Trinity Reads Shines with Leanne Toshiko Simpson's Direction
Leanne Toshiko Simpson, EdD candidate in Social Justice Education, is the Director of Literary Programming for at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Trinity Reads is a campus-wide initiative that invites students, staff, faculty, and alumni to read outside the classroom and connect around contemporary Canadian writing.
Modelled after CBC鈥檚 Canada Reads, Trinity Reads spotlights five shortlisted books and culminates in a public panel, campus vote, and author visit. The program uses reading as a way to spark conversation and build community across the college. Alongside her work with Trinity Reads, Leanne teaches literature seminars at Trinity College that link academic research with creative writing.
2025-26 has been a busy and successful academic year under Leanne鈥檚 leadership. Here is a snapshot of two upcoming February events, along with recent January highlights.
Upcoming at Trinity Reads:
猸愶笍 February 6 鈥 U of T Literary Symposium at Hart House
Trinity Reads and Hart House will host an all-day student publishing conference focused on how books are written, produced, and shared with readers. The symposium will include author talks, panels with people working across the publishing industry, hands-on creative writing workshops, and a book trivia session with BIPOC of Publishing. The event is designed for students interested in writing, publishing, editing, or simply learning more about how stories move from idea to finished book. Registration is open to current U of T students, with limited spots available.
猸愶笍 February 8 鈥 Emerging Writers Reading Series submission deadline
Trinity Reads is once again partnering with the Emerging Writers Reading Series to host a year-end U of T student reading. Current U of T students are invited to submit 3鈥5 pages of creative work for consideration. Three student writers will be selected to read at the March 9 Emerging Writers event, offering an opportunity to share work publicly and connect with Toronto鈥檚 broader literary community.
March 9 鈥 Emerging Writers Reading Series (exact details TBA)
March 24 & 25 鈥 Final Trinity Reads wrap-up events (exact details TBA)
January highlights:
猸愶笍 Writing Masterclass with Eliza Reid
A lunchtime workshop with Trinity alumna Eliza Reid鈥攁uthor, former First Lady of Iceland, and co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat鈥攆ocused on building a writing life and developing creative work.
猸愶笍 Trinity Reads Book Fair & Champions Panel
A vibrant inter-college book fair featuring bookish vendors, interactive booths, and a Champions Panel hosted by Jael Richardson of the Festival of Literary Diversity, supporting the campus-wide vote for the 2026 Trinity Reads title, Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubegeshig Rice. The festival included taro readings, bookish vendors, and creative activities.
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