CREATIVE WRITING FROM THE HEART - MARCH 2025
DISCOVERING
Tuesday
7 pm
Creative Writing
March 2025
WRITING FROM THE HEART
March 18, 2025
Artist: Damilola Olajire (SmilingPen)
Writing has the power to uncover the stories we carry and turn them into art. "Creative Writing from the Heart" is a hands-on workshop designed for anyone, whether you're an emerging writer, someone exploring self-expression, or just curious about putting your thoughts into words.
Led by poet Damilola Olajire (SmilingPen), this session will guide you through writing exercises that help translate real-life experiences into creative works. With thoughtful prompts, you'll have the space to reflect, experiment, and craft a piece that is uniquely yours. Sharing is optional, but for those who do, it’s an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and hear different perspectives on storytelling.
By the end of the workshop, you'll leave with a completed piece of writing, fresh inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling.
Creative Writing is part of Jamii's March Cycle evolved around lead artist Sharon Zarita Adhiambo’s theme "Grounded", which includes workshops like Monday Dancing, Tuesday Culture Cloths, Tuesday Book Club, Wednesday Sewing, Thursday Crafting, Thursday Painting, and Friday Singing. “Through these workshops, we let art and community exchanges guide the discovery of what grounds us, or what we need to find grounding on, and pass this discovery to someone else's journey.” - Sharon Zarita Adhiambo.
Photos by Shaimaa Yakout, Hadeal Karrar
Damilola Muyideen Olajire
Damilola Muyideen Olajire, famously known as SmilingPen is a Professional Writer, a Spoken Word Artist, a Storyteller, a Community Project Expert, among many others. He is also the founder of Maryam Olayinka Olajire Foundation (MOOF), one of the fastest-growing public health organizations, back home in Nigeria, that advocates and promotes a good health care system for the common people of the community.
Damilola hails from Lagos state (Nigeria) and had his formal education both in Nigeria and in Istanbul, Turkey. As a young immigrant in his 30’s, he has risen to become one of the most recognized African contemporary poets in Canada. Having performed at numerous art and poetry events, he is determined to continue speaking power from the heart, preaching love, hope and peace to the world using poetry.
It’s also worth mention that Mr Olajire will be publishing his debut book soon. Damilola, or SmilingPen will fondly say, “I know my dreams are bigger than me, but they’re not impossible”.
Photo by Grizzly Visualz