Creative Activism & The Power of Love

Making good trouble in the world

May 21, 2025

Crows are social…

In early 2020 I joined an international online writing community, unaware how much of a creative lifeline this would become over the months ahead. Very soon afterwards, as everyone knows, the norms of the world quickly turned upside down as the Covid pandemic spread not only the virus, but also fear and misinformation. Eight of us writers, a small subgroup of women within the larger online group, formed a particular bond, found common purpose and became the ‘Crows’. Over the past 5 years (yes, five years!) we eight writers have met weekly online, shared writing (and much else) daily, have supported and inspired each other through successes and setbacks, both writing-related and personal. In summer 2023 all eight of us met for the first time in real life in Canada, at the generous invitation of

Kathy Karn

and deepened our friendship even further.

The Crows fly

This month, the entire group are coming to Ireland for a week, some on their very first visit here1. It’s so exciting, and there’s more! On Saturday, 31st May two of the writers, Joann Malone (US) and Kathy Karn (Canada), will feature at the 'Creative Activism Connections2' event at the magnificent 16th century Ormond Castle in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. Using their own unique experiences and skills they will share their different approaches to addressing issues of local and global relevance; how there are many ways in which creative activism has the potential to inspire change for the better in the world and, most importantly, sustain the spirit and courage of those who act.

Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir Photo: author’s own

Joann writes on racism and social justice and Kathy is a photographer, also a psychotherapist, who writes about wildlife conservation, especially how ‘Africa fuels her spirit’ and how time in nature reconnects her ‘with what has truth and meaning in [her] life’. For Kathy, it is the elephants she encountered in Kenya who have become her guides, who can show us how to be good stewards. Joann is the one who believes in ‘making good trouble’3 and has spent a long lifetime doing just that, including becoming a felon through her protest against the production of napalm by Dow Chemicals during the Vietnam War, as part of a group known as The DC9. You can see some of Joann’s life captured in this short film, ‘All The Difference’, made by her granddaughter, Annelise. Kathy writes, in her book, The Wisdom of Elephants, ‘When we travel with intention, when we are open to outcome and when we stay curious, magic can happen.’ She will inspire us with some of that magic through her session in the stunning setting of the Ormond Castle on May 31st.

The cross-generational input of the day is what makes it extra significant. Writer and film maker Rehan Ali (Pakistan & Ireland) will open the day’s events with, "The Evolution of a Story: a multi-media creative experience". I have had the pleasure of working with Rehan on creative projects in the past and he is an extremely talented individual. The ‘story’ of the title is about a child who spent 10 years growing up in Bridgewater House, a Direct Provision hostel located on Main Street in Carrick-on-Suir (2005-2015). The story began as an essay, then found its voice as a short story, ‘What’s in a Name?’ which was published in the literary magazine The Stinging Fly4. Next, it learned to speak visually as a short film, ‘Water Under the Bridge’, shown on Virgin Media, and now it breathes fully as a feature script. One story, many lives. On Saturday, 31st we will experience its growth in real time through layers of conversation, readings, film, and live performance. This unique exploration culminates in a significant moment: the very first glimpse of its fully realised form as a feature film script.

With Rehan there will also be a very special memory / visual component - illustrations through the eyes of a child/young teen by the very gifted visual artist Sheila Wood.

If you are anywhere near Carrick-on-Suir on Saturday 31st May you won’t want to miss this unique coming together of these three creative individuals, from across generations and across continents. Expect surprises! This is a ticketed event and booking details are below.