Black Excellence Speaker Series - LIVE with Sheila Murray!

Join YouThrive for an evening with local author Sheila Murray, as she shares her first book, Finding Edward! Featuring an interview with Sheila, live reading from the book, Q&A session, BIPOC resource table, delicious food, and more!

YouThrive is a program geared towards young persons between the ages of 4 to 25 who have encountered racism in different parts of their lives such as school, work, social settings, etc. We define racism as the experience of marginalization and/or oppression of Black, Indigenous, or racialized folks based on characteristics such as skin colour, language, or racial/cultural identity. The aim is to provide mental wellness services to young persons who have experienced discrimination based on race-related factors that affect their overall quality of life.

Bring your your questions for Sheila about her novel and journey as an author, copies of the book if you would like them to be signed, and join us in celebrating Black history!

This event will also serve to relaunch the Youth Wellness Centre's Book Club, and copies of the book are available to borrow before the event from the YWC library - please contact [email protected] if you'd like to pick one up!

About Sheila Murray:

Sheila Murray’s 2022 debut novel, Finding Edward, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. It is on the Canada Reads 2023 longlist, and was listed in the Globe and Mail 100 best books, CBC’s best fiction, 49th Shelf’s best books and the Toronto Star’s books gift guide. Sheila’s short fiction has appeared in many Canadian literary journals. Born and raised in St. Albans, England, this Hamilton-based writer currently leads a grassroots, volunteer-driven initiative that engages urban residents in adapting to local climate change impacts.

Synopsis of Finding Edward:

Cyril Rowntree, a mixed-race Jamaican, migrates to Canada after his mother and surrogate grandfather die. Cyril arrives in Toronto and sets about earning a degree, works two jobs, and begins to navigate his way through the implications of being racialized in his new land. A chance encounter with a panhandler named Patricia leads Cyril to a suitcase full of photographs and letters dating back to the early 1920s. Cyril is drawn into the letters and their story of a white mother's struggle to come to terms with the need to give up her mixed-race baby, Edward. Abandoned by his white father as a small child, Cyril feels a compelling connection to the boy and begins to look for the rest of Edward's story. As he searches, Cyril unearths hidden pieces of Canadian history and gradually gains the confidence to trust his own judgment.

Host or Publisher Youth Wellness Centre - YouThrive/YWC Book Club