Stitching Together Cultural Identities When You Don't Belong Anywhere

Davey Powell shares his journey as a queer traveller, navigating the complexities of growing up in fairgrounds while knowing he was gay from a young age. Through therapy, sobriety, and quilting, he's found a way to unite his traveller heritage with his queer identity to become the authentic person he was always meant to be.• Growing up between two worlds - never "traveller enough" for the traveller community and too "traveller" for the outside world• Experiencing violence and fear on the fairgrounds, forcing him to develop a tough exterior that conflicted with his sensitive nature• Hiding his gay identity from age 8-9 until university, when he finally came out• Facing rejection from his parents, culminating in his father saying "I've hated you since you were 15"• Battling severe depression and suicidal thoughts while trying to find his place in the world• Finding healing through therapy, sobriety, and quilting, which started during a difficult period in Canada• Creating vibrant quilts that incorporate fairground aesthetics to unite his traveller heritage with his queer identity• Learning to speak to his inner child and angry teenager to heal from past trauma• Proudly embracing both his showman/traveller background and his gay identity after years of feeling they couldn't coexist• Using traditional fairground fonts and sign-painting techniques to reclaim positive aspects of his heritageWant to reach out? Suggest a guest? Drop us a text! Support the show