Explain Toronto in One Word:
Diverse.
Tell us about your business.
Myodetox is our chain of clinics. We started 3 1/2 years ago. So late 2014. We’re a combination of styles of physiotherapy, chiro and massage therapy. Myodetox heavily emphasizes a whole body approach to manual therapy and movement. We’re trying to educate clients on how optimize their body. This emphasis is why we’re blowing up right now!
When did you know you wanted to start your own business?
I’ve been working in the industry for close to 11 years. For the first 5 years I was in the factory mode, seeing 30 patients a day. I tell people this all the time, but imagine you were a barber, and you’re cutting someone’s hair. And at the end of it, your person comes out exactly the same. Nothing happened. That’s how I felt about my job, and I realized I couldn’t do this for the rest of my life.
How did you start Myodetox?
I quit my job, and realized how scary it was. I started with a few clients I knew from my clinic, and worked from my condo next to Scarborough town centre. I built my whole clinic out of there for two years. Eventually, security came to me. Apparently, you can’t run a business out of a condo. Back then, my barber was opening a barber shop in a unit at city place, and upstairs, they had a space. So, we decided to do a barber shop clinic hybrid and that’s when I opened downtown, the first location.
What does a typical workday look like?
I wake up really late, like 11, 12. Every day is very different. It just depends on what needs to be done for the clinic. When you’re an entrepreneur, you literally do everything. That’s what it comes down to. I’ll go through messages, product innovation, find ways to make techniques better. I run the Instagram, create content, and lots of meetings with investors trying to expand into the next phases of what we’re doing.
Do you have days off?
No. #nodaysoff. You’re always working. When you start something, It’s your baby. It’s not worth it to have a day off.
What's the hardest part of the business thus far?
For me, it’s time management, but not in the traditional sense. I’m a nice person, so now its like, so many people know me and they want my time, and I want to give it to everybody. I’ve had to learn how to say no. Before you’d have time for everybody, but now I don’t.
One thing you can’t leave the house without besides your phone?
My Shades. I’m actually light sensitive because I wear them so much. Sunglasses zone me in.
Since you travel a lot for work, what is your favourite place to visit?
I would say California. California weather is so sick. Places in Canada - Vancouver and the West Coast. The vibe in Vancouver is different, they walk outside and they take a moment to enjoy nature. And we don’t do that.
What’s one thing you wish you had more time for?
Family and friends. That’s the number one thing. As you grow older and more successful, and all this stuff. You realize they’re everything. No new friends right? Just kidding, some new friends.
Go to restaurants in the city?
My go to is mi-ne, which is a Japanese restaurant down the street (325 Bremner Blvd, Toronto). When I walk in, they know exactly what I want. Really good stuff.
What advice would you give to an entrepreneur that you wish someone gave to you?
Don’t do it! That’s my first piece of advice. If someone fights back, that’s when I know they’re for real. If you really want to, be ready to sacrifice everything you love for it. In the end it will be worth it, but you’re giving up a lot. I don’t think people realize how much you give to be successful. You’re giving up your soul, and packaging it to whatever business you’re doing and giving it to the world.
Favourite workout in the city?
I want to do more yoga, but I’ll go to like equinox or goodlife. I’m more of a workout by myself kind of guy.
Speed Round
· Drake or the Weeknd
· Nike or Adidas
· Mornings or evenings
· Yoga or Spin
· Jays Game or Raptors Game
· Lunch at Banh Mi Boys or Dinner at Frings
· West End or East End
· Favourite Season: summer
· Favourite you’ve been to (besides Toronto obvs) : LA
What’s next for you?
The first two years have been kind of for myself, the second bit has been for Toronto and now we’re ramping up for the world. We’re opening in West Hollywood and in New York hopefully for the end of the year. And if those two concepts do well, then we’re really going to start pushing it. 80 locations, 7 years. Then I’ll be dead.
]]>To say Randy Osei is just an NBA player-manager would be a huge understatement. As a celebrated athlete, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Randy - aka Randy Rozaay - is not only a natural-born hustler, but a master of getting sh*t done.
Randy has more NBA players numbers than a Kardashian, but is easily 3-times cooler than Kim or Khloe. He started his own career playing professional ball throughout university, exploring Canada and building connections. After hanging up his Jordans in 2013, Randy took the first step towards creating his own company, Rozaay Management.
Today, Rozaay Management is so much more than a sports management company, creating and throwing events, working with charity organizations, and helping others chase their hoop dreams.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you started up Rozaay Management.
A: I started with one player in 2013, the #1 pick in that year’s draft, Anthony Bennett. I stopped playing college basketball that year due to injury and jumped right into this new role. I built my brand by being really available and continuously adding value to my clients’ brands. There are so many things athletes need help with; being there, executing projects, and making things happen goes a long way. I ended up working with Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis and stepped into a larger management position. By 2015, I made enough connections and learned enough about the industry to start my own company. Rozaay Management still manages, but we also throw events, partner with brands, create marketing strategies, do PR and creative work.
Q: What’s a typical day look like for you?
A: I get this question a lot - it definitely changes from day to day but I usually start my day with prayer, thanking God for the ability to do his work. I like to read for about 20-minutes to get inspired; right now I’m reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. After that, I usually head out to a workout, get a good sweat going, shower, change and hop on my laptop for about 10:00 a.m. Throughout the day I’m working on projects, events, planning schedules, planning camps for the bulk of the day. I save the evening for meetings and usually cap off the day by going to a Raptors game or watching clients games on T.V. I travel a lot, so I try to take a lot of time for myself.
Q: How many players do you represent? What’s the most exciting thing you’ve worked on?
