FOLD 2022 Educator Guide

E D U C AT O R ’S GUIDE

PRESENTED BY

THE FESTIVAL OF LITERARY DIVERSITY MAY 1— MAY 7, 2022

>> A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

CONTENTS BEYOND THE EVENT: ACTIVITIES AND QUESTIONS SESSIONS THE WRITER’S LIFE EXPLORING IDENTITY BLACK IN SCHOOL WRESTING WITH RESEARCH GRIEF & MENTAL HEALTH SPOKEN WORD SHOWCASE CLIMATE FICTION CULTIVATING CRAFT

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AUTHOR PROFILES CURTIS CARMICHAEL KERN CARTER HABIBA COOPER DIALLO CHLOE GONG FARAH HERON JUNE HUR H.N. KHAN SARENA & SASHA NANUA ABDI NAZEMIAN MARY-LOU ZEITOUN DAVID DELISCA SHELLY GRACE NISHA PATEL

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FESTIVAL BOOK LIST

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BEYOND THE EVENT PRE-EVENT ACTIVITY Before watching a festival event, look up the authors. Make note of the books they’ve written and discover a little bit about them.

POST-EVENT ACTIVITY After experiencing the session, identify: a. three things you learned,

1. What made you choose this writer?

b. two things you found interesting

2. What was the most interesting thing you learned about them?

c. one question you still have about writing or about one of the authors

3. Share why you chose the author and what you learned about them with your classmates and teacher. Prepare one question that you would ask them if you got the chance.

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Author, screenwriter and producer Abdi Nazemian joins us live from Los Angeles, California for an interview on what it’s like to write for film and television, the differences between writing for the screen versus writing for the page and what it takes to build a career as a writer.

Recommended courses: English, The Writer’s Craft, Canadian Literature

ACTIVITIES

1. Before tuning into the session, imagine the different steps that might be involved in becoming a writer. After experiencing the session, compare author Abdi Nazemian’s journey with what you thought the process would be like.

2. Based on what Nazemian shares during the event, use the Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities and differences between writing for the screen (TV/films) and writing for the page (books).

QUESTIONS

1. Did anything surprise you about Nazemian’s career path?

Which part of his career path interested you the most and why?

2. What qualities or skills would you like to or need to develop in order to pursue a career in writing or another career that interests you?

WRITING FOR THE PAGE

WRITING FOR THE SCREEN

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Whether a book is set in the real world or in a fantastical realm, figuring out who you are is a staple of plot in young adult fiction.

Chasing your dreams, finding the person or people who understand you, and dealing with the anxiety of failure are all a part of growing up. Join authors Sarena and Sasha Nanua, H.N. Khan and Farah Heron as they explore that through their novels.

1. List five words that describe you or that define your identity (race, background, cultural identity, faith, family dynamics, skills and interests, etc.). Try to rank them and consider why you prioritize one part of your identity over another.

2. How does your identity shape the kind of art you enjoy or consume? How does or how could your identity shape the kind of stories or art you create?

Recommended courses: English

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Writers Curtis Carmichael, Habiba Cooper Diallo and Kern Carter unpack the challenges of navigating their education and the important work of turning real-life experiences as Black Canadians into teachable moments for students and educators from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Recommended courses*: English *Excellent for educators and school staff

1. Write down a list of school rules or practices that target underrepresented groups. These could be examples that have affected you personally or ones you are aware of because they have affected your friends or peers. (i.e., removal of hoods, dress code policies, tests during Ramadan or other major holidays) 2. Create a list of how you would change the existing rules to better support students from marginalized communities.

BONUS: Identify the people who would need to be involved in a rule change at the school or board level. Research and identify roles like Superintendent and School Board Trustee. Understand what their roles are and what role they might play in advocating for change.

Create a plan to share your ideas with them in an effort to make schools safe for all students.

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What goes into flower arranging? What did the 1920s in Shanghai, China look like? How was medicine practiced in the mid-1700s?

