Maya Preshyon (VBL)
Maya Preshyon (she/they) is a 22-year-old undergraduate prospective Social Work and Indigenous Studies student at UBC and community/arts organizer. She was born on Vancouver Island on the traditional territories of the Wei Wai Kum Nation and now resides in so-called “vancouver” on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Sel̓íl̓witulh people. She is the founder and Executive Director of the newly opened Vancouver Black Library Foundation. As a Black person who has struggled to find their place in predominantly white spaces, Maya was motivated to cultivate a safe space, resource centre, and workspace for the often overlooked and underserved Black community locally. VBL, centred in the historic Hogan’s Alley area, is a space for BIPOC and by BIPOC.