A: I’m working with three right now: Dillon Brooks, Thon Maker and Khem Birch. The most exciting thing I’ve ever worked on would have to be one of my NBA All-Star parties. I threw this big party at Brassaii and thought nothing of it. We had some big Toronto players attending, so the club reached capacity at 12:00 a.m. Allen Iverson ended up hearing about it and came up to the door at 12:30, the same time the police did. I had police officers tell me they would shut down the party if one more person walked through, so I had to look A.I. in his face and tell him, “Sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” He was cool about it though.
Q: What are some of the highs and lows of doing what you do?
A: There are always going to be challenges when you work with people; people have different opinions of how things should be or look, whether it’s event planning or brand strategy. Travelling can be its own challenge too, in that you can miss a flight due to something that’s out of your control. When you have a lot of projects on, it can be frustrating to waste time like that.
As my own boss, I’m doing a lot of work for no pay sometimes - at least not right away. With office jobs, you know if you clock in from 9-5 you’re getting a cheque for those hours work, where with my business I can work 6 hours and not see that pay. Managing your time is definitely a challenge, it’s all about prioritizing projects and putting things in perspective. Taking things day by day is literally the way I manage my tasks. I make sure I complete what I need to for the day while also making time for friends and family. I do however get to make my own schedule. I’m not controlled by an alarm clock or someone else’s agenda. I do what I want - whether it's working all night or allowing myself to sleep in, though I can’t remember the last time I did that...
But mostly, I really enjoy being apart of someone else’s success; it brings me excitement and keeps me going throughout the day. For example, we just made a mini-documentary for Dillon Brooks since he was coming back home to Toronto. I thought of the idea and was able to produce it. We had a bunch of great scenes from Dillon stopping at his old high school to having dinner with his mom. That idea took a lot of phone calls, emails, and meetings but we knocked it out this past weekend. Putting everything together and sharing it with the rest of the world brings me joy. This was just a thought in my head and now everyone gets to enjoy that. Being apart of different projects and having those ideas mature to fruition is amazing.
Q: What does chasing your Hoop Dream mean to you?
A: When I was younger, chasing my hoop dream meant getting a scholarship to play basketball at school - which I did. My dream was to become a prominent guard in CIS, then going overseas to play internationally. Playing basketball in university allowed me to see different parts of Canada that I otherwise would’ve never explored. I learned how to network and build relationships - many of which I still have to this day. A hoop dream now for me is helping others reach their goals. Rick Ross said, “How many people you bless is how you measure success,” and I really believe in that. I want to see other people succeed and give back to their communities.
Q: Our tagline is #GarmentsThatGiveAF - It's really important for us to give back to our community with every purchase. You recently ran a @rmbooksneakerdrive. Can you tell us more about this?
A: In 2016, I went to Ghana for the first time. My parents are from Ghana and I’d never been before. The first day I got there, I cried. Just to see where my parents were from and where they grew up. I got to go through the country and see the kids, so many of them living in poverty. Here they were in this intense heat selling water to me to make sure that I was hydrated. I thought, “That easily could’ve been me.” I knew from that moment on I had to give back. I sat down and started to plan to try and see what I could do with my projects at hand. I was going to do a general sneaker drive, but I wanted to make sure I was contributing to education too so we collected sneakers, books and general donations.
We put on some great events to get Toronto involved and raise money for charity. We organized charity bootcamp classes and workouts, so people could get a good sweat while donating to a good cause. A high school in Mississauga wanted to pay me to do a speech on building your own business and being entrepreneurial, but I insisted they donate to our charity instead. All of these initiatives add something to the community while also helping others.
I always want to give back to Toronto because Toronto’s given back to me. From November-January, Rozaay Management has done 12 events and we don’t plan on stopping. I’m going to Africa March 31st to April 9th to visit some orphanages and give back as much as possible.
Q: Do you think about Toronto and where it's heading over the next couple years with Basketball and Popular Culture?
A: Toronto’s always been the spot - the rest of the world is just figuring that out. Drake, The Weeknd, Partynextdoor, Daniel Caesar, Jazz Cartier, Phab and Friyie...We have all these incredible music artists and basketball players. All of the talent is coming from here and people are paying attention.
I think a lot of people like to say that the 6 is on a wave and it’s true. Toronto for me is easily one of the top 3 cities in North America. The multiculturalism we have in this one little hotbed is amazing to see. Not only are do we celebrate different cultures all together, we still get to have our individuality in our own pockets of the city. We have Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown, a strong Carribean city that you can feel in our language and dialect. Toronto is one of the best cities in the world; I’ll take our harsh winters if I can have summers at Cabana. This Toronto wave has a long, long wavelength. I’m excited to see what else is coming.
Q:Top place to bring clients at in Toronto?
A: Spice Route
Q: Favourite spot to celebrate a Raptors’ win?
A: EFS
Q: Where can we get the best cocktail in the city?
A: Entice Lounge
Q: What’s your best recent Toronto discovery?
A: Kensington Market - I’ve heard of it, I just didn’t know it was so cool. When I come downtown, I’m there for a meeting or an event, not to explore. It’ll be cool to check it out when it’s warmer too.
Q: Drake or The Weeknd?
A: I absolutely love the Weeknd but...Drake raps. So I have to say Drake.
Location: Entice Culinary Lounge
Peace Collective Items Pictured:
Toronto-vs-Everybody Orange Hoodie
Hoop Dreams
Home is Toronto Embroidered Long T-shirt
NBAxPC Chicago Bulls Hoodie
TO Suede Hat
Julian Brass has come a long way, and throughout his journey, he never lost sight of his purpose. After launching and growing Notable Life, a digital lifestyle brand for driven millennials, he longed for a more balanced lifestyle. This led him to sell Notable Life and pursue his career as a life coach, yoga & meditation instructor, motivational speaker and much more. Julian took some time to tell us about his journey and how his passion led him to what he was always meant to do. He talks all things gratitude & self love and shares tips on how to start the New Year on the right foot.
