ONLINE: Sunday 'HI' Tea & Poetry Games for JEDIs

Join award-winning poet and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) champion Joel B. Tan for Sunday High Tea and Creative Playtime. This game-centered workshop uses poetic forms to explore JEDI themes as a way to process and make sense of our historic moment of pandemic and social uprising.

With equal parts courage and humour, this Sunday Service delves into sensitive and controversial issues through the creative process of using poetic forms (sestina, tanka, pantoum, villanelle, etc). This workshop is designed for all levels, especially non-poets and non-artists.

Is the tradition of High Tea colonial? Absolutely! This workshop is part of reclaiming Sunday Tea and making it our own, with homage to Hawaiʻi Island (HI), where Joel lives, works, and plays. Sign up now and don’t forget to have your cup of tea to toast and fabulous Tea Time hats for extra credit and a weekly prize!

Who is this program for?  

• Anyone interested in exploring themes of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion
• Aspiring or experienced poets, non-poets and non-artists alike
• Anyone interested in learning about and practicing a variety of poetic forms
• Anyone who would like to cultivate a creative expression community
• Anyone who delights in tea, prizes, and/or opportunities to dress up and have fun

Program Highlights:  

• 4 90-minute sessions for creative expression, connection, sharing, and enjoyment
• Practice and play with poetic forms, including Haiku, Tanka, Pantoum, Ghazal, and Sestina
• A supportive and curious community interested in exploring JEDI themes
• At-home opportunities for practice and development between sessions
• A small cohort of 12 participants
• Fun! Participants are invited to bring tea and wear outrageous hats

Series Format & Schedule: 

This 4-part series will take place on 4 consecutive Sundays for 90 minutes in June:

• Sunday, June 6th: 12-1:30pm HST / 3-4:30pm PT / 6-7:30 ET
• Sunday, June 13th: 12-1:30pm HST / 3-4:30pm PT / 6-7:30 ET
• Sunday, June 20th: 12-1:30pm HST / 3-4:30pm PT / 6-7:30 ET
• Sunday, June 27th: 12-1:30pm HST / 3-4:30pm PT / 6-7:30 ET

Pricing Options: 

Accessibility and inclusion are important to us. Together with the facilitator, we are able to offer tiered pricing on this program. Please select a tier that fits your budget and current context. 

• $149: Community-supported – made possible by our generous supporters  
• $179: Regular – standard tuition price  
• $209: Pay It Forward – helps support another participant to join at the supported rate 

We are able to offer a limited number of bursaries through the Community Diversity & Inclusion Fund. Applications must be received at least 7 days prior to the program start date. Learn more and apply for support by contacting Louise Amuir at louise@haven.ca.  Bursary Application Deadline: May 31st, 2021.  

Technical requirements:  

This online program will be hosted on Zoom, a video conferencing software that is free for participants and easy to use on a variety of devices. You will need to have a device (desktop computer or laptop recommended; tablet or smartphone can work too), reliable internet connection, and sound capabilities (headset recommended; built in or external microphone or speaker systems can work too). You can test your device connection and compatibility in advance here: zoom.us/test   

You will be invited to join the first session up to 15 minutes early to receive technical support.