Geographies of the Heart

Raymonde Tickner presents Geographies of the Heart – Stories from Newcomers to Canada, which holds the reconstructed memories of 18 newcomers. Their stories of leaving behind the known and constructing new lives in the unknown carry words laden with struggle, trauma, hope, and evolving images of themselves. These stories tell of the courage, determination and resilience needed to reshape life in a new geography.  BC Bookworld states these accounts “belie the many misconceptions about immigration and immigrants by revealing that the paths into Canada are as diverse as the people who journeyed them."

Website:

www.sntc.squarespace.com

Biography

Raymonde Tickner taught in the Faculty of Access and Continuing Education at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, specializing in teaching English as an additional language. She brought her expertise in curriculum design to support UFV’s campus in Chandigarh, India. Through the Instructional Skills Global Network (ISW), she has supported faculty professional development globally.

Raymonde volunteers with the Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association as a Victim/Offender Conference facilitator and volunteer trainer. She works as an Auxiliary Restorative Justice Facilitator with the Burnaby RCMP.

Publications

Tickner, R. (2019). Listening to the Voices. In Saudelli, M.G., Kusch, J., & Carroll, S. (Eds.), In voices from far away lands: From divergent to convergent. (pp. 165-181). Newcastle upon Tyne: UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Geographies of the Heart - Stories from Newcomers to Canada. (2024). Tickner, R., Wilbur, A., Rahemtulla, Z., Johnson, K. (Eds). Purich Books, UBC Press, Vancouver: BC.

Awards

Recipient of the 2023 Abbotsford Character in Action Award.

Recipient of the 2026 Individual Initiative Award from Archway Community Services for Geographies of the Heart – Stories from Newcomers to Canada