Career Transformation Ventures, a for-purpose enterprise, is hosting its flagship event for the year, Literary Career Transformation: Fireside Chat and Author Showcase, scheduled to take place at 2pm on Saturday, 31 August 2024, at the Kensington Town Hall in Melbourne.
This event will showcase authors from diverse backgrounds and six countries who have published books while juggling competing priorities, including full-time jobs and raising families.
Tickets are available via Humanitix: bit.ly/LitChatHumtix.
Filipino-Australian lawyer, Doctor of Philosophy, former biomedical scientist, Dr Celia Torres-Villanueva is the Founder of Career Transformation Ventures and lead organiser of the event.
“Everyone has stories, lived experiences, and learnings that can help others. I realised that in my network alone, I know of so many women with diverse backgrounds who have transformed their lives and careers by publishing their stories. By doing so, they have also inspired many others, including me, to take that leap. They are not mainstream, ‘traditional’ authors, and many of them still have full-time jobs that are not connected to their writing. I want to give readers the chance to hear from these “other” voices in the book community. I hope we can motivate someone who is thinking about writing to start publishing, too,” states Torres-Villanueva.
The first two speakers are Dr Celia Torres-Villanueva, Ms Madhavi Johnson, with Ms Ana Asanovic as moderator. Celia is also a part-time Board Chair, part-time impact entrepreneur, speaker, career mentor, and writes in her spare time. She is passionate about empowering those who, like her, have intersectional backgrounds. She has written four short novels and has published two: ‘The Everett Quartet’ and ‘The Moon’s Sweet Embrace’. She also contributed three short stories and a poem to ‘Undefeated’, an anthology of migrant stories.
Madhavi Johnson was a content writer in an advertising agency in India before working for two decades in the United Nations addressing the needs of the most vulnerable children and women in Africa and Asia. Madhavi uses her experiences and knowledge of cultural and social contexts to write fiction and non-fiction. In 2021, she published her first collection of short stories titled ‘Demon on Fire and Other Stories’. Madhavi paints, writes, and mentors women and men from developing countries on self-development and organisational skills.
Ana Asanovic is a creative storyteller, speaker, and strategic communications professional. She has contributed to two books, ‘Unity’ and ‘Undefeated’, sharing her experience as a migrant and former refugee. Storytelling is her superpower, driving awareness and change while advocating for migrants, refugees, and mental health.
The event has a multi-layered agenda. A ‘fireside chat’ with Celia, Madhavi and Ana; followed by a showcase of eight other authors to talk about their works; and then an opportunity for attendees to network with the authors and buy their books.
The showcased authors are: Mayase Jere, an IT professional who writes about her migrant journey through a Zambian cultural lens; Monica Kalra, a divorce coach who writes to help people navigate the complexities of relationships; Anna Manuel, a storyteller who writes children’s books and explores innovative storytelling techniques; Amal Abou-Eid, a busy mum who celebrates her Lebanese culture and Islamic faith in her books to educate and entertain readers; Jackie Erin, a storyteller who writes non-fiction books for children; Nandita Chakraborty, an award-winning neuro-divergent author who wrote two novellas after an accident; and Hazel Lekkas, a school-based speech pathologist who started writing children’s books during the pandemic.
Get your tickets now at Humanitix bit.ly/LitChatHumtix.
Career Transformation Ventures is a purpose-driven organisation committed to empowering those with diverse backgrounds who should have greater representation in positions of leadership and influence. Aside from providing career development services and conducting training events, Career Transformation Ventures also organises events that showcase the accomplishments of diverse women.
For more information, visit www.careertransformationventures.com
