Many existing books on women’s achievements showcase highly successful female leaders and represent only a small percentage of immigrant women. One of Campfire Kinship’s goals is to go beyond that approach and amplify a variety of intersectional voices which might otherwise go unheard.

Every year, thousands of highly skilled immigrants choose to make Canada their home. Immigrant women play crucial roles in the fabric of Canadian economic success and social harmony. However, they face unique and complex challenges on their path to successful integration due to stereotypes and misperceptions. The question, “why did you come?” lingers, devoid of appreciation for the role that immigration plays in creating Canadian prosperity.

Although the need to support this population group has been recognized, our mainstream media lacks a nuanced understanding of their lived experiences. This anthology provides first-hand perspective to identify gaps, patterns, and successes.

In the introduction, Gayathri provides a backdrop of our current times, given the rising mistrust of anyone who looks like a “foreigner.” Yet, unless we are of Indigenous origin, we are all immigrants. Whether your family moved recently or centuries ago, it is still possible to relate to one another through the power of storytelling. In the concluding chapter, Elena weaves together our common themes of love, loss, belonging, and contribution. We hope that storytelling in this way will help unite people and ideas, convey culture and values, and inspire change.

Typically in an anthology, writers are asked to submit a polished story in a call for submissions. The unique feature of this book was that it centered voices of immigrant women by equipping them with full support to take their stories from idea development to publication. This was done through a series of workshops led by Gayathri using guided autobiography. Gayathri has implemented this method in her leadership development training, enabling participants to prioritize skills of empathy, curiosity, and respect in order to advance their EDI goals.

In the case of this project, the workshops further enhanced writers’ ability to unearth memories and distill them into a short testimony, 900-1500 words each. The benefit of the group setting ensured camaraderie, accountability, and expediency while creating an opportunity for each participant to retain their authentic voice through writing in a safe and supportive group setting. The participants also engaged in several rounds of editing to ensure consistency and quality in the final product.

Last but not least, the entire process was free of cost to participants, thanks to grant funding from Calgary Arts Development.

We encouraged first or second generation immigrant women and gender non-conforming folks in Calgary to apply if they were looking to:

• Give voice to their story and share it with others.
• Bring awareness to the types of barriers faced by immigrant women, and provide insights for potential employers, decision-makers, and policy-makers. 
• Empower countless others including those who are just starting their journey.
• Leave a lasting legacy that illuminates the positive impacts of immigration in Canadian society.

We have 37 authors representing 30 countries of origin:

Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada (second-generation immigrants), China, Chile, England, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam.

For every person who has ever wondered what it is like to be an immigrant, this book will spark your curiosity to walk in the shoes of those who identify as immigrants. Many Canadians might have already created their own narrative of who an immigrant might be, and we hope this book will challenge perspectives in the best way possible. Challenging perspectives through stories that fill people with empathy is how we hope to help our fellow citizens grow. Moreover, these stories will be an inspiring and empowering read for any immigrant woman, especially those just starting their journey.

Absolutely! We have done several readings for community events, bookclubs, and corporate events. Tell us more about your request in our Contact Us form.

Our book is available on Amazon, Indigo, and select local bookstores like Shelf Life Books and Pages (in Calgary), or Audrey’s Bookstore in Edmonton. It’s also available to borrow from Calgary Public Library, Mount Royal University, and University of Calgary Library.

P.S. If you’re interested in bringing Landed to your local library, we would love for you to submit a recommendation!

Yes, depending on quantity. Please contact us and let us know the quantity you’re looking to order.

As a social enterprise, we are committed to using the proceeds from Landed to further our mission of uplifting voices in community-centric initiatives. This included donating copies to organizations such as the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA), which supports immigrant women in their integration. Additionally, funds are used to sustain the production of our volunteer podcast ‘Hearth 2 Heart,’ where we continue to share and amplify powerful stories of women.

In fact, the last 12 episodes of Season 1 featured Landed co-authors sharing their journeys and reading a passage from their story in Landed, thus extending their voices beyond the pages of the book. Do tune in on Apple or Spotify!