Jay Manuel is a writer, educator, and translator. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He writes in English and Portuguese and has translated the literary work of Brazilian author Gustavo Bernardo.
His forthcoming book, Attention, Belonging, and Care: The Communal Self in Education (Vernon Press, 2027), looks at what it means to attend to one another, and how learning might begin there. He is now finishing a collection of short fiction, Bukowski Never Did This: Stories.
His essays have appeared in Studies in Philosophy and Education, Luso-Brazilian Review, Antistasis, Sapere Aude, Syllabus Journal, CareerWise, the Vancouver Sun, and the Edmonton Journal. He also designs curriculum for community and adult learning.
Much of his writing returns to a few simple questions: how people stay present with each other, and what keeps attention alive in a scattered world.
Presentations explore themes including attention and technology, education and community, literary criticism, philosophy, ethics, translation, dialogue across difference, and the role of storytelling in public life. Sessions are interdisciplinary, accessible to broad audiences, and adaptable for academic, literary, and community settings. Topics may also include curriculum design, AI and education, relational learning, Machado de Assis, Nietzsche, and contemporary challenges surrounding attention and belonging.
Interactive workshops focused on writing, dialogue, relational learning, reflective practice, ethical attention, curriculum and facilitation design, literary interpretation, and community-building through education and storytelling. Workshops emphasize participation, critical reflection, and practical application, and can be adapted for schools, universities, libraries, conferences, and nonprofit/community organizations.
School visits focus on writing, storytelling, critical thinking, philosophy, education, attention and technology, community, and the role of literature in understanding ourselves and others. Sessions are discussion-based, interactive, and adaptable to classroom needs and student age groups. Topics may include the writing process, bilingual writing and translation, ethics and dialogue, media and attention, literary interpretation, and pathways into academic, creative, and community-based writing.
