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The Literary Cabaret at Vancouver Writers Fest

Vancouver, BC · Performance Works

Oct 23 ,  2021

Time
8:00 pm
Admission
40

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Address
Granville Island
Vancouver, BC

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Next: How we talk about grief — panel @ GritLit Festival
Previous: Imagine This Women’s Film Festival // Brooklyn

Christa on Instagram

Moving. In my ten years in Toronto, this was my t Moving. In my ten years in Toronto, this was my tenth home. And it was a good one. A soft landing after my co-parent and I separated; light filled rooms that held me and my kid, my friends, and family celebrating, grieving, working and playing; front and back yards that gave us every shifting moment of the seasons; and the company of a giant oak tree, cardinals, blue jays, woodpeckers, mourning doves, squirrels, and a rabbit that one time. My kid turned 4, 5, 6 and 7 here! She started kindergarten... and grade two! I started two new jobs. Launched my short film series. Found more ease, more rest, more joy, and a cat here. A couple of the neighbours were crap, it was very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer, but Glendale Ave was a good home. I’m grateful it was ours. Now on to number eleven! Image description: 1) Christa, a white Cree woman with a prosthetic leg, stands in an empty room in front of large, old windows 2) Christa selfie on a sunny front porch 3) Video of Christa’s kid at age five running down the front steps with an umbrella in the rain 4) The kid and two of her grandparents playing with hula hoops in the front yard 5) Kid waist deep in snow with houses in the background 6) Christa selfie lying in summer green grass 7) Kid and her Auntie Lou having a snack and story next to a Christmas tree 8) Kid at age four with her Gramou and Mae Mae opening Christmas presents in front of a fireplace 9) Christa in only one of two times she wore the orange Lucy and Yak overalls kneeling with a birthday cake for kid to blow out the candles, surrounded by other kids 10) Cloudy the very fluffy orange and white cat having knocked over a lamp 11) POV of Christa’s leg and stump in the bathtub avec old yelllow tiles and candles on the side
Some exciting news! I’ve got an essay in the ne Some exciting news! I’ve got an essay in the new anthology “Owning It: Tales from our Disabled Childhoods”, among many other brilliant disabled adults who were also disabled kids. It’s the book I wish I’d had when I was young — not patronizing stories of overcoming, but the real stories of what it’s like to be a kid with a disability, brought together by @theCatchpoles and @jenvcampbell and being published by @FaberChildrens. I don’t think there’s a book like it yet in the world (let it be the first of others!). I was so honoured to be asked by James to contribute and took some time figuring out which story I’d want to tell. I settled on a harrowing tale of auditioning for a high school production of “Crazy For You” — why it meant the world to me, how it crushed my heart, and where I went from there. The collection features writers from across the globe, some pictured here! Look, we’re all so excited! I can’t wait for you, and, really, disabled kiddos to read it. Spread the word! “Owning It” is coming April 24, 2025. Contributors include: @ellemcnicollofficial @sitting_pretty @nina_tame @jessicaoutofthecloset @christacouture @carlyfindlay @sorajkasuga @pollyrowena @ashleyharriswhaley @danielsluman alexwegman @gruelig astrominx @crutches_and_spice @ilya_poet @kdwinchester @sillyverdile @drmlgodin #AliAbbas #EugeneGrant Image descriptions in pinned comment
46 ✨ What. A. Year. Every bit of sweetness, s 46 ✨ What. A. Year. Every bit of sweetness, success, and safety I’ve experienced in the past year is thanks to the love, support, energy, and efforts of the people in my life. I have so much to be grateful for in my little corner of this incredible, heartbreaking world; so many people I lean on and look to and love. It is a gift to love in return 💕 Image description: Christa is a white, Cree woman in a black @saverezdogs hoodie (because it’s her favourite) and light jeans, sitting on her front steps with one knee up and her prosthetic leg bent in front of her. It’s autumn, it’s sunny, it’s a perfect October Toronto day.
The self-exploration found in role play 💕 I lo The self-exploration found in role play 💕 I loved this conversation with @beatricealexandriawarner for @postcardsfromseries See more in “Postcards from... Montreal” streaming on AMIplus.ca Video description: Christa is a white Cree woman sitting across from Beatrice, a white trans woman, in Montreal’s medival-themed restaurant Auberge du Dragon Rouge. They both have giant goblets and Christa has a giant boar shank, as one does. Transcript: C: For one year of my life, I played world of warcraft. B: Been there! C: ...every day, for hours. And it was a year of my life that I was in, like, deep, deep grief. Playing World of Warcraft was not only escapist and helped pass the time, but I was getting to interact with people, but they didn’t know what was going on in my life. I got to just step into this role and be in this world, and I found it and I found it really soothing. And I wonder if there’s something about that that kind of helps you take a break from maybe the parts of your life that are difficult. B: I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ll even add the word “self exploration.” You know, being a trans woman, as I am, my whole experience in role playing games my entire life, I was role playing as female characters. I actually remember my first Wold of Warcraft character — fast forward to three years ago, I began my transition and chose the name Beatrice, and my mother actually calls me Beanie, which was the name as that first character that I role played as. C: Wow B: Which is kind of a full circle moment for me. C: Ya! B: I think that role play, larping, video game role play, table top role play is a form of escapism. It’s also just a form of — C: Trying things on. B: Trying things on and feeling like you can do so in a safe space. C: Ya.
