who are we
sasha francis (she/her)
with over a decade of experience organizing events in te whanganui-a-tara, she has worked with 5ever Books, Rebel Press, and Wellington Zinefest, delivering high-quality events across diverse communities at the intersection of arts, literature, music, and activism.
from december 2024 to March 2025, she was a core organiser and facilitator of the Whatever Palace, a free community and arts space at 113/115 Taranaki Street, supported by 5ever Books. her work is guided by a commitment to fostering inclusive, creative, and community-led spaces that amplify voices of resistance and solidarity.
prayash gharti chhetri (he/him)
tāngata tiriti living in te whanganui-a-tara. one of the co-founders of other کتاب گھر (other kitaab ghar) – pop-up and third-space community learning/unlearning space (preferred not to call bookshop) dedicated to “other” literature. his ancestral ties are to tahoon (nepal) and india.
prayash and priyanka chettri (she/her) run other kitaab ghar. her ancestral linkage is to kalimpong (india) and nepal.
privilege : prayash acknowledges the privileges afforded to him by growing up in an upper-caste patriarchal family, attending a private boarding school, being cisgender, and working a full-time job in the public sector. he is committed to using these privileges to listen, support, and amplify indigenous and marginalised voices within the communities he works with.
the community support that made SOS possible
thank you for your aroha/love and tautāwhi/support. this is a long and growing list of tangata/people and hapori/community whose generous contributions have helped us to organise this do-it-ourselves (dio) festival.
aotearoa – tangata/people
- anahera gildea
- ash holwell
- bhagya herath
- jason muir
- kerry ann lee
- nadine hura
- valerie morse
aotearoa – hapori/community
global south – tangata/people
- mirza tauseef baig (midland bookshop, delhi, india)
- suvendu mallick (leftword books, delhi, india)
global south – hapori/community
story behind sos logo
designed by sasha francis– the logo embodies the spirit and vision of the festival – planting the seed of radical imagination. its form organically morphs into the shape of a seed.
the festival is a beginning for shared learning/unlearning, resilience, resistance, and transformation like the seed which is a symbol of growth and transformation.
