Recent events in our world have highlighted the urgent need for more representation and diversity in books, but what more can be done to diversify their stories? In our tangled intersection of underrepresented (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and LGBTQ2S+, among many others) authors, problems arise when book publishers expect writers to write diverse characters solely for the sake of diversity. How can we write responsibly about characters at the intersectionality of genders, races, and identities? Whether it is fiction, poetry, drama, or creative non-fiction, there is emotional labour that is exhausting for writers who struggle with these questions as they are plotting their next sentence. If you’re looking for answers, this panel of writers shares some of their experiences and insights into how they developed their own voices and characters in their fiction.

Location: Segal Centre Room A

Type: Reading · In Conversation

Host: Todd Wong

Readers:Jasmine Kaur, If I Tell You the Truth (Harper Collins) | Leah Ranada, The Cine Star Salon (NeWest Press) | Dan K. Woo*, Taobao: Stories (Wolsak & Wynn)

*Note: Dan K. Woo will be joining remotely.