our evolution

Kyra Shaughnessy was born and raised in the Eastern Townships of Quebec where she was un-schooled and participated in nature-based spiritual retreats, learned to love learning and rolled around in the dirt for the first 15 years of her life. This childhood environment has left her with a deep love and respect for the earth and the interconnection of all beings. Upon moving to Montreal in 2001 Kyra became involved with the international youth organization Leave Out ViolencE (L.O.V.E.), began publishing her poetry in their bi-annual newspaper,leading workshops and performing around issues of youth violence in schools and at international conferences and at open mics and concerts around the city. In 2003 she became the youngest person to perform in the CBC National Poetry Slam. After completing her first cross-country tour in 2006 she was voted best Montreal Spken Word Artist two years consecutively by the Montreal Mirror.

She spent a year abroad participating in The School for Designing a Society, both at Patch Adams  Gesundheit! Institute in West Virginia and in Urbana, Illinois.

In fall 2008 she traveled to the Findhorn Ecovillage in Northern Scotland to take part in a one month course on Ecovillage Design Education. After her return to Montreal she joined the Montreal Permaculture Guild, and has been part of organizing and facilitating a course on urban sustainability and permaculture.

She continues to base her work out of both Montreal and the Eastern Townships, where she lives at Heartroot Farm, the healing center where she was raised.