Helen Walsh, founder and president of Diaspora Dialogues. (Photos provided by Diaspora Dialogues)

Diaspora Dialogues celebrated its 20th anniversary with a live event at the Design Exchange in  Toronto on May 29.

Diaspora Dialogues provides one-on-one mentorship programs across Canada for underrepresented writers and various professional development opportunities to support emerging voices.

The organization was founded in 2005 by former Literary Review of Canada publisher Helen Walsh, who remains the president of Diaspora Dialogues.

The event was hosted by actor and director Akosua Amo-Adem and playwright, actor, and associate artistic director of Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre Jeff Ho. Speeches, readings, and performances for the evening included Walsh, and writers who are alumni of the program, including novelists Mai Nguyen and Sadi Muktadir, poet Aisha Sasha John, and playwright and actor Sarena Parmar.

Author and Diaspora Dialogues alumnus Sadi Muktadir.

Author and Diaspora Dialogue alumna Mai Nguyen.

 

The Diaspora Dialogues team (l. to r.): Christian Sharpe, Tiara Chutkhan, Zalika Reid-Benta, Helen Walsh.