"I landed a marketing job in Silicon Valley and I worked there for almost two years. My dream was to always build my own thing, and that became a voice I couldn't ignore. When I was a teenager, I always wanted to be a motivational figure. I started reading these self help, personal growth books and it became my way of life. Although I knew I didn’t yet have enough experience to be a motivational speaker, I believed I could create an internet business to help people in a more indirect way.
Why did you decide to sell Notable Life?
"I sold Notable Life because I never lost sight of my purpose. I always knew I wanted to help people in a more direct way and this idea never left my mind. As Notable Life became more recognized, people began to ask me if I could speak at their events. I used these events to start a platform where I could discuss life and how to improve it. In 2015, I found that I needed to find a more balanced lifestyle. I requested and obtained a part time sabbatical and moved to Israel. While I was there I found balance. I wanted to find something that I could bring back to Canada and share with other people. I began classes to become a yoga teacher, as I found it very helpful during those hardcore, hustle years, when I was often depressed and anxious. I moved back to Canada with the decision that I wanted to get Notable Life to a place where I could sell it."
What do you love about your current job?
"I am honoured to see change happen before my eyes. Knowing that I'm making a direct impact on peoples lives. It’s selfless work and a lot of emotional and mental preparation goes into it."
What does chasing your passion mean to you?
"To me, chasing your passion involves asking a simple question. Would I continue chasing this opportunity if I wasn't getting paid? If the answer is yes, then you know you are chasing your passion."
What advice would you give someone who's looking to change career paths?
"When it comes to changing career paths, you have to view it through the lens of both a scientist and artist. You need to approach it with the passion of an artist but with the critical thinking of a scientist. Each individual needs to think about how much money they need and how much money they want. Then there's a bit of life forecasting and asking yourself where you want to be in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. From there, you can decide what career is right for you."
What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
"Remembering to get out of my own way. It’s really easy to think small and think that were not capable and were not enough. Once we can get out of our own way, all the rest is just noise. To help getting out of your own head, I like to think about what's going to hurt more — taking a shot and failing, or not doing it and always wondering. The pain of not doing and always wondering is greater than possibly doing it and screwing up."
What are your top tips to start the New Year on the right foot?
"Look at key areas of your life and ask yourself how you're doing in each of those areas. For the areas you feel you're not doing as well as you should be, focus on creating change and finding a resolution." Other tips include:
What tips can you give us on gratitude?
"Gratitude is the art of embracing what you have. If you want to live a life full of gratitude, you need to focus on everything you have versus everything you don't have."
"Correlate giving gratitude to deep breathing. Take one breath in and and one breath out and your state will completely change."
What's next?
"Creating more workshops and classes that people can attend both physically and online. Real growth only happens through repetition and I'm excited to help people work on that part of themselves."
We're excited to see how Julian will continue to inspire others to live their best.
Shop his look: here
Shop the Five Minute Journal: here
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With everything going on with our neighbours in the South, it's more important than ever to join together as one. Our #IStandFor series couldn’t have come at a better time.
]]>We met up with parents Dana and Jermaine and son Kai on an early Saturday morning to dress up in our Blue Jays Family Collection, play some baseball, and capture the authentic, beautiful moments that unfolded.
Can you tell us a little bit about the makeup of your family?
“I’m a second generation Canadian of Ukrainian descent, and my husband Jermaine, is from Caribbean (St. Kitts & Nevis) descent. Our son Kai was born in Canada.
We met through my father who was a martial artist and the head coach of the provincial karate team for twenty-five years. My husband was an athlete on his team. Jermaine and I had just started dating when my father was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer thirteen years ago. When he passed away suddenly, we made the decision to continue his legacy and take over the dojo. We’ve been together ever since.”
What is the best part of a mixed family?
“You bring the best parts of different cultures and backgrounds together. Music and food have been the two biggest influences that we love passing onto Kai. We have reggae and soca constantly playing in our house when we’re cooking up different dishes of either Ukrainian & Caribbean descent. “
The biggest challenge?
“You also get the challenges that come with joining cultures together. You have to be open to change and accepting the differences without judging. “
What is something people don’t know about a mixed family?
“Even in this day and age, in this vastly multicultural country and society we still have to overcome issues of racism, judgment, and unacceptance far too often. The recent images from the US on this subject just illustrates how far we still have to go before these issues are no longer a factor in our society.”
What’s something you want people to know?
Tell us about places in Canada that bring your family closest together.
“We’re blessed with an abundance of festivals that come to Toronto, which we enjoy as a family. The Ukranian festival, Caribana, and the CNE are some of our favourites. Our city brings a vast array of multi-cultural events and it’s great to see people from all backgrounds interested and able to participate.
Niagara Falls holds a special place to us, as we got engaged there and try to visit every year.”
Most Importantly, What Do You Stand For?
“UNITY – no matter the race, religion or sexual orientation, we are all human. Once we realize this fact as a society, the future of humanity and the potential for what we can accomplish is limitless. We just hope this starts in Kai’s lifetime.”
Shop their looks here.
]]>Brampton seems to be the source of majority of Toronto’s talent, producing multiple creators from poets to comedians.
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Tell us about your web-series Anarkali and how you got involved and how it got started.
I met Rakhi Mutta, the writer for Anarkali, on a car ride to this feminist conference in Michigan; she was assigned to pick Rupi Kaur and myself up. Turns out Rakhi was this dope chick that is socially conscious and wanted to create. I think it was 15 minutes into the conversation she said, “You’re my Anarkali”. She said she had envisioned this character for ten years and couldn’t find the right person to play it and I said absolutely, lets do it.
What did you want to accomplish if anything in terms of connecting with other South Asian women?
