Bryan Washington Workshop
Presented by the Koffler Centre of the Arts in partnership with the Regent Park Film Festival.
Designed for youth and emerging writers interested in writing through a personal voice, this free workshop was led by author Bryan Washington. Participants explored issues of identity, place and personal narrative during a 3 hour session. They also received a complimentary ticket to Bryan Washington: In Conversation with Adnan Khan.
Bryan Washington is a writer from Houston. His fiction and essays have appeared in publications such as the New York Times, The New Yorker, Buzzfeed, the BBC and Hazlitt. “Lot”, Washington’s critically-acclaimed first collection of linked short stories, was released in 2019. Set in Houston – a sprawling, diverse microcosm of America – the book traces the coming-of-age of a young man growing up Black, Latino and gay. Lot captures Houston’s culturally-rich yet gritty urban landscape, revealing the vulnerable existence of communities living under the shadow of poverty and violence with raw power and tenderness.
Wesley Morris Masterclass
In partnership with Koffler Centre of the Arts and creative producer, Kehinde Bah.
In conversation with local content creators, cultural producers and Wesley Morris, this masterclass shared insights about Wesley’s trajectory as a journalist, film critic, and podcaster, geared to a student audience. From discussing the writer’s craft and his approach to cultural commentary to what one gains and loses by becoming a public figure, this educational talk was oriented towards individuals embarking upon careers in journalism, media, and the arts.
Wesley Morris is critic-at-large at The New York Times and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine,where he writes about popular culture and hosts the podcast Still Processing with Jenna Wortham. Known for his“inexhaustible enthusiasm for and command of contemporary culture,” Morris bring “a fan’s heart and a critic’smind to everything from pop stars to film directors.” (The New York Times).