Carla Stephenson- Project lead

Who am I to lead this work?

My name is Carla Stephenson, I am a mother, wife, daughter and a multiracial woman of colour. I have the lived experience of having the lightest skin of one side of my family and the darkest skin of the other. People frequently ask me,“Where are you from?”. I have experienced racism first hand and am also frequently surprised by how much I still do. I have ones very dear to me who identify outside the gender binary. I have gone on my own journey of learning about how I can best support them as they struggle to find their way.

I have lived my adult life in small rural towns and have worked in the arts in British Columbia for over two decades. I have studied community development, have innovated systems and built community hubs and cultural events. I have been an entrepreneur and an executive director of a non profit society. My calling has been to amplify the voices of others, mostly artists.

For the past 3 years I have been exploring and thinking very deeply around the issues of climate change, displaced people, racism and what we can do in our communities to live together and bring out the best in each other.

I recognize that we are living in complex systems that are always in a state of friction. I recognize there is inequality in the colonial systems that we all live in. I have experienced the conflict and discomfort that lives just under the surface of these structures.

I do not know how to change the system or to create a better one but I believe that through listening, stretch collaboration* and collective story harvesting that we can find ways to support change. Arts play a role in disrupting and getting to the truth of issues in subversive and overt ways. I am honoured and grateful to have the opportunity to explore this challenge with as many people who feel called to participate as possible.

*see our reading list for “Collaborating with the enemy”