In this panel featuring authors Farah Heron, Chloe Gong and June Hur, three young adult writers discuss the research that went into their novels and the work involved in fleshing out a fictional world.

1. What are the research skills and resources that the authors on this panel used in their own work?

2. Create a list or mind map based on the discussion.

Brainstorm an existing or upcoming project or consider how brainstorming a research project in the past helped or could have helped with the assignment.

•

Have a class discussion about whether using the authors’ techniques helped enrich your research process.

Recommended courses: English, History and Politics/Civics

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In a candid panel conversation with young adult writers Kern Carter, Abdi Nazemian and Mary-Lou Zeitoun, students and educators alike will hear about the importance of careful and critical conversations on grief and mental health, and the role novels can play in cultivating safe spaces for open dialogue.

1. What was something new you learned during the discussion with the authors?

2. What was something you found relatable or that you understood more deeply during the discussion with the authors?

3. Think about a film or novel that shows examples of healthy conversations about mental health. a) What do the characters do or say that you could apply to your own important conversations?

Recommended courses*: English and Health & Physical Education

b) What does the film or novel teach you about cultivating safe spaces?

*Excellent for educators and school staff

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In our annual teen showcase of incredible spoken word artists, three poets—David Delisca, Shelly Grace, and Nisha Patel— take the mic to present incredible poetry, followed by a live Q & A with Lamoi.

Recommended courses: English, The Writer’s Craft, Drama and Exporing & Creating in the Arts

1. Which poet’s style was most entertaining? Which was most thought-provoking? What could be the advantages and disadvantages to each of those qualities?

2. Which poet made you think of an idea in a different way?

3. How could you use poetry to address an issue you are passionate about? Try writing a few lines. Don’t think about the end result, just write down a few thoughts that connect and keep going regardless of whether or not it makes sense.

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Fiction writers Sydney Hegele, Premee Mohamed and Mary-Lou Zeitoun have written three incredible stories that tackle the current and future climate crisis. In this panel, the writers dive into the motivation behind their stories and the role of writers in moments of political crisis.

1. In groups, write a list of 5 specific actions that humans can do right now to fight the climate crisis described in the stories written by the authors.

2. Can authors and/or books influence society?

3. Are novels an effective way of raising awareness about a political issue (such as climate change)?

Recommended courses: English, Politics/ Civics, general Science, Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry and Earth & Space Science

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In this not-to-be-missed one-on-one interview with acclaimed writer Matthew Salesses, author and creative writing professor Carrianne Leung explores new approaches to fiction writing and workshops.

BONUS FOR EDUCATORS

In Matthew Salesses’ book and during his event, he interrogates the current writing workshop model while also exploring how writing fiction operates in the real world.

REFLECTION

1. How do Salesses’ criticisms factor into how writing exercises and activities are conducted in your classroom?

2. Based on this, how do you plan to change the way you conduct writing exercises and activities with your students?

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CURTIS CARMICHAEL TORONTO, ONTARIO

Curtis Carmichael is the author of Butterflies in the Trenches—the World’s First Augmented Reality memoir and 2021 Best Indie Book Award Winner for Inspirational Non-Fiction. His cross-Canada cycling tour Ride for Promise raised funds for Toronto Community Housing afterschool programs and was featured in an award-winning documentary, CBC, Global News, CityNews, Your Morning, CP24 Breakfast, and TEDx. Curtis is an award-winning social entrepreneur, STEM and hip-hop teacher, and founder of Source Code Academy Canada. As a selftaught computer programmer, Curtis built the mobile app which brings his memoir to life by giving readers access to hidden content throughout the book. www.curtiscarmichael.ca twitter: CurtisCarmicc instagram: curtiscarmicc facebook: CurtisCarmicc

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

website:

Butterflies in the Trenches: The Hood, an Epic Bike Ride, and Finding Inspiration (2021) • ISBN-13: 978-1777684006 • Available as: Print

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KERN CARTER TORONTO, ONTARIO

