CCLS Program
Call For Submissions:The Carol Shields Prize Foundation Fellowship at Diaspora Dialogues
Fellowship Program
Diaspora Dialogues and The Carol Shields Prize Foundation are delighted to announce the renewal of The Carol Shields Prize Foundation Fellowship at Diaspora Dialogues, a $10,000 opportunity for a woman or non-binary BIPOC writer who is a refugee or new immigrant to Canada.
We are deeply grateful to the M.A. Faris Foundation for supporting this Fellowship.
This stipend is intended to provide the opportunity for a writer to create in fiction or creative non-fiction, as free as possible from financial constraints.
As part of this fellowship, and in alignment with Diaspora Dialogue’s role as a literary mentoring organization, Diaspora Dialogues and The Carol Shields Prize Foundation will provide the fellowship recipient with the support of a mentor to provide structured feedback. Additionally, the fellowship recipient will have access to DD’s suite of professional development training and networking events as well as chances to connect with fellow writers through our social networks of alumni and mentors.
The Carol Shields Prize Foundation Fellowship at Diaspora Dialogues is intended for those already committed to a serious writing practice, although it is not a requirement to finish a manuscript for publication during it. For writers who are nearer the beginning of their writing journey, DD runs short-form mentorship programs.
Submission Guidelines
- We welcome applications from either interested qualified writers or nominees.
- Applications should be sent to zalika@diasporadialogues.com by December 31, 2025.
- Samples submitted can be one chapter from the novel or work of creative non-fiction, or one short story from the collection (up to but not exceeding 5,000 words). They must be in English.
- Please include a one-page description of the work and a CV that includes full contact information.
- Each writer may submit only one manuscript.
- Commentary/feedback is not available on submissions.
Eligibility
- The work must be original and not previously published.
- Works with AI-generated text in part or in whole will not be accepted. By submitting to the fellowship, the writer is confirming that their work is in compliance with this requirement.
- Any woman or non-binary BIPOC writer who is a refugee or new immigrant to Canada (within 5 years) of any age may apply.
The fellowship will begin in early 2026 and run for six months. The assigned mentor is at the discretion of Diaspora Dialogues. Read Q&As with previous recipients Sana’a Jaber and Ugochi Okoli to learn more about the program.
We look forward to reading your work!
Diaspora Dialogues Presents the 2025 Canadian-Caribbean Literary Showcase
The Canadian-Caribbean Literary Showcase is a three-day celebration of Caribbean voices and their influence on Canadian literature, art, and culture. Over the course of the showcase, audiences are invited to experience a rich mix of readings, performances, conversations, and craft-centred sessions that highlight the depth and diversity of Caribbean storytelling.
From intimate masterclasses and mentorship opportunities to dynamic panels and artistic performances, the showcase brings together writers, poets, and cultural creators from across the Caribbean diaspora. It’s an immersive space to honour Caribbean creativity, explore intergenerational narratives, and celebrate the vibrant role Caribbean culture plays within Canada’s literary landscape.
All event are FREE to attend.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Event Schedule:
Friday December 12
12PM | Masterclass: How to Write Speculative Poetry with Terese Mason Pierre (VIRTUAL)
Speculative poetry has seen, in recent years, a rise in engagement and publication. In this intro to speculative poetry workshop, participants will learn: the basics of defining, writing and identifying speculative poetry; how to use literary devices to enhance the speculative elements in their poems; and how to use poetic types to bridge speculative content and form. Time will also be allotted for writing exercises and sharing resources.
Register here.
1:30PM | Masterclass: How to Self-Publish with Tiara Jade Chutkhan (VIRTUAL)
The self-publishing industry is rapidly growing as more authors look to build a career that gives them complete control over their stories and schedules. Join author and editor Tiara Jade for a masterclass aimed at demystifying the indie publishing process and helping early career authors navigate the key steps in their publishing journey.
Register here.
Saturday December 13 at Heliconian Hall
10:30AM | Masterclass: How to Write a Short Story with Rabindranath Maharaj
This workshop is designed to help you cultivate a distinctive writing voice. It will focus on impactful language composition, authentic character development, and strategic revision techniques to maximize reader engagement.
Register here.
12:30PM | Masterclass: How to Write Poetry with Jayda Marley
Join poet Jayda Marley for a hands-on workshop exploring the craft of poetry and the power of language. Through writing prompts and discussion, you’ll learn how to turn emotion and experience into vivid, honest work. Jayda will share tips on finding your voice, building rhythm, and writing with intention. Open to all levels—come ready to create and connect through words.
Register here.
2:30PM | Writing Home: The Literature of Diaspora & Connection (Panel Discussion)
Join panelists Yolanda T. Marshall and Rabindranath Maharaj for a reflection on what “home” means through story. This conversation explores identity, belonging, and the ways writing connects us across distance and generations. Moderated by Denise Da Costa.
Register here.
3:45PM | Writing History: Storytelling as Resistance and Remembrance (Panel Discussion)
Join panelists Antonio Michael Downing and Pamela Mordecai as they explore how writers revisit and reimagine the past—using story as a tool to preserve memory, challenge dominant narratives, and bring overlooked histories to light. Moderated by Phillip Dwight Morgan.
Register here.
7:00PM | Between the Lines: An Evening of Readings & Performance
Experience an evening of readings and performances that celebrate the depth and diversity of Caribbean and Canadian storytelling, featuring Lillian Allen, Stephanie Wong Ken, Jayda Marley, Alten Wilmot, and Fiona Raye Clarke.
