059: The Power of Poetry with Wakefield Brewster

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 C