The Poet Who Fights for Justice & Why She's Learning to Rest | Shareefa Energy

What can we learn from someone who brings the same heart to the fight for equality and justice as they do to the stage? Shareefa Energy talks about burnout, the wave analogy that changed how she thinks about her role in movements, and why joy is liberation. Shareefa Energy is a poet, writer, recording artist, activist and workshop facilitator from Highfields, Leicester. She is the author of Galaxy Walk, endorsed by the late Benjamin Zephaniah. Her work is known for its honesty, power and unwavering commitment to justice. Her poetry has featured on BBC The One Show, Channel 4 and ITV, and she has led storytelling, creative writing and performance workshops internationally with communities across the UK and from Palestine to Sierra Leone. Her work has included schools, universities, immigration detention centres, survivors of domestic violence and those impacted by state violence. With 16 years’ experience as a youth worker, Shareefa’s practice centres poetry as both activism and self-care. She is also the co-producer of To Kill A War Machine, the documentary film about direct action network Palestine Action. She has performed internationally including at the Royal Albert Hall, and works with organisations varying from community to corporate. She is the recipient of the UK Entertainment Best Poet 2017 Award and the CKI Literature and Poetry 2023 Award, and has been nominated for multiple arts and culture honours. 🎵 Song choice: My Generation by Nas & Damian Marley Find Shareefa: shareefaenergy.com | instagram.com/shareefaenergy Sounds Like Change is a podcast about how music, sound and storytelling help us stay human, hopeful, and build the courage to shape a more just future. Hosted by Ariana Alexander-Sefre. linktr.ee/soundslikechange About the host: Ariana Alexander-Sefre has spent over a decade working at the intersection of music and social justice. An Iranian-British social innovator, she is the founder of SPOKE, a TEDx speaker, and an SXSW Innovation Award winner. A Drowned in Sound Network production. Edited by Tell Studio.