SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2022 | 10AM-3PM PST
She Reads: Asian Women Literary Festival 2022
She Reads is a literary festival celebrating Asian-Canadian women in literature and other forms of storytelling, brought in partnership with the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre.
Land Acknowledgements
She Reads gratefully acknowledges that our festival takes place on the unceded ancestral and living territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
Inclusivity & Accessibility
She Reads is committed to creating an enriching experience where all participants are treated equally without regard to race, colour, religion, gender and identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or age.
The Program
She Reads: Asian Women Literary Festival is a one-day, in-person event in Vancouver, Canada, and features Asian-Canadian women from Vancouver and across Canada. The program involves film screenings, novel and poetry reading, panel speaking and an optional networking event.
Our Partners
Our festival would not be possible without the support and goodwill of our numerous partners. Local and promoters of the Vancouver arts and literature scene, these partners help us curate an enriching, diverse and engaging event for all.
She Reads: Online Store
TICKET - FESTIVAL ONLY
$25
General admission, all ages
Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 10 AM - 2 PM
Includes festival access only
SHE READS COTTON TOTE
$25
100% Natural cotton tote bag
White screen printed logo on black canvas
15" x 15" with 30" carrying handles
SHE READS EMBOSSED NOTEBOOK
$20
8" x 5.5", 80-page lined notebook
Logo embossed Italian UltraHyde softbound cover
Elastic closure and interior document pocket
TICKET - FESTIVAL & NETWORKING SOCIAL
$45
General admission, 19+ to drink alcohol
Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 10 AM - 3 PM
Includes festival and networking social access
SHE READS FEATURED AUTHOR BOOKS
$25
How to Fail as a Pop Star (2021) by Vivek Shraya
Made in Korea (2021) by Sarah Suk
my yt mama (2020) by Mercedes Eng
SHE READS FACE MASK
$15
2-layer woven cotton mask
Unisex, adjustable with nose wire
Antimicrobial additive, non-medical grade
Want to support our festival?
Your donations help to connect people with a diverse range of local Asian arts programming.
Thank you for supporting the representation of Canada's Asian Women in literature!
She Reads: Festival Program
She Reads: Asian Women Literary Festival is a one-day, in-person event on Sunday, May 8, 2022 in the Cambie and Broadway area at a modern event space in Vancouver, from 10am to 3pm. The festival features Asian-Canadian women in literature and arts from Vancouver and across Canada. The festival program involves film screenings, novel and poetry reading, panel speaking and a networking event will be held after the programming, with complimentary locally crafted beer available to attendees 19+.
VIVEKN SHRAYA is an artist and writer from Calgary, who sits at the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality, Vivek has experienced unique situations that influenced not only her writing but also other forms of arts including films. As our special guest, she will be doing a screen of her three films, Ache in My Name (2011), I Want to Kill Myself (2017), and Reviving the Roost (2019), a reading of her latest book How to Fail as a Pop Star, and co-facilitating our panel discussion.
MERCEDES ENG is a Vancouver-based poet who often writes about race relations and her experience of being interracial of Chinese and white. At the festival, she will read excerpts of her book, my yt mama (2020), and then join the other authors in co-faciliating the panel discussion and bring forward her experiences about intersectionality and the ways that her mixed Asian heritage has influenced her life and work to this day.
SARAH SUK is an emerging author who will be reading her book Made In Korea published in May 2021, adding a great piece to the Vancouver literary scene. She is a Vancouver local and recent UBC graduate with a major in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. At She Reads: Asian Women Literary Festival, Sarah will be reading an excerpt of her novel, Made In Korea and co-facilitating a panel discussion with Vivek Shraya, Mercedes Eng, and Eden Robinson.
EDEN ROBINSON is a Haisla and Heiltsuk Canadian novel and short story author based in British Columbia, and is an advocate and promoter of expression and representation of Indigenous culture and values through literature. She will join the panel discussion and share her perspective as an Indigenous woman in publishing, as well as the intersectional oppression and opportunities concerning women of colour.
premier sponsor: $3000 or more
Ace Festival Partners: GOODS donation
PRESTIGE sponsor: $1500 or more
crown sponsor: $300 or more
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
The Canadian Society for Asian Arts (CSAA) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization that aims to recognize Asian ethnocentric diversity and embrace its pan-Asian membership by promoting the understanding and appreciation of Asian arts. CSAA organizes and presents programs, exhibitions and publications to act as bridges between people of different cultures and backgrounds.
SFU Canadianized Asians Club (CAC) is a student-led non-profit organization whose goal is to enhance Asian Canadian students’ university experience by building an inclusive community that engages students through activities and events. The festival is a space for students to explore representations of diverse Asian women in publishing, as well as other areas of expression and art.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is a BC-based not-for-profit international, intercultural, multi-service agency that promotes the belonging and wellness of new immigrants and Canadians. They operate Community Groups as part of their community engagement to help families, women and seniors build social connections through participatory classes or workshops, cultural celebrations, activities and events.
OUR MEDIA PARTNERS
MEDIA OUTLETS
She Reads: Asian Women Literary Festival will be largely marketed by two major Vancouver media outlets, The Georgia Straight and Daily Hive Vancouver. The Georgia Straight has a strong presence as a more formal and traditional news outlet, as one of Vancouver’s weekly local news and entertainment newspapers, reaching a diverse range of audiences through their print paper and online website. In addition to being a frequent supporter of arts and entertainment events, they also have a history of being more inclusive and progressive as an anti-establishment paper to rival conservative daily newspapers. As the festival is one that is inclusive and accepting to all, it is just as important to be represented in the media by a company
OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
that aligns with our values.The second media outlet that will be reporting on the festival will be Daily Hive Vancouver, which will promote the event on Daily Hive: Listed, which highlights local upcoming events and experiences. Conversely to The Georgia Straight which has a more traditional viewership, especially through paper-based news, Daily Hive has an extremely prominent presence in pop culture and the online scene on their various social media platforms and website. Through both channels, the festival aims to attract people of all demographics who wish to celebrate Asian women in literature.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
The festival will build up a public following via social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which will all direct viewers to the festival website, where information about the event dates, programmed speakers, ticket and merchandise sales, and partner details can be found in one place. On those social media platforms, the festival will begin posting 6 months before the event, in December 2021, to build anticipation for the event on May 8, 2022. All platforms will use the hashtag “#SheReads2022” on all primary posts, and tag the authors where applicable. Square media will be used for posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, while the phone mockups at the bottom would be used on Instagram.