Join us for a special evening at The Ruby (in the Mission District, SF) that will combine writing, conversation, and play! Writer Grace Loh Prasad will kick off the evening by reading an excerpt from her new memoir, The Translator’s Daughter. This will be followed by a conversation between Grace and Nicole Wong, founder of The Mahjong Project, centered on how their work deals with themes of memory, cultural identity, diaspora and reclaiming heritage.

And then, we’ll play mahjong! All levels are welcome and encouraged to join. There will be space for beginners (with instruction led by Nicole), seasoned players, and options for various styles of play from the Asian diaspora. We’ll have snacks and refreshments to keep us energized, and Grace will be happy to sign books.

Books will be available for purchase from Dog Eared Books!

About The Translator’s Daughter

Born in Taiwan, Grace Loh Prasad was two years old when the threat of political persecution under Chiang Kai-shek’s dictatorship drove her family to the United States, setting her up to become an “accidental immigrant.” The family did not know when they would be able to go home again; this exile lasted long enough for Prasad to forget her native Taiwanese language and grow up American. Having multilingual parents—including a father who worked as a translator—meant she never had to develop the fluency to navigate Taiwan on visits. But when her parents moved back to Taiwan permanently when she was in college and her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she recognized the urgency of forging a stronger connection with her birthplace before it was too late. As she recounts her journey to reclaim her heritage in The Translator’s Daughter, Prasad unfurls themes of memory, dislocation, and loss in all their rich complexity. The result is a unique immigration story about the loneliness of living in a diaspora, the search for belonging, and the meaning of home.

About Grace Loh Prasad

Grace Loh Prasad is the author of the memoir The Translator’s Daughter (Mad Creek Books/The Ohio State University Press, 2024). Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Longreads, The Offing, Hyperallergic, Catapult, KHÔRA, and elsewhere. A member of the Writers Grotto and the AAPI writers collective Seventeen Syllables, Prasad lives in the Bay Area.

About Nicole Wong and The Mahjong Project

Nicole Wong is a writer and audio producer based in Oakland. Her parents immigrated from New Zealand in the 1980s to Santa Monica, California. About five years ago, while cleaning out the family garage, she rediscovered the mahjong table they’d brought over with them along with a few extra sets of tiles. Nicole started working on The Mahjong Project in 2019 - part instructional guide,  part oral history project, to document her family’s house rules for playing, while also seeking to place the way we play in the broader history and diaspora of the game itself.

Learn more about The Mahjong Project at www.themahjongproject.com and @themahjongproject on Instagram.

RSVP

DVAN has partnered with the San Francisco Public Library to bring a quarterly reading series featuring Southeast Asian writers across the city! Join us for our second reading at The Ruby.

Writers and poets Susan Lieu, Thy Hope Luong, Aimee Phan, and Alexandra Huynh are coming to San Francisco! Come join us for a night of fun and hear these amazing women give readings of their work.

Featured Readers

Aimee Phan is the author of two books, We Should Never Meet: Stories and The Reeducation of Cherry Truong. She has a young adult duology, The Lost Queen, forthcoming from Penguin/Putnam. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, USA Today and CNN. She has received residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Hedgebrook, Djerassi and the Bellagio Center. She has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund.

Alexandra Huynh is a 21-year-old Vietnamese American poet from Sacramento, CA. She is a 2020 Sacramento Youth Poet Laureate, a program of Sacramento Area Youth Speaks. In 2021, Alexandra became the 5th National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, where she served as a cultural ambassador of the national youth poetry community.

As a second-generation Vietnamese American, Alexandra employs poetry as a tool of self-reclamation and social justice for marginalized communities. She embodies a radical pride in her Vietnamese heritage and seeks to write her story outside of the context of whiteness. Through poetry, she hopes to give young people a vocabulary to articulate their lived experiences and empower them to shape their future.

Her work has been featured by the likes of NPR, NBC, CBS This Morning, PBS, and The Washington Post. In 2022, Alexandra was featured in the award-winning children’s book, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Inspiring Young Changemakers. Later that year, she joined the international literacy nonprofit Room to Read as a member of the Book Creator Collective. In 2023, Alexandra became the Inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Harvard University Asia Center.

