Become a Living Book. Share Your Story. Challenge Stereotypes.
Join the Ajax Living Library and help open minds, one conversation at a time.
Apply now! Complete the Living Library Application Form.
What is a Living Library?
A Living Library is where people become "books" on loan. Visitors check out a book they want to read, but instead, the books are real people, and "reading" is a conversation between the Living Book and the borrower.
Each Living Book volunteers to share a personal story or life experience that others might not understand, have questions about, or carry bias toward. "Readers" borrow Living Books for respectful, open dialogue to challenge assumptions, break stereotypes, and promote understanding, one connection at a time.
Who can be a Living Book?
Anyone with a lived experience they are willing to share in an honest, thoughtful way. You don't need to be a public speaker, you just need to be YOU!
Some examples of Living Book titles might include:
- Neurodivergent and Proud
Living with Anxiety
Moving to Canada: New Journey in a New Culture
Need some more inspiration? Check out the Living Books from previous Ajax Living Library Events below.
Why Participate as a Living Book
Every story matters. Your voice matters. Living Books have the potential to:
- Help others understand experiences they've never lived.
- Make a difference by challenging stereotypes and breaking down prejudice.
- Foster empathy and connection through honest, respectful conversation.
- Empower yourself by sharing your lived experience on your own terms.
You never know whose life your story might change!
Apply to be a Living Book
We're now accepting applications for 2027 Living Books.
Apply now! Complete the Living Library Application Form
Application deadline: November 24, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Meet the 2026 Living Books
Jolly Abrakasa
Domestic Abuse Among the "Top Tier" of Society: Surviving the Immigrant Neurosurgeon
I was raised to believe that elders are keepers of wisdom - its repositories – and that it is their duty to pass on what they know to those coming after them, who are then responsible to build on what they have been given and to ensure that the errors of the past are not repeated. Since I now consider myself an elder, I am ready to share what I have learned by telling my life’s stories.
This is from my Sudbury, Ontario, Canada chapter. I had what I consider a very eventful and interesting life by the time I reluctantly arrived in Sudbury. I was the last person anyone would expect to find herself in a controlling and abusive marriage, but that is exactly where I found myself, and I want to tell you my domestic abuse survival story.
Check out Jolly's video
Meagan Bailey
I'm Here, I'm Queer, and I Want to Tell You About It
What’s life like if you’re attracted to...no one? Not men, or women, or both – but neither? Moreover, what if you couldn’t even understand what attraction was like in the first place? That’s the situation I found myself in.
Hi, I’m Meagan, I’m aromantic asexual (aro ace), and I didn’t figure that out until I was in my early twenties. Before that, I went through life very confused – why did everyone care so much about romance? Why did people find sex jokes funny? I also figured out that I’m agender last year, and before that, I went through daily life uncomfortable at so many things – being called sister, or daughter, or Miss. Ever since figuring myself out, life has been so much richer and more enjoyable. I want to share that richness with people and save people the confusion I went through for so long.
Check out Meagan's video
Shane Christensen
Be Your Own Best Friend
When I look back at my life, I realize that from my earliest recollections I always strived to be positive even when faced with turmoil and negativity. What I didn't realize as a child was that this was a built-in survival mechanism that allowed me to deal with adversity. By the time I was in mid-life, I recognized that positivity is a discipline that takes great effort at times. But the rewards can be life changing.
It's this realization that motivates me to share my stories of overcoming adversity to help others, which ultimately can be summed up as always be your own best friend.
Check out Shane's video
Dianne Dias
From Ajax to South Sudan and Back
I secretly booked my flights to South Sudan. As one of the poorest countries in the world which has been at war, on and off, for decades, my family was completely against me going there. However, South Sudan has had a space in my heart since the early 2000s when news of the atrocities stopped being reported after only a few days.
When I got the opportunity to help untrained teachers there in 2023, I felt called to go. Many people I met wanted me to tell their stories. This is my experience of their stories.
