After my recent keynote presentation.
Having presented at the online Existential conference ‘Into the Wild Woods’, I realise that I felt as though I were in the Wild woods. It was an opportunity to challenge my ongoing reticence about working in predominantly white spaces. My presentation as keynote was on the last hour of day two. In other words, it was a finale to an interesting and inspiring conference, that mostly referred to ‘the wild woods, in an intellectualised and exclusive way. Another reason why BPOC and people of the global majority have become our own educators. Those whose heads are not in the sand and care to educate themselves and each other about the devastation, not only to the planet, but caused by climate change, ethnic cleansing, genocide and subservience to Western ideologies and oppressions, will have paid attention to my nonconformity and determination to keep this aspect of therapeutic care alive.
I presented a keynote talk, and there was little chance for feedback or discussion afterwards. I felt a bit nervous while presenting, but also confident that my talk would be unique, special, and creative. I included five poems to demonstrate connection with my own existential being. I asked delegates to briefly reflect after each poem, to enable a sense of connection with the content and with me, and my story as it entwines and entangles an approach to life and Transcultural Therapy. This approach helped me to punctuate between each thread of my words and breathe into my realisation, of the space I was presenting in.
Some comments in the zoom messaging stream showed me that I had been heard and deeply resonated with. I felt valued and supported by this. Days later I had a brief discussion and feedback from a sista and writer friend who had been present as a delegate. This was consoling and doubly validated my own thoughts that the presentation was a success, in spite of feeling alone in the wild woods.
From the conference message board: Thank you Dr. Isha Mckenzie-Mavinga, from the bottom of my heart...your keynote address was powerful, constructive, transformative, enriching, uplifting and liberating...I am so grateful to you for sharing your lived experiences...I can relate to so much of what you spoke about. 🙏🏾❤️! What an honour and privilege to see and hear you! Will definitely buy and read your book!
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