Mata Ashita is an intergenerational writing circle for Japanese Canadians that helps strengthen community connections and wellbeing.
About this event
On the first Saturday of each month from October to April (excluding December and New Year's Day), Mata Ashita will host its second season of virtual writing circles for Japanese Canadians of all ages and experiences.
No writing experience is necessary to join - just a commitment to holding space for yourself and others as we navigate what it means to be together in community. The workshops begin at 12 pm pacific/3 pm eastern and feature a 30-minute Q&A followed by an hour-long writing exploration and an optional 30 minute social time.
Each session will be led by an experienced facilitator (Sen Canute) and writing-for-wellness instructor (Leanne Toshiko Simpson), and will include a community support specialist (Nicola Koyanagi) to help process any difficult feelings that arise.
The second season speakers are:
Genki Ferguson, author of Satellite Love (2021) - October 2
Sachiko Murakami, author of Render (2020), Get Me Out of Here (2015), Rebuild (2011), and The Invisibility Exhibit (2008) - November 6
Darcy Tamayose, author of Odori (2007) and upcoming release Ezra's Ghosts (2022)- January 8
Tosh & Mary Kitagawa, longtime JC activists who helped achieve justice for UBC students sent to the internment camps - February 5
Kyo Maclear, author of Birds Art Life (2017), The Letter Opener (2007), and many children's books, including new release The Big Bath House (2021)- March 5.
Mark Sakamoto, author of Forgiveness: A Gift From My Grandparents (2014) - April 2
Register for multiple events ahead of time to keep your spot and help the organizers plan ahead!
Mata Ashita means see you tomorrow, and for us, that means a promise to take care of ourselves and each other during this difficult time. Japanese Canadian writing has long been a medium through which our community has found incredible power and meaning, and we hope to continue this tradition with writers new and old. If you'd like to see what we do, check out Return, the first collection of Mata Ashita writing launched with the Powell Street Festival.
To improve accessibility, Mata Ashita's events will have an intermission, captioning, text versions of readings and posted recordings of the Q&A sessions. If there are additional ways it can support your attendance, please email mataashitawriting@gmail.com.
Mata Ashita is made possible by support from the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) and the Tomoko Makabe Legacy Fund, which honours Makabe's contributions to Japanese Canadian research and writing.
Mata Ashita means see you tomorrow, and for us, that means a promise to take care of ourselves and each other during this difficult time. Japanese Canadian writing has long been a medium through which our community has found incredible power and meaning, and we hope to continue this tradition with writers new and old. If you'd like to see what we do, check out Return, the first collection of Mata Ashita writing launched with the Powell Street Festival.
To improve accessibility, Mata Ashita's events will have an intermission, captioning, text versions of readings and posted recordings of the Q&A sessions. If there are additional ways it can support your attendance, please email mataashitawriting@gmail.com.
Mata Ashita is made possible by support from the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) and the Tomoko Makabe Legacy Fund, which honours Makabe's contributions to Japanese Canadian research and writing.