Taslim Jaffer set to lead workshops and events on belonging in Canadian literature.
The City of Richmond, collaborating with the Richmond Public Library, is pleased to announce Taslim Jaffer as the 2025 Writer-in-Residence. Jaffer will host a series of complimentary events and workshops for writers from April 5 to June 14. This year’s theme is “Belonging in Canadian Literature,” where Jaffer will share her insights on identity, culture, and home. Scheduled activities include in-person talks, workshops, and a cross-generational storytelling project. The aim is to create an inclusive environment where writers from diverse backgrounds can see themselves in Canadian literature. The program, now in its 14th year, will commence on Saturday, April 5, with an event at the Richmond Cultural Centre Annex. Workshops available include ‘Stories of Identity and Home’, ‘Memoir Writing’, ‘Writing Circle’, ‘Bilingual Poems’, ‘This Is Us: Literary Journalism’, ‘The Writer’s Life’, and ‘Celebration of Learning’. Details are available at richmond.ca/WriterInResidence. Jaffer, a Surrey-based writer and editor with an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, has been published widely and has won notable awards, including the 2022 Creative Nonfiction Collective/Humber Literary Review contest. Her connection to Richmond is personal, having studied and started a family there. In her residency, she aims to give back to her community by fostering dialogue, creativity, and literary expression.