Hello! My name is Erin Scott and I am fundraising on behalf of Inspired Word Cafe in Kelowna, BC, so we can buy a memorial plaque and dedicate a bench in Kelowna to the memory of our founder, mentor, and friend, Rawle James.

Rawle passed on March 20, 2025 in his home in Toronto, only 10 days after visiting with his community and family in Kelowna. It was an incredible shock to our community, whose lives were deeply impacted by Rawle.

Anyone who knew Rawle, and there were MANY people who knew Rawle, felt his warmth, his kindness, his honesty, and his guiding words. He truly was one of one.

Rawle created Inspired Word Cafe back in 2010 as a way of engaging his students in personal and poetic exploration. This turned into the largest literary arts organization in the Okanagan Valley, inspiring thousands of poets to take the stage, write their truth, and show up for one another month after month. Kelowna is forever changed by the impact Rawle had in a number of areas, including his counselling and guidance work, his immigrant support work through KCR, his football coaching and youth mentorship, and his seemingly never-ending availability to meet and chat over a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun. Rawle was there for everyone who needed him and there are few people like that in these contemporary times.

IWC has considered how best to honour Rawle, and we have decided that a memorial bench through the City of Kelowna, where people can gather, and sit, and write, and think, and just be, is the best way to keep his spirit alive among our community. Once we have enough funds to purchase the bench, we will plan a ceremony for its opening and host a communal gathering and celebration of life. More details to come as the fundraiser moves forward.

The bench costs $4800, and IWC will be contributing $1500 out of our reserve funds. We need the community to help us reach our goal of $3300 to make this dream possible and to honour our friend and community activist.

Any amount helps, so please share widely with all who knew Rawle and would like to contribute to the bench.

We will share full details of the celebration of life with everyone as soon as we know!

Thank you for your time and support in remembering our dear friend.

With love,

Erin and the IWC Collective