Check out Dianne's video
Angella Henry
The Funeral
We sat in a hot car in a quiet churchyard on Mountain View Avenue, waiting for the casket of the man who had abused us. The sun pressed through the windows while the air conditioning struggled, and I wondered why we had come at all.
My father’s death from colon cancer was expected. After two rounds of chemotherapy, he refused any more. He had watched cancer take his brother, his sister, and his mother. When it came for him, he believed the ending had already been written.
Two days before he died, he called and said, “Angella, I love you.” Three simple words that arrived at the edge of death. Was it love, regret, or a final search for absolution before entering what Jamaicans call “up yonder”?
I’ve never expected life to go smoothly; living itself is imperfect and unpredictable. But lately, my thoughts keep returning to my colon. I know the signs of colon cancer now, could list them as easily as the names of my children.
Check out Angella's video
Madhav Kochunni
60 Years to Understand My Childhood
I was raised by a loving, older couple. Though different from my friends’ younger parents, I cared for them deeply in my quiet way. As a child, I didn’t grasp what “parents” meant. At school, I noticed my friends’ parents were younger, and questions slowly surfaced. That’s when I learned “ammamma” and “ammachan” the Malayalam words for grandmother and grandfather.
At seven, my grandmother took me on a long train ride. After two days, we arrived at the station and a young couple approached us through the steam and noise. My grandmother introduced them as my parents. I felt nothing, then or since.
That moment began a quiet search for meaning, for stories, feelings, or their absence.
When I turned sixty, both my parents died within a year. Emotions I thought I never had surged like a torrent. It took sixty years to begin understanding my childhood. Have I come to peace with it?
Come and listen to my story.
Check out Madhav's video
Robert Parkinson
Life is Rough... Get a Helmet
My story is just one of billions out there. In my 50+ years in this world, I’ve had ups and downs, and all arounds. I have experienced love and loss. My story is shaped by hard-earned resilience through family upheaval, including multiple divorces, court battles for custody, and most impactfully, the deaths of my son and father in close succession.
My hope is that my story helps another person get through the day. Whether it’s for information, inspiration, a method to cope, or even entertain! Sharing my story is part of my journey to help myself and it’s a story that’s still being written.
Check out Robert's video
Summi Siddiqui
The Road is My Home
My travels have exposed me to diverse cultures and societies. I have seen the value of people motivating and inspiring each other. As a travelling storyteller / educator / artist / poet / writer / performer/ musician / motivational speaker, I find I can connect and understand people on various levels. I have broken bread with nomads in the desert, monks in monasteries, connected with people on the streets of other nations and in the great palaces of the world. We need to experience the world with our senses, instead of viewing it on tiny screens from the comfort of our homes. I will talk about strangers I have met, conversations I have had, emotions I have witnessed and felt. The world is full of wonders. It is an exciting place that is forever changing. Ignore the barriers… they are just man-made.
Check out Summi's video
Newton Vanriel
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas
I have always been an advocate for the rights of the “outsiders” and the power of connecting and fellowship in a world that needs community. I have over 30 years of fighting injustice and raising funds for a variety of charities.
I am also the author of The Soul Sista’s, a series of children’s books that highlight the power of being unique and that it’s ok to be different! The Soul Sistas – one white and the other black – think they are twins. Their love is real. These girls are loud, defiant, and caring and they are ok with being themselves.
I am a storyteller sharing the power of self-esteem. Come meet me and the Soul Sistas!
Check out Newton's video
Saleena Zuberi
Being Saleena
Join me as I share a story about a girl who learns the meaning of love, patience, and perseverance by living an extraordinary life. I was born in 1961 on the same day as Wayne Gretzky. The beginning of my life was a healthy, happy and bubbly childhood. This gave me the foundation and resilience to ride the rollercoaster of life! From starting a family of my own, to expanding it with two adopted teenagers, from caring for my aging parents and in-laws, to supporting my husband through serious long-term health issues. Through the ups and downs, I have never felt stuck, relying on humour, teamwork, open communication and taking it one day at a time. Join me as I share my amazing journey and life experiences… so far!