As cliché as it sounds I wanted to be an actress since I was 5 but I wasn’t seeing myself represented. How do you build an identity? Growing up in a city like Brampton is so different from any other because I do see a lot of people that look like me but I don’t see it on any screen. So how do I take all of these stories that I’ve grown up with or experienced and bring them on screen. Anarkali has become a representation of that and it's why people resonate with it. It's not just South Asians that connect with her but people from all different backgrounds. Everyone dates and has issues, now it just so happens to be with a girl that’s brown. The show gives a real insight on what it's like growing up in the diaspora; struggling to bridge our two identities into one.
The brown sisterhood is real and we are here for one another. If you look at the people I work with, it's majority South Asian female artists. And, I hope that I can continue to create that space for us. I believe with any work that I do, it will always be some sort of representation of the women of my community. To tell our stories, our struggles, our heartache, our style, our humour - it's all a way to share our voices. It will always be for them. I just want to take it to the mainstream. To let the world know that we do exist and we are ready to take over.
There’s never going to be one all-encompassing role that everyone will resonate with entirely either.
That’s another issue for WOC (women of colour) because there’s a lack of representation. Then the one person that is doing it has all this pressure to now represent all an entire community and you don’t see that with white actresses like Jennifer Lawrence, for example. If we had more WOC on screen, we would have a larger range of characters to choose from and take that weight off of the few WOC actresses that are in the industry.
You did a short film for Bell, why was mental health something you wanted to tackle?
PCHS (Punjabi Community Health Services) approached us to create the film, Haneri; they are an organization that helps families with anything from mental health issues to domestic violence. Punjabi folks have a tendency to shove everything under the rug, and it's very rare for us to address taboo topics such as mental health. The stigma is surrounded by our denial. In order for us to heal, we need to start having conversations about it. It's for important to me spread awareness because I also went through depression and anxiety for majority of my life.
It was so cool to see how many people flooded our inboxes with them sharing their own stories. I think that’s the power of film; you are able to share your story and bring people together to understand they aren’t alone.
What are your views on the lack of representation of South Asian women in pop-culture?
We want people to know that we exist on a bigger scale where we can normalize and steer away from stereotypes. We’re going to write our own books, share our own stories and were going to represent it in our own way. I think it was a big wakeup call when I went to acting school because I was the only woman of colour. Even if you’re telling your own story it will translate, with Rupi writing Milk and Honey or Jasmeet with his videos, it’s their experiences but someone will always resonate with some part of it. Especially South Asian women, how do we as influencers now take that and be that voice and allow more people to have their voices heard.
How has living in Canada and Toronto impacted you?
I’ve travelled to the states, out west to Vancouver and the UK; those are all places where the biggest diaspora is for South Asians. It’s so weird because those are the places you would always envision yourself growing up. Then you start hearing that Toronto is now this place to go and you think wait what? We were the underdogs no one cared about before. Now people are paying attention to us and everyone wants to know what’s in the water of Toronto and how so many creators are here. Its just because we encourage each other and that’s something they don’t have in London, LA, or Vancouver.
It’s a blessing because I’ve been able to work with so many different amazing artists. I’m privileged enough to have that but I’m also friends with these people and you want to see your friends succeed. At the end of the day I feel like there’s this genuineness in Toronto that we actually care. Even if we don’t know them personally we want to see each other rise. We’re apart of something that is so much greater than us, the music, the videos, acting, film, everything is really growing in a really different way and I am so happy and proud to be apart of something that will literally make history.
What does chasing your passion mean to you?
Chasing your passion means being true and authentic to yourself allow the process to be organic but also have that drive and motivation. No one else is going to do this for you; you have to do it for yourself. Believing in yourself is the first step to anything else, which I know sounds cliché but I think it’s the most important thing. When you let self-doubt and fear takeover then that’s what’s going to hold you back with everything. We live a life that is so temporary there is no reason for you not to fulfil your purpose.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself and what an average day looks like.
My full name is Kelsey Williams and I'm a feisty female DJ from Toronto, Canada. I usually don't have a consistent schedule, so it's hard to describe an average day. During the weekdays I'll plan around my son, Jayden's schedule (he's in grade 1). In the mornings I'll get up to get him ready for school around 7am and pick him up in the afternoon around 4pm. During that gap I can be doing anything from brainstorming, to music research, to running errands, to answering emails. Everyday is pretty unpredictable, but I get bored very easily, so I like it.
Did you receive any formal training or did you teach yourself?
I did receive training. From my research I found a DJ school owned by DJ Grouch and I took a few introductory classes there with an amazing teacher, DJ Shiv. A few months later (in 2014) I applied and was accepted into The Remix Project under their Recording Arts Program, which had a DJ mentorship, and just my luck - Grouch was the mentor there! I continued my mentorship at Remix for 9 months and since then I've shadowed and gotten some great advice from a couple DJs here and there. Youtube, Google, and IG videos have also been my best friends for learning cool tricks.
How has Toronto influenced your creativity?
There's so much talent in Toronto. Being in something like The Remix Project, I was around all kinds of creatives: recording artists, producers & engineers, photographers, videographers, etc. Now, being in Gxxrls, I'm always around creative women and we bounce ideas off of each other all the time. I'll be sitting on a bike in cycling class next to my fellow Gxxrlfriend, Sandra, and we'll think of an idea and shoot it to one another. It's non-stop. Also, I think right now, Toronto is at an all-time creative high - and yet I still feel like there's still so much in the shadows! I can go anywhere and get inspired or challenged imaginatively.
Toronto is at an all-time creative high - and yet I still feel like there's still so much in the shadows!
Do you notice a difference being a woman in a predominately male dominated industry?
Um, YES! There are some positive sides to being a female; people pay more attention to you, as if you're a unicorn or something. I'll take that, whatever but the rest is hella annoying. People expect you to not be as good as your male counterparts, they think you don't know what you're doing, they try to swindle you when it comes to conversations about money, and they are more likely to disrespect you. It's disgusting how you get talked down to and sexualized by people you're supposed to work with. If I had a nickel for all the times I've felt creeped out while on the job...
