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The Memoir Hour at LitFest

Online · LitFest

The Memoir Hour: Helen Knott, David A. Robertson and Christa Couture with moderator Emily Riddle

Oct 17 ,  2020

Time
2:00 pm
Admission

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Online
litfestalberta.org/event/litfest-2020

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Next: A special online performance #ThinAir2020 available Sep 20-Oct 9
Previous: Vancouver Writers Festival

Christa on Instagram

More festival screenings ✨🎥 🙌 It’s been More festival screenings ✨🎥 🙌 It’s been almost three years since the films from “How to Lose Everything: the series” started their festival run, and they’re still getting invited and programmed into festivals; they’re still doing their work out in the world in so many ways! See Grape Soda in the Parking Lot at Asinabka’s Unikkaatuarniq — Indigenous films from the circumpolar north — February 7-9, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada. @asinabka See Grape Soda AND Heart Like a Pow Wow return to Australia, March 13-18, 2025, at the Birrarangga Film Festival in Melbourne. @birraranggafilmfest Thank you Asinabka and Birrarangga for all you do for Indigenous filmmakers and audiences, and thank you for having us 💗 Grape Soda in the Parking Lot is directed by Taqralik Partridge and Megan Kyak-Monteith, written and performed by Taqralik, and painted and animated by Megan. Music by Inge Thomson. Heart Like a Pow Wow is directed and illustrated by Chief Lady Bird, written, composed and performed by Tara Williamson, and animated by bekky O’Neil. Produced by Michelle St. John and me for CBC Arts. @mosaintj @cbcarts Image description in pinned comment
“To be asked to be seen and held are some of the “To be asked to be seen and held are some of the most vulnerable things that we can do as disabled folks.” Issue 23 of Feels magazine is guest edited by Therese Estacion — poet, writer, educator and amputee. And, she does remarkable work to create opportunities for disabled artists in the literary scene. She creates the spaces for that being seen and held. This gorgeous issue is 84 pages of art, poetry, and prose by over 25 contributors on comfort, cats, and curb cuts; hospital chapels, spoons, and masking. Joy. Desire. I’m so honoured to be among these pages and among such brilliant, smart, funny, hot, wise crisp kin. Get a copy from feelszine.com @leche_flan__ @feelszine Image descriptions: Slide 1) Christa is a white Cree woman in a mustard colour sweater and sunny white room. She’s holding a copy of Feels in front of her chest and smiling to something off camera. In the background her beloved painting “more is more” by @aremyart Slide 2) A photo of page 5 of the magazine with the word “disability” in all caps purple letters across the page. Slide 3) A photo of guest editor Therese’s letter to readers in the magazine. Slide 4) A photo of Christa’s interview in the magazine, which includes a black and white photo of her with her best Maggie Gyllenhaal in Deuce, as photographed by @jensquiresphotographer
Leaving Meta? Keep in touch ❤️ I don’t know Leaving Meta? Keep in touch ❤️ I don’t know yet if I’m ready to leave. I do feel connected to people, ideas, creativity, joy, resistance, and care here; I spend too much time here; I don’t always feel good spending time here and I know it’s doing the same to most of us. Not to mention these companies actively legitimize hatred (to say the least) and make a lot of money off of us doing it. And so we have options! My mailing list isn’t a regular missive, but I write when there’s work or events to sare. I’d really love to share those things with you; all things writing, singing, hosting, grieving, celebrating, and a few unknowns yet. DM me your email and I’ll add you to the list. Or use the link in my bio. I’m also enjoying (and contemplating posting at) Bluesky. It’s nice that it feels smaller and cozy right now. It will change. It’s a good start, and thank goodness so many of the smart, brave people I learn from here are already doing their magic over there. I’m at christacouture.bsky.social Or you can always share your things with me art letters@christacouture.com And let me know how to join your list, where to follow you for your memes and your hope and your breakfast and your struggle and your mutual aid. Onwards 💗💪 Image descriptions: Slide one, Christa is a white Cree woman with a floral prosthetic leg looking behind her at the Flying Saucer restaurant sign in Niagara Falls. On a grey day, her white sneakers shine brightly. Text, “Leaving Meta? Keep in touch” is over the image. Slide two and three are shortened versions of the text above on white and pink background.
