I was asked to host a session put on by the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild for the Talking Fresh Festival March 6th, 2021. I was told the session featured Ann Hui, author of Chop Suey Nation. Ann is also a journalist with The Globe and Mail and the topic she spoke on was "The Case for Empathy." I immediately said yes. I remembered an interview of Ann Hui with Shelagh Rogers on The Next Chapter on CBC radio and was intrigued and excited. I chided myself for not having read the book yet and quickly remedied that before meeting Ann via Zoom prior to the session. Her writing and the book did not disappoint; I rarely set it down as I read. (Read it if you haven't yet!)
Entering the world of non-fiction memoir writing and putting myself and my family out there still seems daunting 20 years after I first started. But as I chatted with Ann before the session, she asking me, about my writing, I was put more at ease. Her approach and her skills as a journalist to listen, ask questions in a thoughtful way, and write a story holistically inspired me. She talked about giving people a safe space to share and checking yourself and your biases to ensure that you are the right person to tell a particular story. I do have a story to tell.
I am grateful to the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild for the honour of hosting that session. It was a true joy to meet, listen to and interview Ann as well handle the questions from our astute audience. I had so much fun!