Alex currently studies American Studies and Asian American Studies at Stanford University, where she aims to combine her passions for creative writing and civic engagement.

Susan Lieu is a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer who tells stories that refuse to be forgotten. A daughter of nail salon workers, she took her award-winning autobiographical solo show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother on a ten-city national tour, with sold-out premieres and accolades from the Los Angeles Times, NPR, and American Theatre. Eight months pregnant, she premiered her sequel, OVER 140 LBS, at ACT Theatre. She is a proud alumna of Harvard College, Yale School of Management, Coro, Hedgebrook, and Vashon Artist Residency. She is also the cofounder of Socola Chocolatier, an artisanal chocolate company based in San Francisco. Susan lives with her husband and son in Seattle, where they enjoy mushroom hunting, croissants, and big family gatherings. The Manicurist’s Daughter is her first book.

Thy Hope Luong is a Vietnamese-American poet, artist, and advocate from San José. She serves as Santa Clara County’s 2023-2024 Youth Poet Laureate, San José D4 Youth Commissioner, and is the executive director of Learn4Justice, a student-led organization teaching underserved youth social justice skills. Her writing and art have been recognized by the New York Times, YoungArts, and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, among others. She loves superhero films and cries over her guitar sometimes.

RSVP

​Come join the Ruby Writing Accountability Group! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects!

​Looking for a supportive writing community without the hassle of applying for workshops and retreats? Join The Ruby’s Writing Accountability Group!

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​The Writing Accountability Group is an accessible complement to the writing workshops, residencies, fellowships, and conferences that writers have traditionally relied upon to improve their craft and build community. Often these opportunities are pricey and time-consuming, and many have limited availability. For writers with limited time, applying for and attending these opportunities can even take time away from the writing itself! This group is our solution to these challenges.

​During the first 30-45 minutes, a Ruby member will lead a short craft or generative exercise, after which we will break and spend the remaining time working independently on our own writing (though you are always welcome to skip the exercise in favor of focusing on your writing the whole time). You can attend these sessions as often or as infrequently as you’d like; there’s no commitment to join every time.

​Our craft talks and generative exercises are wholly led by group members! In the past, we’ve had exercises around closely reading a short story, prompts to help us think about our writing from a different perspective, generative exercises using memes, and even discussions around writing goals and struggles. Leading a session is a great way to enrich our community with different craft approaches and activities that improve all of our writing – and you’ll have our support along the way! We’ll also be on hand to help you introduce the exercise once everyone gets settled in.

​Can’t join us in-person? Find us on The Ruby’s Discord at the #writers-accountability channel! We discuss our projects, share our goals, celebrate milestones, provide support, and also share links to resources like submissions and fellowship opportunities.

​Whenever you’re feeling discouraged with the writing or publishing process, we’re here to give you a boost!

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

Come visit Bianca Levan's art studio and view her current papercut works and charcoal drawings. She will share a bit about the history of papercutting and the process of creating her own works. If time allows, you can try cutting something out too.

​Bianca's studio is a short walk from The Ruby!

This is an intimate gathering or Ruby members and invited guests**

Come visit Bianca Levan's art studio and view her current papercut works and charcoal drawings. She will share a bit about the history of papercutting and the process of creating her own works. If time allows, you can try cutting something out too.

​Bianca's studio is a short walk from The Ruby!

Join the Ruby Artist Accountability Group!

​You are not alone on your artistic journey. While necessary, the act of creating can often feel solitary. Let’s be together in a warm and welcoming community; here to support each other on our projects and celebrate our successes!

​All Rubies are welcome at any stage of their artistry. ​We meet in person at The Ruby every other Monday from 6pm-8pm. Show up as desired, there’s no commitment to join every session. ​

​The Artist Accountability Group is a complement to your creative practice. ​Each session, we will start with short introductions and a creative icebreaker, then transition into an open discussion between attendees. You can share your work, talk through an artistic block, get input on a project or goal, or simply show up to listen and be in creative community! Sessions will be punctuated with guest artist speakers, workshops, and guided discussions around specific themes.