Check out Saleena's video
Become a Living Book. Share Your Story. Challenge Stereotypes.
Join the Ajax Living Library and help open minds, one conversation at a time.
Apply now! Complete the Living Library Application Form.
What is a Living Library?
A Living Library is where people become "books" on loan. Visitors check out a book they want to read, but instead, the books are real people, and "reading" is a conversation between the Living Book and the borrower.
Each Living Book volunteers to share a personal story or life experience that others might not understand, have questions about, or carry bias toward. "Readers" borrow Living Books for respectful, open dialogue to challenge assumptions, break stereotypes, and promote understanding, one connection at a time.
Who can be a Living Book?
Anyone with a lived experience they are willing to share in an honest, thoughtful way. You don't need to be a public speaker, you just need to be YOU!
Some examples of Living Book titles might include:
- Neurodivergent and Proud
Living with Anxiety
Moving to Canada: New Journey in a New Culture
Need some more inspiration? Check out the Living Books from previous Ajax Living Library Events below.
Why Participate as a Living Book
Every story matters. Your voice matters. Living Books have the potential to:
- Help others understand experiences they've never lived.
- Make a difference by challenging stereotypes and breaking down prejudice.
- Foster empathy and connection through honest, respectful conversation.
- Empower yourself by sharing your lived experience on your own terms.
You never know whose life your story might change!
Apply to be a Living Book
We're now accepting applications for 2027 Living Books.
Apply now! Complete the Living Library Application Form
Application deadline: November 24, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Meet the 2026 Living Books
Jolly Abrakasa
Domestic Abuse Among the "Top Tier" of Society: Surviving the Immigrant Neurosurgeon
I was raised to believe that elders are keepers of wisdom - its repositories – and that it is their duty to pass on what they know to those coming after them, who are then responsible to build on what they have been given and to ensure that the errors of the past are not repeated. Since I now consider myself an elder, I am ready to share what I have learned by telling my life’s stories.
This is from my Sudbury, Ontario, Canada chapter. I had what I consider a very eventful and interesting life by the time I reluctantly arrived in Sudbury. I was the last person anyone would expect to find herself in a controlling and abusive marriage, but that is exactly where I found myself, and I want to tell you my domestic abuse survival story.
Check out Jolly's video
Meagan Bailey
I'm Here, I'm Queer, and I Want to Tell You About It
What’s life like if you’re attracted to...no one? Not men, or women, or both – but neither? Moreover, what if you couldn’t even understand what attraction was like in the first place? That’s the situation I found myself in.
Hi, I’m Meagan, I’m aromantic asexual (aro ace), and I didn’t figure that out until I was in my early twenties. Before that, I went through life very confused – why did everyone care so much about romance? Why did people find sex jokes funny? I also figured out that I’m agender last year, and before that, I went through daily life uncomfortable at so many things – being called sister, or daughter, or Miss. Ever since figuring myself out, life has been so much richer and more enjoyable. I want to share that richness with people and save people the confusion I went through for so long.
Check out Meagan's video
Shane Christensen
Be Your Own Best Friend
When I look back at my life, I realize that from my earliest recollections I always strived to be positive even when faced with turmoil and negativity. What I didn't realize as a child was that this was a built-in survival mechanism that allowed me to deal with adversity. By the time I was in mid-life, I recognized that positivity is a discipline that takes great effort at times. But the rewards can be life changing.
It's this realization that motivates me to share my stories of overcoming adversity to help others, which ultimately can be summed up as always be your own best friend.
Check out Shane's video
Dianne Dias
From Ajax to South Sudan and Back
I secretly booked my flights to South Sudan. As one of the poorest countries in the world which has been at war, on and off, for decades, my family was completely against me going there. However, South Sudan has had a space in my heart since the early 2000s when news of the atrocities stopped being reported after only a few days.
When I got the opportunity to help untrained teachers there in 2023, I felt called to go. Many people I met wanted me to tell their stories. This is my experience of their stories.