Today she’s seven ✨😍❤️ Image descripti Today she’s seven ✨😍❤️ Image description: Christa and her kid on the beach in BC. Christa is sitting on the stones and her brilliant bright light of a kid is standing, moving, shining.
Eighteen. This year feels like a milestone. I hav Eighteen. This year feels like a milestone. I have no idea what my life would be like if Emmett had lived — though there’s no doubt it would be very different from the life I have now. I love my life; and I long to have known that other path. I long to know him at 18. My heart aches as much as ever; grief keeps changing shape over and over. Happy birthday, little one, I love you. I miss you.
Thank you @calgarylibrary for being my first! Vid Thank you @calgarylibrary for being my first! Video description: POV of walking between white bookstacks at the Calgary library, until coming to the music biography section and a hand with purple nail polish pulls a book from the shelf that says “how to lose everything, Christa Couture” on the front.
Bisexual as in of/or concerning rain… It’s bi Bisexual as in of/or concerning rain… It’s bisexual awareness week! Ramping up to international bisexuality DAY! And while I don’t correct people who call me bisexual, I don’t often use the word for myself. (Mostly I use queer.) The pedant in my brain struggles to escape that the prefix “bi” means two. And there are more than two genders to be attracted to. But this week is as good a time to revisit the brilliant bisexual manifesto from Bay Area Bisexual Network, which includes this gem: “Bisexuality is a whole, fluid identity. Do not assume that bisexuality is binary in nature; that we must have ‘two’ sides or that we MUST be involved simultaneously with both genders to be fulfilled human beings. In fact, don’t assume that there are only two genders” It’s a good read. And a manifesto I can get on board with. Of course we know that language is also fluid — dictionaries ultimately (should) follow our use as a record of language not a means to hold it back, and I tell my inner pedant to be quiet more and more lately. Bi erasure and invisibility — and their harmful impacts — are real. Bi-phobia within queer community is real. And bisexuals are the single largest group in the acronym! They are real! I mean we. (FINE.) xo Image description: slide one, Christa, a white Cree woman in a rain soaked sleeveless tee with arms outstreched and eyes closed, face to the sky of rainfall. Slide two, repost from @roomofonesownbooks of an adorable hamster in a pink wig with text, “I don’t dress for the male gaze, I dress for bisexuals at the bookstore.” Slide three, repost @justsaysk of a Black Barbie in a crop top and red pants, beside them a plaid shirt, converse shoes, and a patched jean jacket with the text, “serving glam with a side of butch bisexual Barbie.” #bisexualawarenessweek #queer #allthegendersandallthebodies
Educators, teachers, and parents! I’m SO excite Educators, teachers, and parents! I’m SO excited to share that there is now a curriculum guide available for the animated series of Indigenous stories, “How to Lose Everything.” Written by Shannon Winterstein, inspired by Cory Silverberg, this extensive guide includes materials for four learning levels: grade school, junior/middle school, high school, and post secondary. IT’S SO GOOD and uses the films as a starting point for exploring grief, culture, and community. In age appropriate ways, natch. In Canada, the guide is available from CBC’s Curio — your school, library, school board should have a subscription and if they don’t, ask them to get one! Outside of Canada, contact me directly with requests. Please spread the word! I’d love for learners of all levels to have access to this. I knew nothing about curriculum guides before Cory suggested it, and these would not be as incredible as they are without Shannon’s expertise. I’m thrilled for this additional way these films can keep doing their beautiful work in the world. Special thanks to all the artists as well who gave us additional time and input to create these guides in a good way. At each learning level, there is an individual guide per episode in the series: ✨How to Lose Everything: A Field Guide by bekky O’Neil and yours truly 🐻A Bear Named Jesus by Terril Calder and Archer Pechawis 💜 Heart Like a Pow Wow by Chief Lady Bird and Tara Williamson 🔥 There Are Hierarchies of Grief by Meky Ottawa and Smokii Sumak 🫐Grape Soda in the Parking Lot by Megan Kyak-Monteith and Taqralik Partridge Created thanks to funding from @ontarioartscouncil Aside from this new offering, the films are also as ever available from @cbcarts on their YouTube channel and on @cbcgem Image description in pinned comment #howtoloseeverything #grief #indigenousanimation #animation #indigenousexcellence #education #curriculum
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