The writer, community worker and mentor Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio discusses her debut novel Reuniting with Strangers (Douglas & McIntyre, 2023), with Joseph Planta.

Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio (Douglas & McIntyre, 2023). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Reuniting with Strangers

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio joins me now. She has just published her debut novel, Reuniting with Strangers. It’s an engaging book that follows the reunification of Filipino families in Canada. The book is a series of stories, that link together surrounding a mysterious child, Monolith, who appears and disappears in the lives of the characters in each story. The book is particular in not telling the stories of Filipino caregivers and immigrants from the lens of Canadian employers or those, say born in Canada. These are stories of people who are separated by distance, physically or psychologically, with say, a parent leaving the Philippines to make a living in a place like Canada, and their child or children coming to Canada later on. These are often complicated reunions, and the stories that Ms. Austria-Bonifacio bring to life reveal the complexities surrounding forced emigration, colonial mentality, labour export culture, misogyny, and emotional abuse in the diaspora. Jenilee also illuminates the isolation of a lot of places that Filipinos find themselves in with the places themselves like Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, Osoyoos, as well as Toronto’s Little Manila, and places in Manitoba and Nunavut. It’s refreshing to see the spread of Filipinos, and not just in the main cities in the country. Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio founded Filipino Talks, and holds a Masters in Immigration and Settlement Studies, as well as a post-graduate certificate from the Humber School for Writers. She also completed a writing residency at the Banff Centre. She is a Toronto-based community worker, youth mentor, and Little Manila tour guide. She will also appear in the forthcoming Magdaragat: An Anthology of Filipino-Canadian Writing. Visit www.jennileeaustriabonifacio.com for more. This new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. There is an event this Thursday, 12 October 2023 at the Massy Arts Centre, 23 East Pender Street. That’s at 6.00 pm with Jennilee and other guests. We taped this interview nearly one month ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio; Ms. Austria-Bonifacio, good morning.

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