Yannis Lobaina is an outstanding visual storyteller. Born and raised in Cuba. The diversity of her ancestral lineage is perfectly reflected in her art: She is a mix of Caribbean Taino, Spanish, Cuban, African, Arab and Chinese.
She is a published author of creative nonfiction, fiction and poetry for young people and adults. Yannis’s work is exemplary of the unique skills of a multilingual writer. She speaks more than 4 languages.
Yannis is passionate about literary citizenship, in her creative writing workshops she brings an inclusive and intersectional approach to the programs, she is an avid lecturer, always sharing and recommending her eclectic reading lists with her audience in her Goodreads and bookshop. Yannis Lobaina is driven by a genuine need to create, connect and inspire, that is the reason she leads a Facebook group called AlbArt Collective.
She volunteers in programs and projects that resonate with her heart like Reading with Newcomer Children with IBBY Canada, David Suzuki Foundation, and TIFF.
Yannis is committed to herself to actively nurture, develop and pursue her innate creativity daily as a ritual. She is instilling this passion in her 9-year-old daughter.
Yannis is a visionary artist, change-maker and multidimensional creative being.
Written by Valentina Brown
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Which ’hood are you in?
Since 2016 I’ve been in the vibrant community of Ward 8: Eglinton-Lawrence.
What do you do?
I’m a multilingual writer. Emerging Filmmaker, photographer and Podcaster. A dreamer and global community builder.
What are you currently working on?
As a writer, I’m currently working on my forthcoming bilingual collection of creative non-fiction stories and photographs. Inspired by my process as an immigrant between Cuba, Halifax, and Toronto. I recently published one of the 12 stories in Finding The Way anthology by the Immigrant Writers Association.
As a photographer, I am currently working on my ongoing photography series Alive, Upside Down. focusing on minimalist landscapes, capturing fleeting moments, patterns, pareidolias, patterns and spirals in Mother Nature. I will have a solo exhibition in July 2023 at Remote Gallery.
I acknowledge that all this achievement has been possible because I had been recognized as an award finalist for Toronto Arts Foundation’s 2022 Space Award Recipients – Neighbourhood Arts Network and in 2021 I received the Ontario Arts Council’s “Skills and Career Development: Arts Professionals of Colour” Grant for my Hybrid short stories collections.
Where can we find your work?
You can find me almost everywhere on social media! My favourite one is my website: is my sanctuary where I muse about life, motherhood and art.
You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube