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

​​About the Facilitators:

​​Bianca Levan is a current Ruby Creative in Residence and has a studio practice focusing on handcut paper art that uses papercutting as a method of emotional processing.

​​Angela Chu is a painter and muralist who loves exploring awe in her work, through the use of color and texture.

​​Bianca and Angela are both excited to provide a space to come together and support each other in our artistic journeys.

Ruby Audio Group is hosting a field trip to KQED Headquarters! We're looking forward to visiting our neighbor and will also get a private tour of the PRX Podcast Garage.

​​This event is for Ruby members*

We are honored to feature Emily Fernwood and Osa Major Wines for happy hour.

We can't wait to taste Emily's new wines and to learn more about her journey in the natural wine world.

About Osa Major Wines

Osa Major Wines is a one woman enterprise - from trucking grapes to selling bottles and everything in between. Winemaker and owner Emily Fernwood spent the years after college traveling and working harvest gigs the world over, from California and Oregon to Australia and New Zealand, until founding Osa Major Wines in 2020.

As a Bay Area native, the time felt right to return home and explore the incredible variety of geology and history that can be found in the vineyards in some of our state's unique known and lesser known wine regions, while crafting wines that explore a lighter and brighter side of California winemaking.

*This event is for Ruby members and their invited guests

​Come join the Ruby Writing Accountability Group! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects!

​Looking for a supportive writing community without the hassle of applying for workshops and retreats? Join The Ruby’s Writing Accountability Group!

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​The Writing Accountability Group is an accessible complement to the writing workshops, residencies, fellowships, and conferences that writers have traditionally relied upon to improve their craft and build community. Often these opportunities are pricey and time-consuming, and many have limited availability. For writers with limited time, applying for and attending these opportunities can even take time away from the writing itself! This group is our solution to these challenges.

​During the first 30-45 minutes, a Ruby member will lead a short craft or generative exercise, after which we will break and spend the remaining time working independently on our own writing (though you are always welcome to skip the exercise in favor of focusing on your writing the whole time). You can attend these sessions as often or as infrequently as you’d like; there’s no commitment to join every time.

​Our craft talks and generative exercises are wholly led by group members! In the past, we’ve had exercises around closely reading a short story, prompts to help us think about our writing from a different perspective, generative exercises using memes, and even discussions around writing goals and struggles. Leading a session is a great way to enrich our community with different craft approaches and activities that improve all of our writing – and you’ll have our support along the way! We’ll also be on hand to help you introduce the exercise once everyone gets settled in.

​Can’t join us in-person? Find us on The Ruby’s Discord at the #writers-accountability channel! We discuss our projects, share our goals, celebrate milestones, provide support, and also share links to resources like submissions and fellowship opportunities.

​Whenever you’re feeling discouraged with the writing or publishing process, we’re here to give you a boost!

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

​The Ruby is excited to host the Graphic Lit Book Club! Whether you’re a graphic novel and graphic memoir enthusiast, you’ve always hoped to dive into the world of long-form graphic narratives, or you’re just looking for your next great read, we’re thrilled to have a space for discussing graphic literature in a cozy book club setting.

​Co-hosted by Rubies Zareen Choudhury and Rebecca Rubenstein, Graphic Lit Book Club will meet from 6:00 - 7:30 pm, with light snacks and tea provided.

​For our April gathering, we’ll be reading and chatting about Good Talk by Mira Jacob, "a bold, wry, and intimate graphic memoir about American identity, interracial families, and the realities that divide us."

This is a gathering or Ruby members and invited guests**

​About Good Talk (from Mira Jacob's website):

​“Who taught Michael Jackson to dance?”
“Is that how people really walk on the moon?”
“Is it bad to be brown?”
“Are white people afraid of brown people?”

​Like many six-year-olds, Mira Jacob’s half-Jewish, half-Indian son, Z, has questions about everything. At first they are innocuous enough, but as tensions from the 2016 election spread from the media into his own family, they become much, much more complicated. Trying to answer him honestly, Mira has to think back to where she’s gotten her own answers: her most formative conversations about race, color, sexuality, and, of course, love.

