2021 has been a year of loss and grief, especially in the Asian-Canadian community. Our elders have been attacked, some of our traditions upended. We have faced assaults on our culture, covertly and overtly. It it more important now than ever to recognize and celebrate Asian Canadian voices. We've compiled a list of contemporary Asian poets and their works below, and we and encourage readers to dive into other Asian voices in Canada and across the world. 

Ken Liu is the author of the short story “Paper Menagerie,” among other short stories, books, and translations. In “Paper Menagerie,” I admire his ability to guide the reader through “snapshots” of essential story moments. Each scene is eloquently crafted, displaying the shifts of character development by way of contrast against previous scenes. The character development really hits home in the way Liu shows the different “phases” the protagonist goes through. I can see myself in the protagonist’s shoes and honestly, this is a short story I cannot read without crying, every time.

To find out more about Ken Liu, visit his website kenliu.name.