November Town Hall: Creative Writing
6:30 – 8:30PM
This November, Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) presents a Town Hall centered on creative writing by gathering creative writers of all genres to share their work and knowledge with each other and the wider AAPI community.
Featured presenters include Asha Thanki, who will present on how narration can be a political tool, as seen in her debut novel, A Thousand Times Before, winner of the 2025 Balcones Prize and named one of the best books of 2024 by NPR and The Boston Globe.
We’ll also hear from Wendy Lu, an award-winning journalist, who will present on her debut novel, Casting April, and the importance of disability representation in youth literature. Casting April was selected for the Indie Next List and Indies Introduce, and was called “one of the best surprises of 2026.”
Additionally, the evening will feature a line-up of brief pitches from the community. After the presentations, we’ll host a potluck meal, so please bring something to share; homemade or store bought items are welcome.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is required to attend and/or pitch, but you do not have to pitch to attend.
For pitching guidelines and other information about A4 Town Halls, please visit our FAQ. If you have additional questions, please email lxu@aaartsalliance.org.
Accessibility: Prime Produce is wheelchair accessible and has gendered restrooms.
If you need CART Transcription, ASL interpretation, large print, or any other accommodations for this event, please email lxu@aaartsalliance.org at least one week before this event.
About the presenters
Asha Thanki (she/they) is the author of the novel A Thousand Times Before, winner of the 2025 Balcones Prize and named one of the best books of 2024 by NPR and The Boston Globe. A Kundiman fellow, Asha received her MFA in creative writing from the University of Minnesota.
Wendy Lu (she/her) is an award-winning journalist, a children’s book author, and a global speaker on disability representation in the media. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, and Refinery29. She was named on Forbes’s 30 Under 30 for her efforts to improve disability coverage nationwide. Wendy is the author of Casting April, a middle-grade novel from Penguin Random House about a girl who is determined to land the starring role in her school’s play — except nobody believes she can do it because of her disability. Casting April was selected for the Indie Next List and the Indies Introduce List in 2026.