While on the topic of female empowerment, tell us about your involvement in the Gxxrls creative agency.
Honestly, at first, I didn't understand my involvement other than to support women, but after a little while and with inspiration from the other Gxxrls I started to gain more confidence in what my role could be - and it could be anything! Like I said earlier, we just bounce ideas off of each other all the time. I didn't think DJing could do much for the agency, but then I came to realize that my platform and networks could. Also, being around so many creatives, I feel like my own level of creativity grew. We each have designated roles, but they aren't fixed, we can take on any job required, really - don't worry, I'm not going to be designing anyone's logo or anything, but you know what I mean.
What do you hope to see Gxxrls accomplish?
I hope to see Gxxrls go international. But before that, I hope for us to grow our clientele here in Toronto, do more charitable collaborations, and start mentorships for younger female creatives. Gxxrls has so many dreams and goals - our ambition is through the roof - so as long as we keep on pacing ourselves, I know we'll get there. I think longevity is very important for Gxxrls, as it should be for all female movements because some people think this "girl power" thing emerging in Toronto is just a trend, and it's not a bandwagon to jump on to promote yourself or your business. We actually believe in the long-term empowerment and uplifting of women and hopefully Gxxrls will get more people to support that.
Where do you see the music scene going in the next few years?
I see Toronto taking over. We already have a handful of big names influencing the entire music industry - front stage and behind the scenes - I can only see it going up from here. Toronto, to me, is like that soft-spoken kid who was unsure of him/herself, a late bloomer, who was overlooked, and now is finally taking off their braces, got contacts, and is realizing their full potential.
What does the idea of “chasing your passion” mean to you?
It's probably everything that I am right now. It's what I decided to do when I dropped out of school and disappointed my parents lmao. Before, the pressure to start DJing haunted me, now I'm driven to keep it going. I think to chase one's passion is one of the most important things in life as far as one's purpose and happiness.
If you could impart one piece of advice on your younger self what would it be?
I'd tell my younger self to get off her ass and get busy! I actually still tell myself that to this day. Procrastination is such an ugly thing and I honestly still suffer from it, but time flies. I turned around and my son was 7... 7!!! I don't want another 7 years to pass me by and me ask myself what did I even accomplish? I'd also tell my younger self to stop doubting herself and not to be afraid. I'd put things off all the time, not because of laziness, but because of fear. You won't know what the outcome will be unless you do it, and do it now!
Toronto is on the cusp of cultural takeover and inching its way to the credibility in the likes of LA or New York. The potential that has been overlooked for so long is finally proving that we are worthy of international acclaim. Pushing boundaries and gender stereotypes Kelsey is chasing her passion and learning as much as she can to improve the craft she loves every single day. Constantly thinking of ways to grow and improve she doesn’t waste a moment she thrives with the unpredictability of each day. Kelsey and her crew are here to show that these Gxxrls aren’t going anywhere they’re just getting started.
Use Code: Get 15% off your next online order by using: DJ-KILLA-KELS at checkout.
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Living in Canada means something different to everyone and most have a different journey on how they’ve come to call Canada home. That’s what makes Canada special; its diversity, inclusivity, and providing space for its citizens to grow and prosper. Alen is the epitome of the Canadian citizen; immigrating at the age of 6 after fleeing Iraq he has created a life he loves. With a passion for photography he curated his craft through years of practice that now allows him to travel the world. We were lucky enough to catch him in between flights and talk about immigrating to Canada and how he found his passion along the way.
How did fleeing Iraq shape your perception of the world?
We tried to flee twice, once when I was 2 years old before finally making it to Turkey on the second try when I was 6. It made me appreciate the stability that comes in certain places around the world. It also gave me an appreciation for meeting new people and seeing as much of the world as I can. I value culture a lot so I’m always trying to find culturally rich and diverse places to visit. The more people I meet the more people I get to share my experiences with, my story. But also receive their story and get to know who they are and travelling has really allowed me to do that. Otherwise I would have been a very introverted individual but being able to get out of my comfort zone and pushed into environments where I wasn’t familiar really allowed me the freedom and opportunity to really see what’s out there.
Why did your family decide to move to Canada, why not the US?
We were talking to the consulate there and he was asking us where we wanted to go and we chose Canada because it just made sense. It wasn’t a country that was causing any issues in the East and there wasn’t much negativity towards it at that time either, it is a very neutral country and so it was a very easy decision to make.
Did immigrating and moving veer you towards a more travel-focused career?
I think it definitely had a part in it, but also I think deep down to my core I believe that I don’t belong in one place. I feel like the world is meant for everyone to see and experience and some people have the luck and opportunity to see it and others don’t.
How did you get introduced to photography?
I began experimenting with photography while I was travelling; my dad bought me my first camera. I began to truly appreciate the art, I wasn’t just taking photos I was creating images that compelled people to travel and inspired them to want to see the world in a different light or even just to try something new and not be so discouraged. I was always hesitant on so many things growing up, ‘oh I can’t do that because it might not be safe’ and I was always thinking about that safety net. Photography really allowed me to experiment and break a lot of boundaries for myself.
What’s the most important aspect in each photo you take?
I think it’s a combination of things, I want to document my experience and that is one of the most important things. I’m not just there looking for things to photograph, to me that doesn’t make me who I am. I want each photo to somewhat tell a story but more express a feeling I had. Hence why my photos are very moody, I try to capture the feeling that I have everywhere I go. I like to create things not just capture them.
How has being a Canadian citizen shaped your identity?
