In this workshop, we'll explore our hyphenated identities while honouring our ancestors and laying the path for our descendants.
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.
As hyphenated individuals living in between cultures, we are, as activist Eboo Patel describes it, “standing at the crossroads of inheritance and discovery, trying to look both ways at once.” In this writing workshop, we write to honor our ancestors and imagine the path we lay for the generations to come.
We ask ourselves, who are our ancestors? For those of us from communities that have largely been displaced – on this land or another, by force or by choice – what connections do we hold to our past and to those who came before us? We look to our ancestors – biological or chosen – and honor all they have given us, while letting go of what no longer serves us.
We then turn to the future, to the possibilities that lay before us. Have you ever considered yourself as a future ancestor? As an elder with wisdom to share and possibilities to create? In the second part of our workshop, we ask ourselves, what riches do we inherit, and what discoveries are left for us to bestow upon future generations?
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: Friday, August 15 | 1-3 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.