Yvonne Mark is the captivating voice of “Salmon Soup for the Soul,” a collection of stories on recovery in the Downtown Eastside. As a self-taught writer, Yvonne documents her journey to sobriety with strength and resilience. Her unique perspective as a DTES survivor shines through in her collection of short stories and poems that aim to inspire and empower others.
“Writing has always been my saving grace. I swear to god I was born with a pen in my hand.” said the mother of seven, “I want to leave a legacy. Writing can be my legacy.”
Now over 16 years sober, Yvonne is pursuing her long-standing dream of being a writer, and is on her way to self-publishing her poetry. In August 2021 her favourite piece, a letter to herself, was published in Megaphone Magazine.
Yvonne’s writing career formally started during an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting when she was asked to read her poem out loud to the audience–something she had never considered doing. And once she did, she saw the audience wipe tears from her eyes and that moment inspired her to pursue her passion.
“I had many, many dreams as a young 16-year-old. My number one was to be a nurse or a journalist. And I’m 66 now and just starting to fulfill my dreams as a writer. And I’m so elated to finally be recognized as a writer at my age,” she said.
Want to hear more? Get your tickets and watch Yvonne speak at this year’s Cardboard Project today or listen to Yvonne’s full interview on The Cardboard Project podcast.