​How brown is too brown?
Can Indians be racist?
What does real love between really different people look like?

​Written with humor and vulnerability, this deeply relatable graphic memoir is a love letter to the art of conversation—and to the hope that hovers in our most difficult questions.

Join the Ruby Artist Accountability Group!

​You are not alone on your artistic journey. While necessary, the act of creating can often feel solitary. Let’s be together in a warm and welcoming community; here to support each other on our projects and celebrate our successes!

​All Rubies are welcome at any stage of their artistry. ​We meet in person at The Ruby every other Monday from 6pm-8pm. Show up as desired, there’s no commitment to join every session. ​

​The Artist Accountability Group is a complement to your creative practice. ​Each session, we will start with short introductions and a creative icebreaker, then transition into an open discussion between attendees. You can share your work, talk through an artistic block, get input on a project or goal, or simply show up to listen and be in creative community! Sessions will be punctuated with guest artist speakers, workshops, and guided discussions around specific themes.

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

​​About the Facilitators:

​​Bianca Levan is a current Ruby Creative in Residence and has a studio practice focusing on handcut paper art that uses papercutting as a method of emotional processing.

​​Angela Chu is a painter and muralist who loves exploring awe in her work, through the use of color and texture.

​​Bianca and Angela are both excited to provide a space to come together and support each other in our artistic journeys.

​Join Ruby members Tida Beattie and Soyeon Davis for a hands-on exploration of an ancient spiritual tool for inquiry and reflection - the labyrinth. In this workshop, you will harness spirit at your fingertips as you learn the history, purpose, and meaning behind the labyrinth as well as be guided through the creation and embellishment of your own classical 3 circuit labyrinth on paper.

​This is an intimate event for Ruby members**

​Tida and Soyeon will be asking for an optional donation and/or testimonial from attendees. Neither are required to participate.

Ruby and Creative Resident, Jane Kang, will be hosting us for a tour of the Dong Ji Collective: Emerging Light from the Longest Night exhibit, the first group exhibition of the Bay Area-based art collective Dong Ji, which includes Rubies Jane Kang and Nahyun Kim as members!

​The word Dong Ji has two translations when read in hanja (Chinese characters used in the traditional Korean writing system): Dong Ji is the winter solstice and the longest night of the year; Don Ji refers to a comrade and friend. The exhibition and its title takes on this double meaning, celebrating the longtime friendships built on reciprocity and collaboration while signaling the emergence of each member's artistic practice that comes into dialogue in the gallery.

This event is for Ruby members and invited guests.**

Please join us for our once-a-month meeting for parent and caregiver Rubies. Matrescence, mental load, creative parenting, career/growth opportunities, the state of childcare in the U.S., lessons learned the hard way -- let's talk about it in a safe and supportive space.

​*This is an intimate gathering of Ruby members

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a brand new beginner, these classes will offer a space to combine breath, movement, stillness, and surrender. The classes will be an accessible, heartful flow with some music and some silence. There will be plenty of room to dial it up or dial it down, depending on what you need from the class. I find that writing as a practice and yoga as a practice have many synergies, and I hope these classes will mark the beginning of accessible and affordable community yoga at The Ruby!

About the Instructor

Marissa Mika has been on the yoga mat since 2010 and teaching since 2019. She’s studied and practiced with Yoga Like Water in London, Point Reyes Yoga in the Bay Area, and Yin Yoga with Corina Benner in Philadelphia. You can read more about Marissa and her approach to practicing and facilitating yoga here.

Class Notes:

• Doors close for each class 10 minutes after the start of the course to prevent disruptions to the class.

• The Ruby has yoga mats for you to borrow though you are welcome to bring your own! Mats are in the supply closet next to the dishwasher in the Ruby kitchen

*This is an intimate event for Ruby members*

The Chronic Illness & Disability Group is a safe, non-judgmental space for Ruby members living with chronic illness and/or disability to talk about their experiences, share resources, and support one another. We meet once a month as a group over Zoom. Outside of monthly meetings, the group can also be found on The Ruby's Discord.