I never ever tell people I’m just Canadian actually its one of the things I’m very proud of is to say I’m Iraqi-Canadian. I was born and raised in Iraq, I moved to Canada and now it is my home but I don’t separate the two. I think that in order to tell someone who I am it’s lying if I say I’m just Canadian. I also like to show people around the world that diversity is a part of who I am.
Absolutely, what truly sets Canada apart is its diversity, there are more people with a sense of duality with their nationality.
Canada has brought together so many people from all walks of life and they’re accepted because of their differences and everyone gets to share their story and build Canada to what it is today. That’s very unique, most countries you go to have been around for a long time. Everyday there’s a new thing happening and I like that we’re still inviting immigrants, we’re still supporting people and also just making Canada a better home for its citizens. Its not just about bringing people and giving them the opportunity it also benefits us. Bringing people in is having friendship.
Your life is enviable from a social media standpoint, what would you say to somebody that wants to chase his or her passion?
It’s always finding what you’re passionate about and then discovering your passion in the world. I didn’t become a photographer so I could travel the world; I wanted to travel the world and became a photographer who shares the world. Most influencers started out truly loving what they were doing as a hobby or passion and from that the opportunities came.
Do you think Canada provides more opportunities to chase their passion than others?
Absolutely, I think there is tremendous room for creative people and people who are chasing their passion. We are so diverse across the entire nation. You go to Vancouver and there is a different vibe and feel and art scene and that’s amazing. Going to school is a huge component too; a lot of people think that education is just for someone that wants to go to school, find a job and work in a specific career. No. Education is about enlightening yourself it’s about learning as much as you can about the world. Fundamentally I want to do something in the art and design world but I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t gone to University.
Where do you see yourself moving forward?
In the next ten years I really hope to have a design studio of some sort for creatives and allow them to work on projects that come through the door. I like working with interdisciplinary people and who are as diverse as I am so that I’m able to learn from them and create something new that is touched by many people not just one. It’s all about unity and I think that’s the core of what Canada is and I look at that when it comes to my art.
A modern day nomad Alen exemplifies what it means to be a citizen of the world, creating an international community through his photography. He inspires others with the notion that achieving your dreams is possible with the right amount of passion. Showing the world that home doesn’t necessarily need to restricted to one defined location and that unity can be found in diversity. Immigrating to a country that encouraged his dreams has allowed him to thrive by pushing creative boundaries and country borders. People used to have the American Dream but the land of opportunity may be moving north.
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How did you come up with the idea?
I’ve sat with the idea for awhile, I thought buying tampons was embarrassing or awkward and I remember sitting on my dads couch crampy and tired, just wishing someone delivered tampons and he would always say 'stop complaining and just go do it'. If you don’t do it somebody else will. I would be out partying and somehow my conversations with people would always end up with me talking about my idea. I guess because I was passionate about it I would always end up talking about it but I never did anything about it.
When did you decide it was something you wanted to seriously pursue?
I had a really secure job at the hospital, making good money and it wasn’t until 2015 when my mom got really sick, she’s doing really well now but that experience was really scary and after that I had new eyes about things. Life is so short, what am I doing, am I happy? My thinking was that I wanted to add more value for people and I thought I could somehow use this idea to be in touch with people and create value for people. So that’s what pushed me to do it.
Why was it important for you to incorporate a charitable aspect into the business and how did you choose the charity?
It was important to me because when I started doing research to launch the company I was shocked by a lot of things I was learning. First being the toxic nature of the tampons I was using, the same ones that my mom used. I’m kind of a geek from my healthcare research background so I really went deep into the literature. I was looking at all these journals and there’s a lot of controversy around using synthetic fibres because its cheaper than having 100% organic cotton but also more harmful. I started to learn about the fact that 80% of girls in East Africa have no access to tampons or pads. So they are literally making do with whatever they can find, there is also such a lack in education.
How did you decide ZanaAfrica Foundation was the right choice?
I looked into a few Foundations that did that kind of work and really liked the ZanaAfrica Foundation. We did a Skype call and I learned that they work with 21 community agencies in Kenya so they are employing the Kenyan people, they've created their own pad and packaging and working collaboratively with the girls there which is really cool and different. They also hold education workshops with the girls, which I think is so important, the learning along with the products.
Lets jump into your No Shame campaign, tell us about that.
I wrote a script for a promotional video I wanted to do and Yazmin who did our logo introduced me to a copywriter friend of hers. He took a look and asked if he could pitch it to Cossette, then they invited me in for a meeting. I pitched the idea to them and they offered to work on the creative free of charge. It was so cool to have such a big agency to invite me in and back the idea. So I paid to produce the posters and then we worked collaboratively to create the idea. They were in 100 bathroom stalls (both mens and womens) throughout the city. Now we are talking about our next campaign.
What kind of feedback did you get from the campaign?
People love to talk especially about something so seemingly controversial. That was kind of the point, to get this conversation started and shock people or make them potentially uncomfortable and make them question why they’re uncomfortable with that.
Where do you hope to see the conversation go moving forward?
The point for me is to get people talking about it, with any subject that’s taboo the less you talk about it the less change that can happen. For example with this topic some advances have happened where the tax is removed so its not considered a luxury item that’s taxed, so if Viagra isn’t taxed tampons shouldn’t be either. The point is to get the conversation going so that change can happen. Changing the way people think of it as a luxury item to knowing its something everybody needs. It’s in everybody’s benefit if we just pay attention and treat it as such.
Can you tell us a little more about the events you host?
I called the last event ‘A Women’s Worth’ and it was all about finding your worth internally. I think our society is so set up where you feel like you have to search outwardly in clothes or guys or getting the job or whatever it is. The whole goal was to kind of say you’re inherently worthy and until you realize that none of those things are really accessible to you. In my mind it’s a kind of vibration, once you can cultivate that within yourself it’s just a matter of time before those things start coming to you.
What's next for easy?
