When we hosted the very first Festival of Literary Diversity in 2016, I had no idea what we were building. I had big dreams, sure—but I couldn’t see the whole picture yet. I just knew that we needed a space where diverse authors could shine, where stories that had long been overlooked or pushed aside could finally take centre stage.
Now, ten years later, I’m overwhelmed by how far we’ve come. The FOLD has become a home for storytellers from every walk of life. We’ve grown from a single festival in Brampton to a year-round organization with programs that support emerging writers, educators, and readers across the country. Planning our 10th anniversary was more emotional than I expected. It brought back so many memories—of risks we took, voices we lifted, and the community we built together.
And as we looked back, we also looked ahead.
We launched Into the FOLD, our brand-new podcast that I host with the brilliant Hudson Lin.
The podcast gave us a chance to dive deeper. Each episode explored conversations we don't always get to have at the festival. It was a space for nuance, for laughter, for vulnerability—for the stories behind the stories.
Launching a podcast while planning an anniversary year might sound chaotic (it was!), but it also felt right. Because the FOLD was never just about one event—it’s always been about movement, about growth, about pushing forward. And with Into the FOLD, we got to do just that.
Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or you’re just discovering what we do, thank you. Here’s to the next ten years—and the many stories still to come.
You can watch Into the FOLD on YouTube, or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.