By Georgina Alford International Women’s Day (IWD) has existed since the early 1900s. In 1908, 15,000 women took to the streets of New York to demand better pay, equal rights and shorter working hours. It wasn’t until 1910, however, when Clara Zetkin - leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party [...]
By Georgie Alford Founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Opal Tometi in the United States in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) has sparked activism around the globe. The hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) was initiated after the murder of African-American teen Trayvon Martin and has since proliferated through all social media channels. In August [...]
By Raagave Kannan FOCUS Media Arts Centre (FOCUS) is a not-for-profit organization that was established in 1990 to counter negative media stereotypes of low income communities and provide relevant information to residents living in the Regent Park area and surrounding communities. We seek to empower marginalize individuals and under represented communities to have a [...]
A Perspective on the 2020 St. James Town Service Provider Network Leadership Forum By Cameron Murray The 2020 St. James Town Service Provider Network’s Leadership Forum took place on Friday November 20th, 2020. From home offices, living rooms and breakfast nooks, more than 80 participants logged into Zoom for an event successful in both [...]
By Minerva Navasca, FOCUS Media Centre For a city half composed of immigrants, most school curriculums are extremely lacking in culturally relevant teachings that are inclusive to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) or honor their contributions in building Canadian society. Few people know, for example, that slavery was practiced in Canada or [...]
By Munira Yusuf February 15th marks Canada’s National Flag Day which commemorates the inauguration of the Canadian flag. For many, the flag creates a shared sense of identity that is often seen as a symbol of multiculturalism and neutrality. When we think of what it means to be Canadian, we may think of holding [...]
By Shirley Roberts In Canada, February is Black History Month when we celebrate the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present. It is an opportunity to focus on accomplishments and contributions while at the same time acknowledging the obstacles that many continue to face to achieve equity. Racism and discrimination are very prevalent in [...]
By Yvonne Yorke love, noun: strong affection/attraction arising from association, personal ties, admiration or common interests. As a verb: to cherish, thrive or take pleasure. (reference Meriam-Webster) Valentine's Day is celebrated on Sunday, February 14, 2021. “The day” to express your love. What is important to remember though is that love does not have [...]
By Faith Gumahadd On Tuesday February 9th we had our annual 'For the love of seniors' luncheon. The event was different compared to our past gatherings, but we adapted and pushed forward. Thanks to Building Roots, Medallion Corp, and The Corner/Older Adult Consortium, we came up with a package containing activity books, informational supplements [...]
The pandemic had created an impact on students' life and learning experience at school since March 2020. Four students living in St James Town shared their experiences on how the pandemic affected their summer break, return to school, holiday break, and relationship with family and friends. First Name: Chloe Age: 10 Grade 5 How has [...]
Nalini Pandalangat, Director of Newcomer Health & Specialty Services, Sherbourne Health, is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, and has extensive experience leading projects and programs in the community health, hospital and international development sectors. Her PhD was on cultural influences on help-seeking, treatment and support for mental health problems in the Sri Lankan Tamil community. Her research and program interests are focused on immigrant mental health, gender and health, cultural competence, health care access and health equity. Currently she is part of a core team working on the development and dissemination of a refugee mental health framework.
