This week on Common Shapes I hang out with my friend, everyone’s favorite truth teller in these times, and guest teacher of this weekend’s Writing The Personal : the one and only
for a conversation at the intersections of writing, politics, care, and liberation.Fariha is a multi-disciplinary artist born in Ontario, Canada and raised in Sydney, Australia. As a Muslim queer Bangladeshi, she is interested in the margins, liminality, otherness, and the mercurial nature of being. She’s the author of five books and writes the Substack newsletter,
Her newest book of poetry, Survival Takes a Wild Imagination, is out now - and in my humble opinion is her best work yet.
In this episode, Fariha shares her experience telling the truth amidst propaganda and channeling righteous rage into writing. She explains how she approaches writing about Palestine during the genocide in Gaza and how she embeds the depth of her feelings and beliefs in her work.
“I think that if you are a part of the status quo or if you have had certain privileges in your life that have allowed you to be protected, then you’re never inquiring about the other and questioning what’s on the outside. And it is such a gift to be able to be like — there’s so many people here on the outside with me, and I want to talk about them.”
Fariha Róisín
Tune in to hear about—
🛼 Feeling the responsibility to speak out
🪞 Fariha’s process for working on two books at once
📜 Pouring your feelings into your writing
📐 Demystifying spiritual practice
🔓 The importance of surrender
🕘 Where the personal meets the political
💎 How Fariha writes her weekly newsletter
Links
Mentioned in the episode: James Baldwin, Mother Country Radicals
This week the comments are open to all subscribers <3 This little self published project means the world to me and it is because of you sweet listeners that it finds its way to so many people. Let us know what you thought of this week’s episode and please share in the places you love to share things :)
Common Shapes is made possible with art by
music by and podcast editing and support by of Softer Sounds StudioMany blessings on your journey to more freedom and ease.
A portion of November’s paid subscriptions goes toward the Palestinian Youth Movement
⌇⋰ Website
⌇⋰ Email : info@marleegrace.space
⌇⋰ PO Box 252 Cedar, MI 49621
If you would like to not get emails about the podcast this explains how to manage your subscription preferences
If you loved today’s episode or this episode last season with
you are sure to love this three week writing class. Respond to this email if you have any questions and we’ll see you there!WRITING THE PERSONAL
A three week class to bring the poetic, personal, and political together for essays of self discovery and service
🦋 WHEN : Sun Dec 3, 10, and 17 from 9-11am PST / 12-2pm EST Live on Zoom
Bonus 90 min sharing our writing workshop lab Wed Dec 13 10AM PST / 1PM EST