Junie Désil

Junie Désil, born to Haitian immigrant parents in Montréal and raised in Winnipeg, has devoted over two decades to empowering communities made marginalized. With a background in supporting women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Junie's work spans human resources, leadership, and community engagement. An accomplished poet, her debut collection, *eat salt gaze at the ocean* (2020), was a finalist for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize and explores themes of Black sovereignty and the Haitian...See more

Junie Désil, born to Haitian immigrant parents in Montréal and raised in Winnipeg, has devoted over two decades to empowering communities made marginalized. With a background in supporting women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Junie's work spans human resources, leadership, and community engagement. An accomplished poet, her debut collection, *eat salt gaze at the ocean* (2020), was a finalist for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize and explores themes of Black sovereignty and the Haitian diaspora. Currently residing on the Traditional Territories of the Homalco, Tla'amin, and Klahoose, Junie is the Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation at Vancity. Junie's second poetry collection, *allostatic load*, delves into personal and collective experiences of stress, coping mechanisms, and the journey towards healing. She mentors emerging writers at Simon Fraser University's The Writer's Studio. Beyond her professional life, Junie enjoys writing, coaching, consulting, and raising goats. See less