The Slide Slam is an annual event in celebration of Women’s History Month where Asian American Women Artists Association Artist Members and invited AAPI women and nonbinary artists from The Ruby present their work in a rapid-fire format of 4 slides in 4 minutes. Artist presenters show their work and give updates on their current art endeavors. Co-presented by AAWAA and The Ruby, this program creates networking opportunities between our artist community and special guests who include prominent educators, curators, gallerists, researchers, collectors and other art professionals.

RSVP

We are honored to feature Cary Quintana and Cary Q Wines to the Ruby!

We will be sampling several of Cary's wines and learning about her journey in the industry!

About Cary Q Wines

Cary Q Wines is a woman and Hispanic-owned winery that was founded in 2014 by Cary Quintana (winemaker/owner) with the intention of highlighting the diversity of site-specific grape varietals and the unique micro-climates of Northern California.

Throughout the last 10 years my focus has been to support family owned, farmed vineyards that are dedicated to organic and/or sustainable farming with an environmentally conscious ethos.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, of Cuban decent, I followed my passion for the fermented grape and in 2013 moved to Berkeley, California. Self-taught, motivated with intention, and an alumna of UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Certificate Program, I released my first vintage in 2014 produced from organically farmed Sonoma fruit.

In the cellar I lead with low-intervention philosophies, that include being sensorily vigilant, encouraging ambient fermentations, and minimal to no additives, all with the intention of highlighting a distinction in micro-climates and capturing pure and vibrant varietal expressions. My aging vessels vary by vintage and varietal inspiration which include concrete, stainless steel, and neutral French oak puncheons.

From Cary:

"As a Hispanic woman, and a member of the LGBTQ community I recognize the historical challenges faced by Latin X, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and minority winemakers. I am passionate about supporting (and providing) platforms that embrace cultural diversity, promote equal opportunities, and dismantles systemic barriers, for all women in our industry."

*This event is for Ruby members and their invited guests

​Come join the Ruby Writing Accountability Group! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects!

​Looking for a supportive writing community without the hassle of applying for workshops and retreats? Join The Ruby’s Writing Accountability Group!

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​The Writing Accountability Group is an accessible complement to the writing workshops, residencies, fellowships, and conferences that writers have traditionally relied upon to improve their craft and build community. Often these opportunities are pricey and time-consuming, and many have limited availability. For writers with limited time, applying for and attending these opportunities can even take time away from the writing itself! This group is our solution to these challenges.

​We meet at The Ruby every other Thursday from 6pm-8pm. During the first 30-45 minutes, a Ruby member will lead a short craft or generative exercise, after which we will break and spend the remaining time working independently on our own writing (though you are always welcome to skip the exercise in favor of focusing on your writing the whole time). You can attend these sessions as often or as infrequently as you’d like; there’s no commitment to join every time.

​Our craft talks and generative exercises are wholly led by group members! In the past, we’ve had exercises around closely reading a short story, prompts to help us think about our writing from a different perspective, generative exercises using memes, and even discussions around writing goals and struggles. Leading a session is a great way to enrich our community with different craft approaches and activities that improve all of our writing – and you’ll have our support along the way! We’ll also be on hand to help you introduce the exercise once everyone gets settled in.

​Can’t join us in-person? Find us on The Ruby’s Discord at the #writers-accountability channel! We discuss our projects, share our goals, celebrate milestones, provide support, and also share links to resources like submissions and fellowship opportunities.

​Whenever you’re feeling discouraged with the writing or publishing process, we’re here to give you a boost!

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

Come join us for Ruby Reading Club! This is not a book club where we all read the same thing, but instead a time for anyone and everyone to gather at The Ruby and get cozy with a book, article, graphic novel, zine, magazine, fanfic, etc. of their choice.

​We start by gathering, chatting, and sharing a little about what we're reading (because that's actually all we ever want to know about each other anyway) and then we split off to find comfy spots. I'll bring some snacks and some music but please feel free to bring anything you'd like to share.

A non-member friend may join if they are hosted by a Ruby member.

