Memoir Writing
Meet other local people interested in Memoir Writing: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Memoir Writing group.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out memoir writing events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the memoir writing events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find memoir writing events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Memoir Writing Events Today
Join in-person Memoir Writing events happening right now
Be Yourself...Oh, Not Like That!
**Emilia Strilchuk on the storytelling of the self: a conversation with Stephanie Cooke.**
While TCAF approaches, RAID hosts Canadian-Ukrainian artist Emilis Strilchuk for a conversation on storytelling of the self, because sometimes the struggle is real: how do you write about yourself?
Together with Emilia, we will explore this question through her graphic memoir *Be Yourself...Oh, Not Like That*, a work that traces her journey from childhood to adulthood through the lens of an autism diagnosis received later in life.
*Be Yourself...Oh, Not Like That* touches on the everyday misunderstandings of invisible disability: being called “lazy” when asking for support, “rude” when social rules don’t land, or being told you “don’t look autistic.”
Between humour, frustration, and clarity, it reflects on what happens when your internal experience doesn’t match the world’s expectations and how writing and art can be an outlet to process feelings and life changes.
Emilia will be in conversation with writer Stephanie Cooke .
Some of her graphic novels include ParaNorthern, Oh My Gods, Pillow Talk, and The Racc Pack series, with bestselling creator, Whitney Gardner.
She’s additionally worked on titles such as ***My Little Pony, Cat Ninja, Archie Comics***, and more.
**Doors open at 6:30 PM.**
**Enjoy a complimentary drink with your ticket!**
**Extra snacks and drinks will be available for purchase on site.**
High Park Yoga
**\~Please [SIGN UP here](https://calendly.com/breathinginnature/yoga-in-nature) for free before the class\~**
[Click here for a map of the exact location](https://goo.gl/maps/x1YMV41Bmhcf7chb6).
My community classes in High Park are by donation, for all bodies, and no experience is required. What is yoga? We combine breath, movement and awareness, all in the healing nature of High Park.
**What to bring?**
* Yoga mat (optional - the grass is nice to yoga on)
* Water
* Weather-appropriate clothing/ blanket for relaxation
We yoga rain or shine. There is shelter if we need it.
[Exact location](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9424Zn5G1Xf4kTEj7), close the the High Park Forest School by the North Gate (short walk from High Park Subway station, Bloor and High Park intersection).
My classes are by donation, or pay what you can. It's also drop-in, so feel free to just show up. Donations can be made at the class in person, via our [Breathing in Nature Gift Economy](https://www.breathinginnature.com/gift-economy/) or e-transfer to nici@breathinginnature.com. On average folks donate between $5-$30 per class.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. 416.885.0583
If you are wondering who I am and what I do, feel free to check out my my [website](https://www.breathinginnature.com/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/breathinginnature/), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/nicole.bohr) page, [my bio](https://www.breathinginnature.com/about/), or [my LinkedIn](www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleczerwinski/).
Toronto Accolades Chorus - New Members Welcome
## Rehearsal Details:
Thursday evenings
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m,
Earl Bales Community Centre
4169 Bathurst St., just south of Sheppard, in Toronto.
Email our membership chair, if you are interested in attending a rehearsal.
**Lisa Taylor: 647-886-1766, [membershipchair@torontoaccolades.com](mailto:membershipchair@torontoaccolades.com)**
Do you love to sing?
Do you love performing for live audiences?
The Toronto Accolades Chorus brings women-centric singers together to sing and perform a cappella harmony.
Harmony connects people from all backgrounds, ages, and musical abilities to create a community where you can not only sing, but find a space to connect with other strong and dedicated people just like you.
For decades, we've provided a venue for singers to express themselves, make quality music together, and form bonds beyond measure, and we invite you to join us for the ride.
We welcome guests and work with them to find out their voice range and to determine what part (lead, tenor, baritone or bass) they would sing best. Guests are given a music folder and encouraged to participate in singing with the chorus in subsequent weeks.
Although we continually strive for musical excellence, prior musical training is not necessary to belong to our chorus. We provide everyone with sheet music, audio learning tracks, education and guidance.
At the end of 6 weeks, we ask each prospective member to audition, to ensure that they can hold their part in a four-part harmony song.
Analytic Political Philosophy and Authoritarian Contexts
Authoritarian contexts — e.g. regimes, movements, and personalities — are ubiquitous throughout human history, and can be found across our world today. Analytic political philosophy has tended to shy away from such contexts through idealising the conditions for theoretical research and delineating clearly the scopes for envisioned praxis and efficacy. Even where such contexts feature in analytic political theories, they are either portrayed as definitively and unequivocally defective, or as 'objects' with which democratic societies must engage. This talk posits that such methodological presumptions are fundamentally problematic: not only do they overlook the substantial richness, diversity, and agency of life in authoritarian contexts, they also fail to shed light on how political change - whether it be in the direction of greater political legitimacy or justice - can and should come about in authoritarian contexts. This talk draws upon Dr. Wong's two recently published works — Reparative Justice in Authoritarian States (Routledge, 2025) and "Living the liberal life in illiberal contexts: the case for realist pluralist liberalism", Inquiry (2026).
About the Speaker:
[Brian Wong](https://www.asiaglobalinstitute.hku.hk/about/people/brian-wong) is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at Hong Kong University. He is a political theorist and geopolitical strategist whose research examines authoritarian regimes and citizens’ political and moral responsibilities, colonial and historical injustices, and the interaction between domestic politics and foreign policy of states in East Asia, especially China. Brian has taught modules in politics to undergraduate students at Oxford and Stanford Universities, and has delivered keynote speeches across Harvard-Science Po, Carnegie-Tsinghua, Tsinghua, Tufts, and Stanford campuses.
Brian is a Hong Kong Rhodes Scholar (2020) and obtained his DPhil in Politics at Oxford University. He holds an MPhil in Political Theory (Distinction) and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (First Class) from Oxford. He co-founded and advises Oxford Political Review, a publication aspiring to bridge the theory-practice gap.
**\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \***
This is a talk with audience Q&A presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics that is free to attend and open to the public. Unfortunately this talk will not be streamed online as usual.
About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca):
The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life.
In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society.
The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai
Iran : What Everyone Needs to Know -- by Michael Axworthy
Since the beginning of recorded history, Iran/Persia has been one of the most important world civilizations. Iran remains a distinct civilization today despite its status as a major Islamic state with broad regional influence and its deep integration into the global economy through its vast energy reserves. Yet the close attention paid to Iran in recent decades stems from the impact of the 1979 revolution, which unleashed ideological shock waves throughout the Middle East that reverberate to this day. Many observers look at Iran through the prism of the Islamic Republic's adversarial relationship with the US, Israel, and Sunni nations in its region, yet as Michael Axworthy shows in *Iran: What Everyone Needs to Know*, there is much more to contemporary Iran than its fraught foreign relations. He begins with a concise account of Iranian history from ancient times to the late twentieth century and then follows that with sharp summaries of the key events since the 1979 revolution. The final section of the book focuses on Iran today--its culture, economy, politics, and people--and assesses the challenges that the nation will face in coming years. *Iran* will be an essential overview of a complex and important nation that has occupied world headlines for nearly four decades.
═════ Discussion questions:
TBD
Facilitator: Andrii
═════ $$ Refundable deposit:
We'd like to make sure everyone on the RSVP actually intends to join us and enjoy the event.
Please make a **refundable** deposit of $5 to hold your spot, via Paypal or Interac e-transfer to [toronto.nonfiction@gmail.com](mailto:toronto.nonfiction@gmail.com), when you RSVP or shortly thereafter. If you are waitlisted please wait until a spot opens up for you before making a transfer.
You'll get your $5 back in cash if you join us at the event. If you decide to drop out later or not attend, consider this a donation to support our meetup and zoom subscriptions, which aren't cheap. Thank you!
═════ Meeting format:
* We meet to discuss the book after having read it beforehand.
* A facilitator guides the discussion ensuring that everyone has a chance to speak, one person at a time.
* Warning: Participation in a book club is a dangerous activity. You may encounter opinions different from yours. By joining the group you agree to assume all risks.
Memoir Writing Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Saturday Writing Meetup – near Bloor-Yonge
\*\*NOTE: This meetup currently lacks a regular host. (The current hosts are volunteers for online organizational purposes; they show up in person occasionally.) If you arrive and there is no host, don’t worry. Whoever is the longest-running member (or whoever wants to) can set the timer for the writing session. In this way, the meetup is self-sustaining, and not dependent on any one person. Thanks for your understanding.\*\*
Join us for an hour of quiet writing, followed by an hour of (optional) socializing.
\*\*SILENT WRITING BEGINS AT 1:15 PM. IF YOU'RE LATE, WELCOME! WE WILL IGNORE YOU (BECAUSE WE'RE BUSY WRITING) UNTIL 2:15 PM.\*\*
This meetup is open to everyone, whether you’re writing a novel, blog, class paper, or journal entry—or something completely different. Anyone interested is welcome to attend :)
LOCATION:
5 Elements Cafe, basement level
RSVP:
Please be advised that seating is first-come, first-served, even if you have RSVP'd. Seats are not reserved and we can't control how many other people are in the cafe.
We recommend coming down to the basement to grab a spot before you buy anything, just in case.
SCHEDULE:
1:00 to 1:15 PM: Arrive and get settled in.