Kern Carter is a full-time freelance writer and author who has written and self-published two novels—Thoughts of a Fractured Soul (novella) and Beauty Scars. When Kern isn’t penning novels, he curates stories through CRY Magazine, his online publication that creates space for artists to navigate through the emotions of their creative journey. He lives in downtown Toronto with his nineteen-year-old daughter.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.kerncarter.com twitter: kerncarter instagram: kerncarter facebook: AuthorKernCarter website:

Boys and Girls Screaming (2022) • Ages 14–18 • ISBN-13: 978-1770866454 • Available as: Print and eBook

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HABIBA COOPER DIALLO CANADA / UNITED KINGDOM Habiba Cooper Diallo is the author of #BlackInSchool. She was a finalist in the 2020 Bristol Short Story Prize. She was also one of six finalists in the 2018 London Book Fair Pitch Competition. She is a women’s health advocate passionate about bringing an end to a maternal health condition called obstetric fistula.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.habibadiallo.com twitter: HaalaBeeba instagram: yeshialem_fistula facebook: HaalaBeeba youtube: HaalaBeeba website:

#BlackInSchool (2021) • ISBN-13: 978-0889778184 • Available as: Print and eBook

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CHLOE GONG

NEW YORK / UNITED STATES Chloe Gong is the New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.thechloegong.com twitter: thechloegong instagram: thechloegong facebook: thechloegong website:

Our Violent Ends (2021) • Ages 14+ • ISBN-13: 978-1534457720 • Available as: Print, eBook and audiobook, and Braille and DAISY audio via Centre for Equitable Library Access OTHER BOOKS • These Violent Delights (2020)

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FARAH HERON TORONTO, ONTARIO

Farah Heron is the critically acclaimed author of romantic comedies for adults and teens filled with family, food, and most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two children, a rabbit, and two cats. Farah’s romantic comedy, Accidentally Engaged, was named one of the best books of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, CBC Books, Kobo, and more.

Her young adult debut, Tahira in Bloom, was named one of the best books of the year by USA today. Her recent adult release, Kamila Knows Best is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. www.farahheron.com twitter: FarahHeron instagram: farahheronauthor facebook: Farah Heron Author

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

website:

Tahira in Bloom (2021) • Ages 12–18 • ISBN-13: 978-1542030373 • Available as: Print, eBook and audiobook OTHER BOOKS Adult • Kamila Knows Best (2022) • Accidentally Engaged (2021) • The Chai Factor (2019)

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JUNE HUR

TORONTO, ONTARIO June Hur is the critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, both finalists for an Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel, as well as The Red Palace and A Crane Among Wolves. Born in South Korea and raised in Canada, she studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.junehur.com twitter: WriterJuneHur instagram: junehwrites website:

The Red Palace (2021) • Ages 13 – 18 • ISBN-13: 978-1250800558 • Available as: Print, eBook and audiobook, and DAISY audio via Centre for Equitable Library Access OTHER BOOKS • The Forest of Stolen Girls (2021) • The Silence of Bones (2020)

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H.N. KHAN

TORONTO, ONTARIO H.N. Khan is a first-time author, his debut novel Wrong Side of the Court is set to be published in spring, 2022 by Penguin Teen. Born in Pakistan, he immigrated to Canada at age seven and grew up in Regent Park, a low-income community housing project. After graduating with a business degree, he decided to drop out of law school to pursue a career in Toronto’s start-up scene before setting his sights on writing.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.hnkhan.com twitter: _humayunk instagram: _humayunk website:

Wrong Side of the Court (2022) • Ages 12 – 17 • ISBN-13: 978-0735270879 • Available as: Print, eBook and audiobook

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SARENA & SASHA NANUA ONTARIO, CANADA

Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua are twin sisters living in Ontario, Canada. Born on Diwali ten minutes apart from each other, they grew up loving stories about twins and magic, and began writing books together when they were nine years old. They are graduates of the English and Professional Writing programs at the University of Toronto and are also the authors of The Pendant Trilogy. Their newest novel, Sisters of the Snake, is available now from HarperCollins.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.sarenasashabooks.com twitter: sarenaandsasha instagram: csarenasashabooks website:

Sisters of the Snake (2021) • Ages 13 – 17 • Available as: Print, eBook and audiobook, and DAISY audio via Centre for Equitable Library Access OTHER BOOKS • Daughters of the Dawn (2022)

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ABDI NAZEMIAN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Abdi Nazemian is the author of four novels. His first, The Walk-In Closet, won a Lambda Literary Award.

