Please join the staff and Board of Directors of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia in welcoming Dea Toivonen (they/them) into the newly created position of Outreach & Social Coordinator!
You may recognize Dea as the astute interviewer in the Author Spotlights published this August and September, which they conducted during their summer contract with WFNS as Program Officer, Arts Education. Dea also undertook the RBC Emerging Artists Residency at Jampolis Cottage in 2023/24, working on a collection of short fiction that explores contemporary loneliness and questing for queer and chosen family.
To the Outreach & Social Coordinator position, Dea brings their Honours Degree in Contemporary Studies and Creative Writing (University of King’s College); their background as a creative writer, artist, writing tutor, and teaching assistant living in Kjipuktuk; and their interest in the experiences and successes of emerging and early-career writers.
Dea will work closely with Executive Director Oriana Duinker and the Board’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee in the coordination of WFNS’s equity, accessibility, and outreach initiatives. They will also be program lead of our Emerging Writers Prizes program, will head our social media communications, and will take over as primary interviewer in our Author Spotlight series.
Dea is committed to building literary and arts community on anti-oppressive frameworks and to creating spaces that support the literary voices of marginalized and underrepresented writers—and they’re excited to help expand WFNS’s capacities, to develop programs that serve writers of all backgrounds and experiences, and to build bridges with communities, individuals, and organizations throughout Nova Scotia. They are eager to hear what members are looking for in a local literary community, and you’re welcome to reach out to them at outreach@writers.ns.ca with suggestions and feedback.