Hi everyone,
My name is Sam Sivapragasam, and I’m a working-class, Black and mixed-race, queer writer and organiser based in London. I’ve been given an incredible opportunity to attend the Tin House Summer Workshop—a highly competitive writing program in the U.S. that has launched the careers of some of today’s most exciting authors. But I need your help to get there!
Why This Workshop Matters
Writing has always been my way of making sense of the world—a portal through which I understand and make myself understood. I write from the intersections, from the margins where different worlds overlap and coalesce. My work explores the intimate, the speculative, and the political, focusing on queer, racialised characters navigating power, grief, transformation, and the legacies of colonialism.
I was born in Jamaica and moved to London at the age of seven. As a mixed Black and South Asian queer person, I have always existed in peripheral spaces, and I want to tell stories about characters coming together to change themselves and the world around them. I’m particularly drawn to speculative fiction as a means to unearth anxieties, challenge the status quo, and explore alternative futures. Like many in my generation, I think deeply about how the world is transforming due to climate change, tracing its roots back to colonialism, capitalism, and the genocides of Indigenous peoples.
The Tin House Summer Workshop runs from July 13th to July 20th, 2025, and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to refine my craft, gain professional mentorship, and build connections that could shape my career. Out of over 1,500 applicants, less than 10% of applicants were selected—and I was lucky enough to be one of them!
Why I Need Your Help
As a working-class writer, affording this opportunity is a challenge. The total cost of tuition, accommodation, and travel is over £2,625 ($3,400 USD), which is beyond my means. I am applying for grants and funding, but I still need community support to make this possible. I've included a contingency to cover the transaction fees.
Here’s the breakdown of costs:
✈️ Flights (UK to
U.S.) – £600 ($760)
🏡 Accommodation &
Meals – £550 ($700)
📚 Tuition – £1,400 ($1,800)
💸 Fundrazr Fees – £375 ($495)
💰
Total: £3,000 ($3,895)
How You Can Support
Any amount, no matter how small, will help me get one step closer to attending this life-changing workshop. If you can’t donate, sharing this page with your networks is just as valuable!
About My Writing Journey
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a family of avid readers, I would grab a book, nestle between my parents, and pretend to read. As a child, I was always creating comics, plays, and stories. Writing transformed from a hobby into a deep calling during my teenage years, leading me to write poetry, short stories, and essays. My work has been published in independent zines like Typical Girls, Sweet Thang, and Moon Press.
I am currently completing my Master’s in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University. I am committed to telling stories that reflect the experiences of those who, like me, exist at the intersections of race, queerness, and class struggle.
Beyond my own writing, I co-run a grassroots writing group for queer writers of colour, creating space for emerging voices to share their work and support one another. I believe in the power of storytelling to shift narratives, challenge oppression, and imagine alternative futures.
Attending Tin House would be a huge milestone in my journey as a writer. With your help, I can take this next step toward getting my work out into the world.
Thank you so much for your support—whether through donations, shares, or kind words. It truly means the world.
With gratitude,
Sam Sivapragasam
