*names have been changed “He’s not talking about you. You’re not Chinese. Let him speak!” Ashraf* scolded me from the armchair across the room. Our two families had been enjoying a summer barbeque up north. It was the first time we had vacationed together since childhood, and I had arrived…

I’m surrounded by intelligent and compassionate white people. They are woke and ambitious to make the world a better place. See where I’m going with this? Okay, slow your roll and let me set the scene. It’s my friend’s birthday, and we’re at brunch on the patio of a local…

Three years after my family of origin immigrated to Canada, we moved to Flemingdon Park in east-end Toronto. Today, it seems like an unlikely move for my parents, knowing their aspirations for wealth and status. …

My voice has an audience. My words have worth. I am a queer immigrant woman of colour, and I have thought myself to believe that the world needs my stories. I write candidly and stridently about rape culture, cycles of abuse, addiction, estrangement, mental illness, bigotry, and discrimination. My courage…

Yeah, it’s still a thing. Check out this video, and consider the difference you can make in positive cultural change.

Video: Kimia Eslah reflects on violence against women, the experiences of BIPOC women, and her novel Sister Seen, Sister Heard.

I worry this poem might cause you distress. Does its brooding tone undermine our success? I’ve tired of hopeful narratives bent on rectification. I’m done with audiences who require interpretation. I’m lonely, I’m miserable, and I’m on the decline. These rhymes are for you, your people, and mine. Let’s forget…

I courted romantic love very early on. It was the time before the Internet and there was one TV channel. Having relationships was a form of entertainment, particularly for young women whose parents were preoccupied with themselves. The thrill of flirting was better than any Harlequin novel I’d ever poured…

My family of three was out for an evening walk, taking in some fresh air before we plant ourselves on the couch for videos games. We live an easy life: our house belongs to us and it’s a safe space, the fridge is filled with fresh foods, and our greatest…