His most recent, Like a Love Story, was awarded a Stonewall Honor, and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by Entertainment Weekly, Audible, Buzzfeed, the New York Public Library and more. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers, and the television series Ordinary Joe, The Village and Almost Family. He has been an executive producer and/or associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me By Your Name.

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

www.abdinazemian.com twitter: abdaddy instagram: abdaddy website:

The Chandler Legacies (2022) • Ages 13 – 17 • ISBN-13: 978-0063039322 • Available as: Print, eBook, audiobook, and Braille and DAISY audio via Centre for Equitable Library Access OTHER BOOKS Young Adult

• Like A Love Story (2019) • The Authentics (2017) Adult

• The Walk-In Closet (2014)

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MARY-LOU ZEITOUN TORONTO / OTTAWA, ONTARIO Mary-Lou Zeitoun is a Canadian author, essayist, arts journalist and activist. Her novel, 13, was the YA winner of the 2008 New England Book festival award and she has published her more recent fiction in Taddle Creek, and Canadian Notes and Queries. instagram:

FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL

marylouzeitoun

Jamilah at the End of the World (2021) • Ages 13 – 18 • ISBN-13: 978-1459416482 • Available as: Print and eBook OTHER BOOKS • 13 (2002)

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SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS DAVID DELISCA TORONTO, ONTARIO

Born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida residing in Scarborough, David Delisca is a writer, poet, actor and humorist. A versatile artist, he uses stories about the immigrant and diasporic experience, as well as other various human realities, to bridge realms of communication. His works and performances have been featured in Toronto Star, CBC, Netflix.

DOdelisca dodelisca facebook : daviddelisca twitter:

instagram:

SHELLY GRACE TORONTO, ONTARIO

Shelly Grace is a Toronto-based spoken word poet. She uses her art for community building and healing and focuses on the experiences of women and the Black community. She previously released a chapbook, Sisters in Stanzas, with fellow poet Desiree McKenzie in 2020, which sold out very quickly. In 2019 she won the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word while on the Up From The Roots slam team, becoming a National Spoken Word Champion. In 2020 her piece “Atlantic” was shared with CBC Arts. She has worked with TTC, Toronto District School Board, and more. website:

twitter:

www.shellygrace.com shellymgrace

NISHA PATEL EDMONTON, ALBERTA

Nisha Patel is an award-winning queer and disabled spoken word artist. She was the City of Edmonton’s 8th Poet Laureate and is a Canadian Individual Slam Champion. Her debut collection COCONUT is available at Glass Bookshop. website:

twitter:

www.nishapatel.ca anothernisha

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BOOK LIST Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr

Habiba Cooper Diallo

Sydney Hegele*

I AM BECAUSE WE ARE: An African Mother’s Fight For The Soul of a Nation

#BLACKINSCHOOL

THE PUMP

9780889778184 University of Regina Press

9781988784793 Invisible Publishing

9781487009632 House of Anansi Press

* formerly Sydney Warner Brooman

André Alexis

David Delisca

Farah Heron

RING

I GREW UP RIGHT BESIDE YOU

TAHIRA IN BLOOM

9781552454305 Coach House Books

978-0-99949-0-7 Truth Be Told Publishing

9781542030373 Skyscape Books, Amazon Publishing

Dija Ayodele

Stephen Dorsey

June Hur

BLACK SKIN

BLACK AND WHITE: An Intimate, Multicultural Perspective...