1:15 to 2:15 PM: Write in silence for an hour.
\*\*If you arrive after 1:15, please silently find your own place to sit. We'll welcome you to join the group at 2:15.\*\*
2:15 PM: Introduce yourself.
We'll go in a circle; just say your name and 1–2 sentences about what you're writing.
(E.g., "I'm Rudolph and I'm writing a non-fiction book about reindeer.")
2:20 PM onwards: Chill/leave.
Chat, hang out, keep writing if you want, leave whenever.
In-Person Writing Sprints
Struggling with motivation and focus as you hammer away on your manuscript at home? Want to join a community of writers as we embrace the joys and pains (mostly pains) of writing together?
Bring your laptop, pen & paper, old-school typewriter, or futuristic writing gadget, and join an enthusiastic community of science fiction and fantasy writers as we work on our current projects in the same space. The format will be similar to our online writing sprints: 30-minute blocks of focused, quiet writing time (the sprints), interspersed with breaks where we can chat, ask questions, and share our writing experiences.
Sunday Shut Up & Write!® in Sheppard-Yonge
We are now at **Yonge Sheppard Centre** in the **food court** near **Dazzle Mi**. We start a bit past 1pm, so if you're late, please find a seat and start writing -- we'd love to hear about your story or your day -- afterwards. :)
**Coworking for writers in your area!**
Join us for some focused writing time. All writers and all experience levels are welcome and don’t worry, no one will see what you've written. This session is about getting your writing done and meeting other writers in your area.
When you show up, say hello to everyone, grab a drink, and get your writing tools ready. Once you’re all settled, take some time to chat with your fellow writers. Once everyone’s arrived, I will lead quick introductions and then set the timer for our quiet and focused writing session.
Afterward, we’ll have time to chat and get to know each other. We often talk about our successes and challenges as writers. If you don’t have time to stick around, no worries!
**A note about the format**
We don’t host critiques or readings. These events are a safe space for writers of all skill levels and genres to work on their craft, so no one will read or critique your writing.
For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com)
**Travel / Parking info:**
Public Transit:
1. Take the TTC subway to Sheppard-Yonge Station.
2. Use the Yonge St. Sheppard Ave exit
**Driving & Parking:**
Parking Entrance to Yonge Sheppard Centre is located on Greenfield Avenue and Doris Avenue. Accessible parking is available on P1, P3 and Concourse. Be sure to check for parking limits or fees.
**Location:**
We gather around the tables in the food court near **Dazzel Mi**. If you spot a group of people with laptops out, that’s probably us!
**RSVP:**
Please do RSVP. But be advised that seating is first-come, first-served, even if you have RSVP'd. Seats are not reserved and we can't control how many other people are in the cafe.
**SCHEDULE:**
12:45 to 1:15 PM: Arrive and get settled in -- come in early if you want to get lunch.
1:15 to 2:15 PM: Write in silence for an hour.
\*\*If you arrive after 1:15, please silently find your own place to sit. We'll welcome you to join the group at 2:15.\*\*
2:15 PM: Introduce yourself. We'll go in a circle; just say your name and 1–2 sentences about what you're writing.
(E.g., "I'm Rudolph and I'm writing a non-fiction book about red-nosed reindeer.")
2:20 PM onwards: Chat, hang out, keep writing if you want, leave whenever.
Emptiness: One-Shot Anthology Launch Party
Join us for the **launch party** for ***Emptiness*, our latest one-shot anthology**! We will have:
\- Copies of the gorgeous trade paperback for sale
\- Signings
\- Speeches
\- Readings
\- Annnnnd\.\.\. prizes\!
*Emptiness: A One-Shot Anthology of Speculative Fiction* features 48 stories from your fellow Toronto SFF Writers, all written in a single day. It is our longest one-shot anthology to date, clocking in at nearly 120,000 words. It is also a **#1 Amazon Bestseller** in: Canadian Short Stories, Science Fiction Short Stories, Fantasy Anthologies, and Genre Fiction Anthologies.
**Vote for your favourite stories:**
[Go here for the voting link.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1vRL2WAx-RRwg-umEEAzyEQDtMMYY2aomEayi2wUV6p65dA/viewform) Voting closes Sat. May 23, 2026 at 11am EST.
**Book sales:**
[Get your paperback](https://www.amazon.ca/Emptiness-One-Shot-Anthology-Speculative-Fiction/dp/1069418846)
[Get your ebook](https://www.amazon.ca/Emptiness-One-Shot-Anthology-Speculative-Fiction-ebook/dp/B0GL42LJJZ/)
You will be also be able to purchase the paperback during the launch party. Cash, card, and e-transfer accepted.
The Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and Camp M (Special Extended Tour)
\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
**for more information or for signing up!\*\***
\*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
Elizabeth Simcoe named the area now known as Mimico for the thousands of pigeons that blackened the sky at the western end of the settlement. Mimico was originally located at the confluence of Mimico Creek and Dundas Street.
William Gamble, opened a sawmill and built a settlement for the workers nearby. Etobicoke's first church, Christ Church was opened on Church Street which became Royal York Road. Mimico is a walkable neighbourhood and a great place to stroll and discover our amazing history.
The Lakeshore Hospital was built in 1888 as the Mimico Asylum, its doors opened on January 21, 1889.
The original idea for the hospital was a series of cottages designed by Doctor Joseph Workman who wanted a resort type feel to the hospital. The architect was Kivas Tully, who worked with gardener Samuel Matheson. Most of the buildings were built by the patients themselves, and helped with laundry duties, and tended to the vast gardens.
But a different story emerged that most Canadians had no idea about. And that was the story of Camp M - Mimico.
In 1887, the Victoria Industrial School for Boys opened on old Horner Avenue in Mimico, just blocks from the site of the new Mimico Hospital for the Insane (Humber College.) The school, which was a juvenile reformatory, hoped to break the bad boys through moral and academic education and old fashioned hard work. I hope there was a positive outcome.
In 1927, the school changed its name to the Mimico Reform School. But it was the war years 1939-1945 that really surprised me as a Torontonian. It was known as Camp M or Internment Camp 22, the largest camp for POWs in the centre of a large Canadian city.
Most camps were constructed in rural areas, and the camp provided space for more than 520 German nationals. The history of this camp is fascinating and had links to the Toronto Central Prison on Strachan Avenue and the Mimico Hospital directly to the south on lakeshore where we begin this tour.
This walking tour is for all levels and walkers. The tour begins at the New Toronto Public Library Branch at 110 Eleventh Street just south of Lakeshore. We end this tour at Kipling and Horner Avenue, just a few blocks to the north of the old hospital!
This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person!
\*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:**
**torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**
Shut Up & Write — West Queen West
Come join us at the lovely, well-lit, and cozy
Theatre Centre Cafe for an hour and a half of silent writing (on whatever writing projects you will)!
After silent writing is done, feel free to stay and chat or go as you please.
If you are late you are welcome to join us (quietly and not disruptively).
Please note this is a casual event, and we will NOT be critiquing each other's work.
Other Important Details:
WiFi name/password: #TheTheatreCentre (no password, open access)
Travel / Parking info: There is paid street parking as well as Green P underground parking located at 45
Abell St (2 mins walk from the venue)
Venue Guidelines: Please thank our hosts by purchasing something.
Memoir Writing Events Near You
Connect with your local Memoir Writing community
Shut Up & Write!™ Easton Town Center
We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator.
Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking!
• What we'll do
Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
SCHEDULE:
10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros.
10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour.
11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing.
OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing.
BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer.
Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you!
• What to bring
Whatever you need to be able to write!
Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible.
See you at The Café on Saturday!
Shut Up & Write!® East Side Columbus
Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
**SCHEDULE:**
6:45ish - Quick introductions
7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour
8:00 - The End
**OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing.
**BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer.
Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild!
**WHAT SHOULD I BRING?**
Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you!
**OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:**
* **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space!
* **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels.
* **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay!
* **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.
Shut Up & Write! Kingsdale Shopping Center
Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington.
The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo.
Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine.
We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you.
The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly.
Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome.
The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit.
Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times.
Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have.
Happy writing!
Speak Easy (Storytelling)
The topic for May is "Ink"
Speak Easy: true stories, told live.
The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast.
Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect.
The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3351321)
Location: The Goat River South
219 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215
Street parking is free on Sundays
[Menu](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/686d3ed16745133042482c5f/t/68ff654dbb03b96875430bde/1761568077220/all_brunch-20250311.pdf)
Book summary:
On a hot day in Bethlehem, a twelve-year-old Palestinian-American girl is yelled at by a group of men outside the Church of the Nativity. She has exposed her legs in a biblical city, an act they deem forbidden, and their judgement will echo on through her adolescence. When our narrator finally admits to her mother that she is queer, her mother's response only intensifies a sense of shame: 'You exist too much,' she tells her daughter. Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East--from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine--Zaina Arafat's debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to sought-after DJ and aspiring writer.
Feel Good Friday: POWER BALLAD at the Gateway Film Center + SHAKE NO. 8!
Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event:
DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor.
BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving!”
SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus in 2024, this is the perfect place to kick off our Summer of Ice Cream and grab a sweet treat after the show! Their menu features an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, and more! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php)
PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Once showtime is announced, advance ticket purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show!
Should be a fun one, Dan


















