life and how it is supposed to be, there are good things about idealism.  Vision is less clouded with petty details so they are better able to see who is genuinely working towards our best interests and who is not.
 
For you, is there a connection between art and democracy? What is it?

I could tell the story about how I first got involved in radio at CJSR in order to illustrate this point. A man who wrote poetry in his language was arrested and put in jail in Turkey, as his people and language were not recognized and outlawed. So he was imprisoned simply for speaking his native tongue. Without some form of democracy, we cannot have authentic art, as art comes from our ancestry our essence, our roots. This man was released thanks to the efforts of Amnesty International, had a potluck dinner where I met the woman who would allow me to start my DJ career.

Why do you care about community, when it is so easy not to?

Part of why I care about community is because I am the great-grandaughter of chiefs, and it is my job. For the most part though, I care because I personally see a lot of room for improvement in the quality of life of many people. I get bored sitting around a table of people in a pub who are drinking alcohol talking about all the bad things going on in their community or world, criticizing whichever person or politician. I lose my mind sitting in a living room full of people who are smoking marijuana engaging in empty discussion about movies and music.

Rather than waste hours and hours complaining, criticizing, escaping or turning a blind eye, I choose to dedicate a large portion of my life to knowing and contributing to the well-being of my community.

What do you look for in a politician? What do you expect from your MP?

I look for an individual who considers the state of the environment, homeless and the less privileged, gay and lesbian rights, this says alot about how they think, how much courage they have and the depth of their character. To use their position to best meet the needs of the people they are serving.

What causes do you actively support? (Give us the links and we will post them on our website)

The Support Network holds an annual Suicide Awarness march called ‘Lifting the Silence’. I am one of the founding members of this march, gave it its name, perform and speak at this event every year.

This website has links to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and many others related to Residential Schools. I have performed and spoken at events related to this.

The Boyle Street Community Services is where I am presently employed, we serve ‘high risk youth’, the homeless, addicted, and those struggling with poverty.

What are one or two simple actions you recommend youth take to make a difference?

Pick a place, an agency or a non-profit organization that deals with an issue that’s close to your heart and commit to that, go regularily and keep going when the going gets rough. You will gain wisdom, contribute tremendously and open doors for yourself that you never dreamed possible. Sometimes it is quiet persistence and perseverance that makes a huge difference in the world.

Make sure that a portion of your free time is spent in service to those less fortunate, you may not feel rich or privileged but 99% of you who have the luxury of attending this conference are very much so.

Take a moment to think of those who are in refugee camps without enough food to eat, let alone going without the latest ipod. Stop those conversations that bore you, or walk away quietly, if you do this consistently, you will find yourself feeling more fulfilled and naturally living a much less selfish lifestyle.