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a brand new beginner, these classes will offer a space to combine breath, movement, stillness, and surrender. The classes will be an accessible, heartful flow with some music and some silence. There will be plenty of room to dial it up or dial it down, depending on what you need from the class. I find that writing as a practice and yoga as a practice have many synergies, and I hope these classes will mark the beginning of accessible and affordable community yoga at The Ruby!

About the Instructor

Marissa Mika has been on the yoga mat since 2010 and teaching since 2019. She’s studied and practiced with Yoga Like Water in London, Point Reyes Yoga in the Bay Area, and Yin Yoga with Corina Benner in Philadelphia. You can read more about Marissa and her approach to practicing and facilitating yoga here.

Class Notes:

• Doors close for each class 10 minutes after the start of the course to prevent disruptions to the class.

• The Ruby has yoga mats for you to borrow though you are welcome to bring your own! Mats are in the supply closet next to the dishwasher in the Ruby kitchen

*This is an intimate event for Ruby members*

Join the Ruby Artist Accountability Group!

​You are not alone on your artistic journey. While necessary, the act of creating can often feel solitary. Let’s be together in a warm and welcoming community; here to support each other on our projects and celebrate our successes!

​All Rubies are welcome at any stage of their artistry. ​We meet in person at The Ruby every other Monday from 6pm-8pm. Show up as desired, there’s no commitment to join every session. ​

​The Artist Accountability Group is a complement to your creative practice. ​Each session, we will start with short introductions and a creative icebreaker, then transition into an open discussion between attendees. You can share your work, talk through an artistic block, get input on a project or goal, or simply show up to listen and be in creative community! Sessions will be punctuated with guest artist speakers, workshops, and guided discussions around specific themes.

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

​​About the Facilitators:

​​Bianca Levan is a current Ruby Creative in Residence and has a studio practice focusing on handcut paper art that uses papercutting as a method of emotional processing.

​​Angela Chu is a painter and muralist who loves exploring awe in her work, through the use of color and texture.

​​Bianca and Angela are both excited to provide a space to come together and support each other in our artistic journeys.

Join the Ruby to watch the movie Bye Bye Tiberias together at The Roxie!

​About the Film:

​In her early twenties, Hiam Abbass (Emmy-nominated for Succession) left her native Palestinian village to follow her dream of becoming an actress in Europe, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to the village and questions for the first time her mother’s bold choices, her chosen exile and the way the women in their family influenced both their lives. Set between past and present, BYE BYE TIBERIAS pieces together images of today, family footage from the nineties and historical archives to portray four generations of daring Palestinian women who keep their story and legacy alive through the strength of their bonds, despite exile, dispossession, and heartbreak.

​Palestine’s entry for Best International Feature in the 2024 Academy Awards, this second feature from Lina Soualem premiered at Venice, won the Grierson Award at the BFI London Film Festival, had its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and won the shared jury prize at the Marrakech International Film Festival. An important film that beautifully portrays the complexity of Arab women’s lives.

​“Suffused with the scents of Palestine, the film is an instructive and touching mosaic where past and present overlap, and a keen sense of heritage and transmission shines through.” –Cineuropa

*This is a field trip for members and invited friends of members

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a brand new beginner, these classes will offer a space to combine breath, movement, stillness, and surrender. The classes will be an accessible, heartful flow with some music and some silence. There will be plenty of room to dial it up or dial it down, depending on what you need from the class. I find that writing as a practice and yoga as a practice have many synergies, and I hope these classes will mark the beginning of accessible and affordable community yoga at The Ruby!

About the Instructor

Marissa Mika has been on the yoga mat since 2010 and teaching since 2019. She’s studied and practiced with Yoga Like Water in London, Point Reyes Yoga in the Bay Area, and Yin Yoga with Corina Benner in Philadelphia. You can read more about Marissa and her approach to practicing and facilitating yoga here.

Class Notes:

• Doors close for each class 10 minutes after the start of the course to prevent disruptions to the class.

