About Us

Stories for their own sake and stories for the sake of others.

Upstart & Crow is a not-for-profit creative studio and literary incubator that champions writers, readers and stories, and the role they play in shaping our lives. Our team includes experienced writers, editors, journalists and literary publishers.

We develop original programs, support artists and revel in creative projects focused on Literature In Translation / Climate Solutions / Poetry / Civic Dialogue / Community & Skills Building … all with the aim of elevating the role of literature and storytelling in our lives.

We work to unlock the power of literature to inspire people to action, to let go of old orthodoxies, to feed and feel the surge of renewal that is this generation’s greatest challenge to bring into being.

Our work is partially funded by two independent bookshops of the same name, which privilege indie presses, underrepresented voices absent from big box stores, and ideas that celebrate who we are, where we came from and that shape where we’re going. These bookstores are a separate organization to our not-for-profit, but we share a name, an ethos, a physical space, and various team members.

Our work is ambitious and serious, but we also prioritize whimsy and joy. We revel in incubating original programs, curating meaningful conversations and launching projects that enable storytellers to create and share transformative works.

Discover more about our Programs

Who We Are

Our Board of Directors:
Zoe Grams, Board Chair, Founder
Jorge Amigo, Vice-Chair
Ian Gill, Treasurer, Founder
Michelle Cyca, Member at Large
Emi Sasagawa, Member at Large

Our Core Staff:
Robyn Smith, Operations Director
Tomie Yang, Creative Associate and Program Coordinator
Franz Seachel, Creative Associate