Register here.
Sunday December 14 at Women’s Art Association Of Canada
10:30AM | Writing Non-Fiction 101 with Dalton Higgins
Through a guided discussion, workshop participants will learn how to turn real life experiences into publishable/salable works and how to engage narratives that resonate with today’s readers.
Register here.
12:30PM | How to Set Up a Writing Practice with Matthew Dawkins (Youth Mentorship Workshop)
This workshop will dispel that myth, inviting you to reconnect with your artistic voice, redeem your art’s value, and show up for yourself.
In today’s attention economy, we’re made to believe there aren’t enough hours in the day for our craft. Or worse, that it’s not worth the effort. This workshop will dispel that myth, inviting you to reconnect with your artistic voice, redeem your art’s value, and show up for yourself on the page consistently.
Register here.
2:30PM | Writing Speculative Fiction: Imagining Futures and Other Worlds (Panel Discussion)
Panelists Suzan Palumbo and Lue Palmer explore how speculative fiction allows writers to imagine futures shaped by diverse perspectives and Caribbean influences. Through new worlds and alternate realities, they discuss how the genre reimagines identity, culture, and possibility beyond the present. Moderated by Terese Mason Pierre.
Register here.
3:45PM | Writing Queer Identity: Caribbean Perspectives on Love and Liberation (Panel Discussion)
In this conversation, Tanya Turton and Linzey Corridon explore how queer writers from the Caribbean and diaspora use story to express love, identity, and freedom. Through their work, they challenge convention, affirm authenticity, and celebrate the multiplicity of queer experience across cultures and generations. Moderated by Matthew Dawkins.
Register here.
Diaspora Dialogues at TIFA 2025
We’re so excited to be part of this year’s Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA)! Our lineup of panels brings together incredible writers exploring what it means to tell stories of identity, belonging, and community—from reimagining CanLit to examining the impact of war and memory through different genres.
Check out all our TIFA events below and join us in celebrating the voices shaping Canada’s literary landscape.
CanLit at Home in the World | Saturday Nov 1 at 1:30pm
What is CanLit? What is it to be a part of CanLit? Join authors Jinwoo Park and Nadia Staikos as they discuss their works and what it is to be a Canadian-based author who writes about characters in different countries and how their books and books like theirs contribute to the characterization of CanLit.
Moderated by Aparita Bhandari
Writing War | Saturday Nov 1 at 4:30pm
This panel features writers Sanita Fejzić and Jumoke Verissimo, whose works, Blissful State of Surrender and Circumtrauma, examine and parse the impact of war on identity and community in two different genres and two different forms.
The Intimacies of Chosen Families | Sunday Nov 2 at 1:30pm
In their books, Property and Runs in the Blood both Kate Cayley and Matthew J. Trafford write about queer experiences as they relate to chosen families. Join us as they talk about the various themes, such as the complexity of intimacy and interpersonal relationships, that surface when writing about family, chosen or otherwise.
Moderated by Daniel Sarah Karasik
Expanding Black Narratives | Sunday Nov 2 at 4:30pm
Join Terese Mason Pierre and others as they confront and expand society’s preconceived notions around Blackness, particularly as it relates to Canadians. Let’s dig into what that means, how that works, and where we go from here.
Moderated by Zilla Jones
ARCHIVED EVENT: The Shape of You: A Hermit Crab Workshop with Leanne Simpson
October 28, 2025 | 12:30PM
Register here.
Hermit crab essays have emerged as exciting and generative containers for personal storytelling over the past two decades. As their popularity has grown, these creative pieces have taken the shape of family recipes, instructional manuals, obituaries and other familiar forms, offering a protective space to begin the writing process and a chance to reimagine the cultural expectations of each shape.
As a mad writer, narrating my life has been challenging – both in the sense that I am often writing emotionally difficult stories AND stories that may be less recognizable for those who don’t share my lived experience. I find that working within a “shell” – as I did in my debut novel, Never Been Better, which uses the shape of a romantic comedy to explore mental illness – helps me understand and question the “rules of the game,” whether it’s the guiding structures of family, relationships, illness or even just the choreography of going on a date. It also makes for a very fun reading experience for those outside the story!
My hermit crab writing workshop is open to anyone trying to tell a “difficult” story in a creative and nonlinear way (fiction or nonfiction). No writing experience required – just life experience that you’re interested in reframing creatively.
About the Presenter
Leanne Toshiko Simpson is a Japanese Canadian writer, educator and psychiatric survivor from Toronto. She loves writing joyful and messy stories about living with mental illness, and the moments of hope that help us get out of bed day after day. Leanne teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto and her debut novel Never Been Better recently won the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Romance.
Join Our Literary Scavenger Hunt at Word On The Street 2025
Diaspora Dialogues is thrilled to be part of this year’s Word On The Street festival with our Literary Scavenger Hunt!
📍 When & Where: September 27–28 at David Pecaut Square in downtown Toronto
This fun and interactive activity invites festival-goers to explore the event, celebrate Canadian books and writers, and win exciting prizes along the way.
We’re proud to feature an incredible lineup of artists:
Ashley Hasfal
Rasiqra Revulva
Pratap Reddy
Martin Gomes
Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio
Ai Jiang
Word On The Street is one of Canada’s premier literary celebrations, bringing together hundreds of author readings and a vibrant marketplace that showcases the country’s best books and magazines.
We can’t wait to see you there!