For me building a network of women was really important and opening a dialogue with them. One thing I want to continue to do is host our in person events, we did two last year, and they were so meaningful. When you have people in the same room there’s a certain energy you can feel and a conversation that can happen that otherwise wouldn’t happen. Using it as a platform to showcase inspiring women and really empower women. I want all of our messaging and content to make them feel good and every event they walk away from feeling good about themselves.
The idea was a simple solution to a monthly inconvenience but has grown into a movement that aims to impact women globally. This conversation somehow still remains a complex puzzle society refuses to put together, but Alyssa is here to keep putting the pieces together. She aims to normalize the topic altogether questioning people’s insecurities and discomfort surrounding the subject. Female rights are human rights, and women are taking control of both their bodies and futures.
]]>The women behind Girls Only embody the vision of the collection; to inspire and empower women across Canada.
]]>Alyssa Bertram: Founder of Easy.
Alyssa is the founder of a feminine hygiene delivery service called Easy that aims to make your life much easier. She is determined to start a conversation with women about their bodies and how they can let go of the shame and feel empowered. Her focus is self-worth, encouraging other strong independent women to support one another in their career and personal growth. Stay tuned for a full interview with Alyssa coming soon!
MJ DeCoteau: Founder of Rethink Breast Cancer
MJ has restructured the way people approach Breast Cancer, founding one of the most innovative non-profits called ReThink Breast Cancer. The genetic disease has personally impacted many people across the country, which is why creating a platform that supports and educates others is so important. MJ has improved the lives of those with breast cancer through the work ReThink does. She has surely left a mark by impacting those living with breast cancer, and those indirectly affected by it.
Taveeta Szymanowicz: Artist
The moment she walks into a room you feel like you’ve been friends for years. Her electric energy fills any space with positivity. Taveeta is a one-woman powerhouse that is always on the go. Her passion has her dancing, acting and singing all around the city and beyond. She has created a platform called 'Veeta Girl' as a way to empower young girls and 'Liberum Dance Project' to empower dancers while giving back to charity. Check out the full interview we did with Taveeta last year to read more about her inspiring journey through the arts.
Liz Trinnear: Television Host
Liz Trinnear has earned herself a spot on one of the most prestigious entertainment networks in Canada. Brushing shoulders with iconic Canadians and Hollywood's elite, her personality allows for magnetic and comfortable interactions. Her quick wit and charisma have allowed her to move smoothly through the industry while remaining unapologetically herself.
Christina Cheng: Creative Multi-Hyphenate
Christina wears many hats; social media strategist, content creator, stylist, and mother. She prefers the term creative multi-hyphenate to embody all her accomplishments. Rotating between various creative agencies throughout the city on a daily basis, she always has multiple exciting projects on the go. When she isn’t pushing creative boundaries she is raising the next generation.
]]>Well it’s official, 2016 is a wrap! With that, we’re ready to embrace 2017 with open arms and an open heart. We’ve been so fortunate as to receive an immense amount of support from the people in our community. Peace Collective has been growing, and it’s taken on a life of its own since it came into this world just two years ago. We’ve since come to the realization that there are truly no limitations to just how far this project can go. We are so very grateful for all the love and support we have received from each and every one of you. Without this, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do, so thank you.
When we started this project, it was our vision to create a truly Canadian Brand while fostering a passionate energy, and living one’s life to its fullest. This was essentially brought to life through our one-for-one model, where for each garment sold we are able to provide two healthy meals and a snack to a Canadian child in need. Our aim is that by helping those in need with additional resources, it will encourage them to foster their passions and reach fuller potentials in their lives. But we did not stop there.
This past year we launched the Peace Foundation; it’s our registered not-for-profit organization that allows us at Peace Collective to increase our commitment to the community. This year we have expanded our one-for-one model beyond just that of garment purchases. We partnered with Spinco, a cycling studio based in Kelowna BC, which recently opened up its doors here in Toronto. What brought us together was our shared passion for inspiring others and making a difference. Together we started a weekly initiative, Spin it Forward where every Monday the studio hosts a class based on donations only. All proceeds from Spin it Forward goes towards the Boys and Girls Club of Canada, where each donation provides a child a week’s access to recreational sports. We are excited to say that we have more partnerships in the works for 2017.
Not only have we been hard at work creating a greater sense of passion and inspiration within our community, but we’ve also taken this ideal into our own company culture. Just a few months ago we opened up our flagship location here in Toronto, and with that we saw our team double in size. We’ve been so grateful for all the hard work from our staff, this has been a huge learning process for us all. We wanted to ensure that we were fostering the passions of all of our employees, as we know that many of them have dreams of becoming designers, writers, and PR personnel, just to name a few. And so with that we have been carving a space for them to cultivate or perfect their craft. We can really say that our team is comprised of individuals who are passionate about what they do. It comes full circle: in chasing our passions we enable others to do the same.
When we started this we wanted to ensure that we were doing our part in encouraging a nation where we help and support one another. We love this country and the freedoms and ideals it stands for, and there are so many truly amazing people living in it. We can confidently say that we have been showing up for our job day after day, trying to make it an even better place. There is so much more to come, and we are thrilled to have you along for the ride, once again, as we continue to say Home is Canada.
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What does an average day look like?
I have a certain amount of set days where I’m either teaching at a studio out of town or I’m working with my creative studio team to curate something for a client or a photo-shoot with an artist. So it’s very random but at the same time I control it so I set the tone for the week. Right now I’m spreading the culture of hip-hop in towns outside of Toronto, I’m teaching in Oshawa, Whitby, Brampton and Vaughn. So I go to these studios and I teach these youth hip-hop from the roots so they aren’t just learning the steps they understand the culture too; it’s a good way for me to spread awareness and expand on our community.
How did you get introduced into dancing?
