Book Club – Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta
Join the Book Club on Frying Plantain with presenter Eddie Kawooya (Massey alum), commentator Bo Joseph (Junior Fellow) in conversation with Niyosha Keyzad (alum). Q&A to follow presentation.
The event will be available via Zoom. Register to attend.
About the Book
Set in the neighbourhood of “Little Jamaica,” Frying Plantain follows a girl from elementary school to high school graduation as she navigates the tensions between mothers and daughters, second-generation immigrants experiencing first-generation cultural expectations, and Black identity in a predominantly white society.
Kara Davis is a girl caught in the middle — of her North American identity and her desire to be a “true” Jamaican, of her mother and grandmother’s rages and life lessons, of having to avoid being thought of as too “faas” or too “quiet” or too “bold” or too “soft.” In these twelve interconnected stories, we see Kara on a visit to Jamaica, startled by the sight of a severed pig’s head in her great-aunt’s freezer; in junior high, the victim of a devastating prank by her closest friends; and as a teenager in and out of her grandmother’s house, trying to cope with ongoing battles of unyielding authority.
A rich and unforgettable portrait of growing up between worlds, Frying Plantain shows how, in one charged moment, friendship and love can turn to enmity and hate, well-meaning protection can become control, and teasing play can turn to something much darker.
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Speakers
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Niyosha KeyzadAlum, Massey CollegeNiyosha Keyzad is a PhD Candidate at the Department of English and the Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies. Her research focuses on representations of Iran in post-revolution women’s life writing in the diaspora. Beyond her academic work and teaching, Niyosha is also an advocate for structural change in under-served communities across the city, particularly in response to the disparities afflicting Scarborough. She is co-founder of the Scarborough Studies Collective – a grass roots initiative dedicated to addressing systemic injustice in Scarborough through local knowledge and leadership.
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Bo Joseph
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Eddie KawooyaAlum, Massey College; Senior Manager with the Chief Data Office, RBC
Eddie Kawooya is a Senior Manager with the Chief Data Office at RBC championing digital transformation and initiatives at the bank. He is an experienced risk and governance professional leading teams and projects over three years with the bank. Prior to RBC, he served as a compliance officer with TD Bank as risk manager responsible for the digital and payments initiatives and legislative and policy advisor to Ontario’s Attorney General. Outside of work, Eddie actively gives back to the community serving on multiple boards including: the MGA Alumni Association, Volcano Theatre, and Free Geek Toronto. He is an active runner, writer, and a cinema aficionado.