• The Ruby has yoga mats for you to borrow though you are welcome to bring your own! Mats are in the supply closet next to the dishwasher in the Ruby kitchen

*This is an intimate event for Ruby members*

The Ruby and Green Apple Books present Marie-Helene Bertino! Bertino joins us for the release of her novel, Beautyland, alongside author and Ruby Kristin Keane!

We will celebrate with a reading, author talk, and Q+A, with signing line and socializing to follow. Books will be available for purchase at the event.

About Beautyland

A wise, tender novel about a woman who doesn't feel at home on Earth, by the acclaimed author of Parakeet. At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia. Adina Giorno is tiny and jaundiced, but she reaches for warmth and light. As a child, she recognizes that she is different: She possesses knowledge of a faraway planet. The arrival of a fax machine enables her to contact her extraterrestrial relatives, beings who have sent her to report on the oddities of Earthlings.

For years, as she moves through the world and makes a life for herself among humans, she dispatches transmissions on the terrors and surprising joys of their existence. Then, at a precarious moment, a beloved friend urges Adina to share her messages with the world. Is there a chance she is not alone?

Marie-Helene Bertino’s Beautyland is a novel of startling originality about the fragility and resilience of life on our Earth and in our universe. It is a remarkable evocation of the feeling of being in exile at home, and it introduces a gentle, unforgettable alien for our times.

About Marie-Helene Bertino

Marie-Helene Bertino is the author of Parakeet, 2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas, and the story collection Safe as Houses. She was the 2017 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellow in Cork, Ireland. She has received the O. Henry Prize, the Pushcart Prize, the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the Mississippi Review Prize, and fellowships from MacDowell, Sewanee, and New York City’s Center for Fiction, and her work has twice been featured on NPR’s Selected Shorts. She teaches creative writing at New York University and Yale University and lives in Brooklyn.

About Kristin Keane

Kristin Keane is the author of An Encyclopedia of Bending Time, Luminaries, and is a contributor to the forthcoming compendium Double Features, about the work of photographer Patrick Pound. She has written for The Washington Post, Ploughshares, New England Review, Creative Nonfiction, Reading Research Quarterly, American Educator, The Palgrave Handbook of Educational Thinkers, and other publications. She earned a PhD from Stanford University.

RSVP

We are honored to feature Emily Fernwood and Osa Major Wines for happy hour.

We can't wait to taste Emily's new wines and to learn more about her journey in the natural wine world.

About Osa Major Wines

Osa Major Wines is a one woman enterprise - from trucking grapes to selling bottles and everything in between. Winemaker and owner Emily Fernwood spent the years after college traveling and working harvest gigs the world over, from California and Oregon to Australia and New Zealand, until founding Osa Major Wines in 2020.

As a Bay Area native, the time felt right to return home and explore the incredible variety of geology and history that can be found in the vineyards in some of our state's unique known and lesser known wine regions, while crafting wines that explore a lighter and brighter side of California winemaking.

RSVP

​Come join the Ruby Writing Accountability Group! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects!

​Looking for a supportive writing community without the hassle of applying for workshops and retreats? Join The Ruby’s Writing Accountability Group!

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​The Writing Accountability Group is an accessible complement to the writing workshops, residencies, fellowships, and conferences that writers have traditionally relied upon to improve their craft and build community. Often these opportunities are pricey and time-consuming, and many have limited availability. For writers with limited time, applying for and attending these opportunities can even take time away from the writing itself! This group is our solution to these challenges.

​We meet at The Ruby every other Thursday from 6pm-8pm. During the first 30-45 minutes, a Ruby member will lead a short craft or generative exercise, after which we will break and spend the remaining time working independently on our own writing (though you are always welcome to skip the exercise in favor of focusing on your writing the whole time). You can attend these sessions as often or as infrequently as you’d like; there’s no commitment to join every time.

​Our craft talks and generative exercises are wholly led by group members! In the past, we’ve had exercises around closely reading a short story, prompts to help us think about our writing from a different perspective, generative exercises using memes, and even discussions around writing goals and struggles. Leading a session is a great way to enrich our community with different craft approaches and activities that improve all of our writing – and you’ll have our support along the way! We’ll also be on hand to help you introduce the exercise once everyone gets settled in.

