I used singing as a safety measure. I would pay attention to what songs the popular girls liked, learn those songs from the radio or library cassettes, and then "accidentally" sing or hum these songs in class. This would impress the girls, who would then defend me from the boys.

Art can sometimes be separate from the artist.

It's exciting to consider how art, in its ability to reveal, can be ahead of the artist.

I think white artists have a responsibility to be not only naming white supremacy, but to be using their power and privilege to support artists of color.

When I was writing, I wanted every word to be not only deliberate, but musical. Precious.

I am more likely to get paid for my art if it's presented alongside a white artist, so the questions around value and agency arise: What choices should I make, or do I have to make, if I want to be compensated for my work? Why isn't my art valued on its own?

Now is not the time for Canadians to be sanctimonious. It is time for us to be prudent and active.