THE RED PALACE

9780008464158 HarperCollins Canada

9781774710364 Nimbus Publishing

9781250800558 Raincoast Books

Suzanne Barr

Norma Dunning

Anosh Irani

MY ACKEE TREE: A Chef’s Memoir of Finding Home...

TAINNA: The Unseen Ones

BUFFOON

978-1771622714 Douglas & McIntyre

9781487009830 House of Anansi Press

S. Bear Bergman

Kim Fu

Shayda Kafai

SPECIAL TOPICS IN BEING A HUMAN

LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21 CENTURY

CRIP KINSHIP

978-0735239500 Penguin Random House CA

9781551528540 Arsenal Pulp Press

9781552454367 Coach House Books

9781551528649 Arsenal Pulp Press

Curtis Carmichael

Chloe Gong

H.N. Khan

BUTTERFLIES IN THE TRENCHES

OUR VIOLENT ENDS

THE WRONG SIDE OF THE COURT

978-1-7776840-0-6 Synergy Books

9781534457720 Simon & Schuster Canada

9781551528649 Penguin Random House CA

Kern Carter

Anais Granofsky

Tsering Yangzom Lama

BOYS AND GIRLS SCREAMING

THE GIRL IN THE MIDDLE: Growing up Black & White, Rich & Poor

WE MEASURE THE EARTH WITH OUR BODIES

978-1770866454 DCB/Cormorant

9781443458511 HarperCollins Canada

9780771047244 Penguin Random House CA

Shakil Choudhury

Morgan Harper Nichols

Premee Mohamed

DEEP DIVERSITY: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Achieving Racial Justice

PEACE IS A PRACTICE

THE ANNUAL MIGRATION OF CLOUDS

978-1771649018 Greystone Books

978-0310361701 HarperCollins Canada

9781770415935 ECW Press 22

BOOK LIST Omar Mouallem

Nisha Patel

Katherena Vermette

PRAYING TO THE WEST

COCONUT

THE STRANGERS

9781501199141 Simon & Schuster Canada

978-177439-023-8 NeWest Press

9780735239616 Penguin Random House CA

Hasan Namir

Reema Patel

Jack Wang

UMBILICAL CORD

SUCH BIG DREAMS

WE TWO ALONE

9781771667180 Book*hug Press

9780771073717 McClelland & Stewart

9781487007461 House of Anansi Press

Sarena & Sasha Nanua

Anna Quon

Jesse Wente

SISTERS OF THE SNAKE

WHERE THE SILVER RIVER ENDS

UNRECONCILED: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance

9780062985590 HarperCollins Canada

9781988784878 Invisible Publishing

9780735235731 Penguin Random House CA

Abdi Nazemian

Matthew Salesses

Bethaney Wilkinson

THE CHANDLER LEGACIES

CRAFT IN THE REAL WORLD

THE DIVERSITY GAP

9780063039346 HarperCollins Canada

9781948226806 Penguin Random House CA

9781400226238 HarperCollins Canada

Tololupe Oloruntoba

Zena Sharman

Mary-Lou Zeitoun

EACH ONE A FURNACE

THE CARE WE DREAM OF

9780771051586 Penguin Random House CA

9781551528601 Arsenal Pulp Press

JAMILA AT THE END OF THE WORLD

Cheluchi Onyemelukwe

Julietta Singh

THE SON OF THE HOUSE

THE BREAKS

9781459747081 Dundurn Press

9781552454350 Coach House Books

Mariam S. Pal

Sonya Singh

BALLET IS NOT FOR MUSLIM GIRLS

SARI NOT SARI

9781990086205 Renaissance Press

9781982185916 Simon & Schuster Canada

Dorothy Ellen Palmer

Clayton Thomas-Müller

KERFUFFLE

LIFE IN THE CITY OF DIRTY WATER

978-1990086212 Renaissance Press

9781459416482 Formac Lorimer

9780735240063 Penguin Random House CA 23