"Can we speak about joy for once?" In contemporary literature from Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) authors across Canada and Turtle Island, there is a resurgence in diasporic stories that capture the joy and resistance of carving space for community against the mechanisms of the state. This course explores how BIPOC literature has intersected with social problems and activist movements, creating spaces for readers to reflect on their own lived experiences. Students will expand their creative thinking, critical reading and scholarly writing skills through multi-modal assignments that offer connections to current issues and community knowledge. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.