Check out Dianne's video
Angella Henry
The Funeral
We sat in a hot car in a quiet churchyard on Mountain View Avenue, waiting for the casket of the man who had abused us. The sun pressed through the windows while the air conditioning struggled, and I wondered why we had come at all.
My father’s death from colon cancer was expected. After two rounds of chemotherapy, he refused any more. He had watched cancer take his brother, his sister, and his mother. When it came for him, he believed the ending had already been written.
Two days before he died, he called and said, “Angella, I love you.” Three simple words that arrived at the edge of death. Was it love, regret, or a final search for absolution before entering what Jamaicans call “up yonder”?
I’ve never expected life to go smoothly; living itself is imperfect and unpredictable. But lately, my thoughts keep returning to my colon. I know the signs of colon cancer now, could list them as easily as the names of my children.
Check out Angella's video
Madhav Kochunni
60 Years to Understand My Childhood
I was raised by a loving, older couple. Though different from my friends’ younger parents, I cared for them deeply in my quiet way. As a child, I didn’t grasp what “parents” meant. At school, I noticed my friends’ parents were younger, and questions slowly surfaced. That’s when I learned “ammamma” and “ammachan” the Malayalam words for grandmother and grandfather.
At seven, my grandmother took me on a long train ride. After two days, we arrived at the station and a young couple approached us through the steam and noise. My grandmother introduced them as my parents. I felt nothing, then or since.
That moment began a quiet search for meaning, for stories, feelings, or their absence.
When I turned sixty, both my parents died within a year. Emotions I thought I never had surged like a torrent. It took sixty years to begin understanding my childhood. Have I come to peace with it?
Come and listen to my story.
Check out Madhav's video
Robert Parkinson
Life is Rough... Get a Helmet
My story is just one of billions out there. In my 50+ years in this world, I’ve had ups and downs, and all arounds. I have experienced love and loss. My story is shaped by hard-earned resilience through family upheaval, including multiple divorces, court battles for custody, and most impactfully, the deaths of my son and father in close succession.
My hope is that my story helps another person get through the day. Whether it’s for information, inspiration, a method to cope, or even entertain! Sharing my story is part of my journey to help myself and it’s a story that’s still being written.
Check out Robert's video
Summi Siddiqui
The Road is My Home
My travels have exposed me to diverse cultures and societies. I have seen the value of people motivating and inspiring each other. As a travelling storyteller / educator / artist / poet / writer / performer/ musician / motivational speaker, I find I can connect and understand people on various levels. I have broken bread with nomads in the desert, monks in monasteries, connected with people on the streets of other nations and in the great palaces of the world. We need to experience the world with our senses, instead of viewing it on tiny screens from the comfort of our homes. I will talk about strangers I have met, conversations I have had, emotions I have witnessed and felt. The world is full of wonders. It is an exciting place that is forever changing. Ignore the barriers… they are just man-made.
Check out Summi's video
Newton Vanriel
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas
I have always been an advocate for the rights of the “outsiders” and the power of connecting and fellowship in a world that needs community. I have over 30 years of fighting injustice and raising funds for a variety of charities.
I am also the author of The Soul Sista’s, a series of children’s books that highlight the power of being unique and that it’s ok to be different! The Soul Sistas – one white and the other black – think they are twins. Their love is real. These girls are loud, defiant, and caring and they are ok with being themselves.
I am a storyteller sharing the power of self-esteem. Come meet me and the Soul Sistas!
Check out Newton's video
Saleena Zuberi
Being Saleena
Join me as I share a story about a girl who learns the meaning of love, patience, and perseverance by living an extraordinary life. I was born in 1961 on the same day as Wayne Gretzky. The beginning of my life was a healthy, happy and bubbly childhood. This gave me the foundation and resilience to ride the rollercoaster of life! From starting a family of my own, to expanding it with two adopted teenagers, from caring for my aging parents and in-laws, to supporting my husband through serious long-term health issues. Through the ups and downs, I have never felt stuck, relying on humour, teamwork, open communication and taking it one day at a time. Join me as I share my amazing journey and life experiences… so far!
Check out Saleena's video
