Just as the snow arrived this year, we closed the winter 2019 iteration of The Future is You and Me, a series of five workshops over five Saturdays.

This year’s cohort brought exceptional energy, talent, criticality, and kindness to The Future. We are filled with gratitude for the time we were able to spend together to explore ideas around gender, race, creativity, leadership, and community with this group of 11 emerging creatives whose bios are below. They are ready to make their marks!

Our thanks to the stellar group of mentors and guests who supported this series of workshops, our funders: Canada Council for the Arts and the City of Vancouver Cultural Services, and The Post at 750, for being fantastic hosts. And to you for your interest in The Future and our mission to foster women of colour leaders in the arts sector.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on what’s next for this cohort and the program.

Looking forward!

Kristin, Simranpreet, & Megan

The Winter 2019 cohort with Natasha Neale and Jen Sungshine (back row).

Audie Murray - Audie Murray is a multi-disciplinary Michif artist who grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. She has completed a visual arts diploma at Camosun College in 2016 and her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Regina in 2017. She works with a variety of mediums including beadwork, drawing, and sculpture. Her work explores ideas around labour, connection, and identity while honouring her community and ancestors.

Chimedum Ohaegbu - Chimedum Ohaegbu attends UBC in pursuit of hummingbird sightings and a dual degree in English literature and creative writing. She is Uncanny Magazine’s assistant editor and the recipient of the 2017 Tan Seagull Scholarship for Young Writers, and her work is published in Strange Horizons, This Magazine, and The Ubyssey.

Corrina Tang - Corrina is a designer and photographer who creates work that reflects her sensitivity and passion for vulnerability. She enjoys creating communities where people with similar passions can come together. Corrina is usually around Vancouver looking for the best fried chicken or just snuggled at home binging another Netflix series.

Elysse Cloma - I'm Elysse Cloma, I'm a Filipinx settler and my chosen pronouns are she/her. I'm passionate about social justice, media and communication, and music. In my creative endeavours, I’m usually trying to find a way to make all of the above interests meet.

Joni Cheung - Joni Cheung is a recent graduate of Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts, an emerging interdisciplinary artist|curator|writer, and a grateful, uninvited guest on unceded Coast Salish territories. Currently, she is working at Centre A as their Research & Public Programmes Assistant while furthering her practice and academic career.

Kathy Nguyen - Kathy Nguyen writes and doodles. One day soon, she would like to explore the world and live among well-loved books in a bookstore. Right now, she helps out at a lab that studies infant cognition. She studies Behavioural Neuroscience and English Literature at the University of British Columbia.

Kayla Isomura - Kayla Isomura is a photographer whose work has been exhibited at the Nikkei National Museum and appeared in numerous publications. With a background in journalism, her interest in storytelling through multimedia has been influenced by her Asian Canadian roots. She is currently exploring themes of intergenerational trauma and racialized identity.

Kyla James - Kyla is an interdisciplinary illustrator and designer from Vancouver. Her work is inspired by underground music, the occult, sociopolitical systems, and her mixed heritage. She has a mural on display with Vancouver Mural Fest. Kyla also contributes her illustration, motion graphics and design skills to local events and nonprofits.

Maneesa Sotheeswaran - As a first generation immigrant, I'm a Sri Lankan-Canadian, Tamil-speaking, post-colonial feminist, riddled with bundles of anxiety and trauma. When I'm not working or studying, I enjoy critically consuming cultural commodities or creative expression and mindful experiences, such as, hiking, finger painting, kneading dough, and laying on flat surfaces.

Rebecca Peng - Rebecca Peng is originally from a snowier region of the country. She indulges in writing, visual art, and elaborate costume parties. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with an Honours degree in English Literature and currently works in publicity.

Savannah Erasmus - Savannah Erasmus is a young Cree woman from Kikino, Alberta. She is a journalism student that hopes to contribute to the positive representation of Indigenous nations in Canadian media. In addition to her studies, Savannah explores the world of stand up comedy. She attempts to use comedy + laughter to confront the colonial stereotypes that limit Indigenous people in Canada today, while making others laugh and reflect on their own privilege.