​Can’t join us in-person? Find us on The Ruby’s Discord at the #writers-accountability channel! We discuss our projects, share our goals, celebrate milestones, provide support, and also share links to resources like submissions and fellowship opportunities.

​Whenever you’re feeling discouraged with the writing or publishing process, we’re here to give you a boost!

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members**

The Ruby is excited to host the Graphic Lit Book Club! Whether you’re a graphic novel and graphic memoir enthusiast, you’ve always hoped to dive into the world of long-form graphic narratives, or you’re just looking for your next great read, we’re thrilled to have a space for discussing graphic literature in a cozy book club setting.

​Co-hosted by Rubies Zareen Choudhury and Rebecca Rubenstein, Graphic Lit Book Club will meet from 6:00 - 7:30 pm, with light snacks and tea provided.

​For our March gathering, we’ll be reading and chatting about The Great Beyond by Léa Murawiec (translated by Aleshia Jensen), a dystopian sci-fi odyssey where names are currency and hold a great deal of power.

​​Read more about the book below, and snag your copy from a local comic book shop, an independent bookstore, or even your local library.

​About The Great Beyond (from Drawn & Quarterly):

​"How would you live with nothing but your name?

Manel Naher wants out. In a world where your name is currency, it’s tough to make ends meet. It’s even tougher when you share a name with a rising pop star. The city is unbearable—endless high-rises, social climbers left and right, and nothing but names as far as the eye can see. But Manel is looking a little bit farther, just beyond the horizon, and she’s even convinced her buddy Ali of how much more could be lying in wait right outside city limits.

​When a sudden heart attack induced by diminished name recognition foils Manel’s plans, gradual change becomes a catalyst for a complete lifestyle overhaul. This stylish, absurd comedy of contemporary manners skewers the human condition in persistent self-promo. Sharp, architectural lines are accented by decisively mellow hues, building a humorously grim world unexpectedly bathed in nothing but light.

​An exciting debut from a fresh perspective, The Great Beyond showcases newcomer Léa Murawiec’s command of comics language and satirizes a sprawling metropolis, its politics, and its extraordinary inhabitants."

This event is for Ruby members and invited guests**

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a brand new beginner, these classes will offer a space to combine breath, movement, stillness, and surrender. The classes will be an accessible, heartful flow with some music and some silence. There will be plenty of room to dial it up or dial it down, depending on what you need from the class. I find that writing as a practice and yoga as a practice have many synergies, and I hope these classes will mark the beginning of accessible and affordable community yoga at The Ruby!

About the Instructor

Marissa Mika has been on the yoga mat since 2010 and teaching since 2019. She’s studied and practiced with Yoga Like Water in London, Point Reyes Yoga in the Bay Area, and Yin Yoga with Corina Benner in Philadelphia. You can read more about Marissa and her approach to practicing and facilitating yoga here.

Class Notes:

• Doors close for each class 10 minutes after the start of the course to prevent disruptions to the class.

• The Ruby has yoga mats for you to borrow though you are welcome to bring your own! Mats are in the supply closet next to the dishwasher in the Ruby kitchen

*This is an intimate event for Ruby members*

Join the Ruby Artist Accountability Group!

You are not alone on your artistic journey. While necessary, the act of creating can often feel solitary. Let’s be together in a warm and welcoming community; here to support each other on our projects and celebrate our successes!

All Rubies are welcome at any stage of their artistry. ​We meet in person at The Ruby every other Monday from 6pm-8pm. Show up as desired, there’s no commitment to join every session. ​

The Artist Accountability Group is a complement to your creative practice. ​Each session, we will start with short introductions and a creative icebreaker, then transition into an open discussion between attendees. You can share your work, talk through an artistic block, get input on a project or goal, or simply show up to listen and be in creative community!

Sessions will be punctuated with guest artist speakers, workshops, and guided discussions around specific themes. ​Can’t join us in-person? Find us on The Ruby Member Discord! We’ll discuss projects, share goals, celebrate milestones, provide support, and link resources.

This is an intimate group of Ruby members**