My short story “Hush, Nevermind” was published in Living Hyphen’s Issue 2.1 Resistance Across Generations anthology. This was a fictional story inspired by the life of my grandmother Ruby Chung and her immigration story from China at the age of 18 to Jamaica, where she was originally born, and eventually on to Canada in the ’70s. I originally told the story as part of an open mic event run by Living Hyphen and was graciously supported by their editorial team in bringing this piece to life.
“Living Hyphen is a community that explores the experiences of hyphenated Canadians. From the Haitian-Quebecois commuting along the Montréal Métro to the South Asian trans man applying for permanent residency, from the young Filipino-Canadian woman texting her immigrant mother to the Plains Cree and Métis man meeting a traditional healer, we reveal the rich inner lives of Canada’s diverse communities.”
Living Hyphen, founded by Justine Abigail
When their first issue came out in 202 I was really intrigued. Coming from Jamaican-Chinese heritage, I know what it’s like to not fit cleanly into a box on a census or to answer “Where are you from?” without launching into a long, multi-decade story. I even had the opportunity to interview Justine Abigail, Living Hyphen’s founder, about what she reads in her free time on my blog.
If you want to diversify your reading list, please get yourself a copy or borrow one from your local library!
Catherine Vendryes 