“Adaptive adventures are about discovering what “Adaptive adventures are about discovering what works for you, rather than trying to fit into a predetermined mold.” Thank you Debbie Austin at @accessiblejourneys for this fantastic profile on our “Postcards” adventures! Read the full article in Accessible Journeys from @melangemagazines in print and online. Stream “Postcards From,” season five, on AMI+ @accessiblemediainc @blackrhinocreative Image descriptions: screen grabs of the feature in Accessible Journeys with multiple photos of Christa, a white Cree woman and amputee with a floral covered prosthesis. Slide one, Christa is wearing a mustard colour jumpsuit with one pant leg cut off. She’s standing on the badlands in Drumheller, Alberta, and there is text, “Postcards, starring Christa Couture” with the AMI logo. Slide two, the headline reads, “Christa Couture’s inclusive travel adventures” over paragraphs of text; three photos of Christa, the crew, and dinosaur bones, in Drumheller, are next to the text. Slide three is a page of the magazine with all images from the series, including @tzadekavision at the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton, and skiing, playing an alpenhorn, and cooking over an outdoor fire in Whistler, BC. #amputeelife #disability #AccessibleJourneys #MelangeMagazines #PostcardsFrom
To that which didn’t kill us that made us soft.. To that which didn’t kill us that made us soft... Video description: Christa, a white Cree woman with a prosthetic leg in a blue shacket and pink and orange toque, walks through arches of Christmas lights in slow mo. In the last few seconds, a kids hand comes into frame and waves. The lyrics on screen: Happy new year to resentment, disappointment, and enjoyment, to all the best laid plans we won’t pull off. Happy new year to the weary, to fury, and recovery, to that which didn’t kill us that made us soft. The song, “To Us” (my not-happy, happy new year song) is streamable on all the streaming things
CAN YOU EVEN To know me is to know I love the cla CAN YOU EVEN To know me is to know I love the classic 80s film Beaches, starring Bette Midler. My Lou @pocketalchemy knows this and took the time to pause, zoom in, AND THEN CREATE A PATTERN to crochet me a toque just like the one Cece wears in the scene Hilary arrives in New York. The tour of Cece’s kitchen is one of my favourite scenes (but I can’t actually pick a favourite) , and I was BESIDE MYSELF with delight that Lou spent the time to make this for me. Sending a bit of warmth and delight from this corner of the world. It’s a hard time of year. It’s a hard time. #senduptheheat #Beaches #lous Image description: slide one, christa is a white, Cree woman, smiling a happy squinty smile, outdoors. She’s wearing a burgundy toque with a pink spiral crocheted into it. Slide too, a still from the movie beaches with Bette Midler‘s character wearing the same toque. Slide three, Susan is a white woman with red hair holding up the toque she crocheted and beaming.
Ruth Couture ✨ September 3, 1931-November 24, 20 Ruth Couture ✨ September 3, 1931-November 24, 2024 My step-mother Ruth was one of my parents since I was six; a teacher-turned-market-researcher from New Jersey who’d lived in Manhattan but also followed my dad to a reserve in Northern Alberta. She loved a margarita on the rocks (no salt) and a filet mignon. She always wore giant sunglasses and carried a purse that would exceed carry-on luggage limits. She had velcro curlers in her hair more often than not. She pronounced drawer as “draw” and “human” as “you-man.” When she was laughing really hard it would be silent shaking until high shrieks escaped. She was incredibly stubborn (her long term care home would kindly say “independent”) and would lie to avoid hard conversations (her friend referred to this as, “she’s a character alright”). She’s one of the only other people I know who’s lost two children — her first baby, George, in the 50s; her daughter, Kathleen, ten years ago. I’m so grateful I got to be with her when she died. I’m grateful to her bestie Tina and her grandson Josh. I’m grateful to the staff at her care home who helped her and me through her last days. I’m grateful to the pals who held my hand as I held hers in her last moments and unloaded the dishwasher the morning after so I could sit still. I love her. ID in pinned comments
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
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  1. To Us Christa Couture
  2. Water to Sail Christa Couture
  3. 04 Rebuild Christa Couture
  4. The Slaughter Christa Couture
  5. Alone in This Christa Couture
  6. That Little Part of My Heart Christa Couture
  7. Good Bayou Christa Couture
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