Lean into the complexity and contradictions of your experiences in this writing workshop where we honour all that we are grieving and all that we are grateful for in the same breath. In a world that holds fast to binaries and absolutes, join us in community as we strive to uncover the beauty in nuance.
This writing workshop is being offered as part of the festival programming for When Words Collide. Held in Calgary, Alberta, every August, When Words Collide is a festival for writers and readers, artists, and publishers of all genres.
For those of us who have been displaced in some way – whether voluntary or forced, on this land or from another land – our experiences may be tinged with grief in the shape of the deep distances away from our homeland, the disconnection from our ancestors, the forgetting of our mother tongues, the loss of our traditions and culture. At the same time, we are full of gratitude for our adopted homelands, for our triumphs, and for our everyday existence.
In this writing workshop, we will practice holding multiple truths at once, honouring both our grief and gratitude and knowing that this complexity is what makes us so beautifully human.
No writing experience is necessary – only an open heart and an open mind with a readiness to give and receive vulnerability. We’ve carefully and intentionally designed this workshop to be intimate and generative. We’ll give you writing prompts to spark your creativity in a supportive environment. All writing materials will be provided.
Date & Time: Saturday, August 16 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location: Sheraton Cavalier Calgary | Horizon Room
Location & VENUE | SHERATON CAVALIER
This writing workshop is being offered as part of the festival programming for When Words Collide. Held in Calgary, Alberta, every August, When Words Collide is a festival for writers and readers, artists, and publishers of all genres.
WWC aims to support writers in the craft and business of writing, exploring all avenues of the writing process, publishing and storytelling, while building a strong literary community, and to bring local writers - Alberta and Canada - to the attention of book lovers. This year’s festival is taking place at the Sheraton Cavalier Calgary.
About Your Facilitator: Justine Abigail Yu
Justine Abigail Yu is the founder of Living Hyphen. She is an award-winning workshop facilitator whose work with Living Hyphen has been featured on national and local media outlets including the Globe & Mail, CTV National News, and the CBC. She was named a “Changemaker” by the Toronto Star in October 2021.
Justine Abigail is a fierce advocate for diversity and representation in Canada’s arts and literature scene. Her mission is to stir the conscience and spur social change.
Follow her work at justineabigail.com or across socials at @justineabigail.