Interesting story, my upbringing was meaningful and I wouldn’t change a thing but I did some dumb stuff in High School and I got assaulted by a lot of people one time and it was life changing. I realized, I haven’t done anything worthwhile in my life and I want to make my family proud and I want to do something impactful in the world. So I went searching till one day I was in a mall (Scarborough Town Centre) and saw these guys heading to an odd area of the mall so I followed them and found out it was a community centre, and the program was Tropicana. They have computers to print resumes, counsellors for troubled youth and a dance studio. So I saw this one dude spinning on his head and doing all this crazy breakdancing and I was fascinated. I was naturally drawn to it so I asked him if he could teach me. And for the first time in my whole life there was no strings attached, he said he would teach me right then and there. I had the opportunity to learn from someone that I thought was good and there was no issues, no problems, just free, inviting, and inclusive. So that one situation changed my entire life and I’ve never looked back since because of that person, His name was Andel James.
After than encounter what did you do next?
So he put a reference in for me as I was doing motivational speaking at the time, so it was full circle. I met him, learned how to dance, and then ended up working with them at Unity. I found a random hole in the wall, they gave me an opportunity, I got away from the gang mentality and I became a youth advocate. He helped me as a kid and I knew I had to do the same; you need to always give back.
"One situation changed my entire life and I’ve never looked back since because of that person."
What kind of motivational speaking do you do and how did that start?
So I went and did a talk at my High School for free. The principle then referred me to the Students Commission of Canada who then works with youth to get grants and across Canada to motivate youth and better the community. So they hired me for this project that was in the process of getting funding they wrote my name into the plan got and Project Peace was born. (public education against crime eradication.) So they would go into schools and work with police to talk about anti-gun, anti-gang bullying initiatives, and I would give an hour-long talk everyday for three years straight. So over the years I’ve spoken to over 750,000 youth and because of that on my resume Unity Charity hired me. I want to motivate them so they can be champions for the future and eventually I want more kids to do the talking.
Tell us about your studio, Rightfoot studios.
I had a drop in base, high-level hip hop studio, so if someone comes in and they want to teach a class they can rent the space and we can mutually promote it. Someone can make $500 a night at my spot within an hour instead of going somewhere else and making a $30 cheque at their place. Its made for the artist, that has been my model since day one and I’ve never had to change it because its been mutually beneficial for the artist and myself. It was always booked and they were always coming back because they were making enough to maintain their lifestyle.
What is your plan for it moving forward?
What I want to do is open another facility where its more about developing artists, if you’re already good, have a fan base, how do we take that to the next level and create a brand out of you. Basically developing artists and the main slogan is developing the best artists in Canada since 2011 because we’ve already kind of been doing that. The facility would be a one-stop shop for anyone in the industry that wants to develop themselves.
What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?
A pinnacle moment I think is when I see something that the youth are drawn to and being able to access that has always been a key thing for me. Seeing youth come up through programs that I had a hand in facilitating and then watching them on stage beside me that’s where its at. Those moments have to be the most memorable and rewarding so far.
How has living in Toronto impacted your life and career?
Living in the concrete jungle really shaped my tough exterior/inter R&B lover way of life, I learned from the OG’s of the street how to hustle and make something out of nothing and I immersed myself in Hip-hop as soon as I was put onto it. We are in the mecca of diversity and I have understood and respected that since day one which is reflected in my career and how I do business. Toronto is the right kind of busy with a decent population for opportunity to sprout, being able to travel quite a bit I still haven’t found another place I'd live over Toronto. Yet.
"While you have the energy, put in the work."
What does the concept of chasing your passion mean to you?
I believe in going 100% in anything you do. So chasing your passion would fall into creating a plan and outlining it step by step so you aren’t just running around screaming “I want a million dollars”, Its all about the How and the Why. If you can answer those two questions you will be largely ahead in your goals.
What message or advice would you want to impart to anyone who’s just starting out.
A lot of people never had role models and people before them putting in leg work, we're in an age where information is readily accessible its just up to you what you fill your head with. Align yourself with 5 associates that are like-minded and doing better than you and watch and learn. Your friends will be there if you have balance in your life so don’t worry about being lonely. While you have the energy, put in the work. If you find something that works, rinse and repeat as you find ways to level up. Don’t let people that haven’t successfully done what you are trying to achieve tell you that you will fail. Give back as much as you can.
Through one simple act of kindness David was introduced to dance, now years later his commitment to giving back provides thousands the same experience. Using self-expression as a method of self-improvement he surrounds himself with people who share the same passion. After finding what you love dedicating yourself to it is necessary for the development of yourself and those around you. Combining his passion and talent for dance he has created a national community that enables him to impact thousands. With no signs of stopping and building a strong community this is just the beginning of his empire.
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Tell us about yourselves and how the group got together.
The band that you see today is galaxies apart in the way it looks and sounds from WOTE 1.0, the project that Gianni and Marshall started back in 2006. This first take was more raw and stripped down, but that said, the ska reggae roots and optimism that animated those early songs, I think, still shapes the music we produce today. The roster that you see today came together in 2011, the year before we broke out with our Five-People-One-Guitar video, “Somebody I Used To Know.” Since the video we’ve continued to break new ground creatively and that’s been on full display in the videos, music, and the live presentations that constantly flow out of the WOTE workshop.
Why did you join?
Firstly I dug the music--and the good vibe--that emanated from these two guys. There was something special there. But the other thing that really hooked me, and intrigued me, was the novel way they were talking about reaching out to their audience through YouTube. Believe me, I know what it’s like to play to 30 people, in Goderich on a Tuesday night, 27 of which you’ve trucked in yourself, and walk away 125 bucks in the hole at the end of the night. I love playing, but paying to play, well, that is both bad business and karmically exhausting. Ha. So the idea that you could reach out and touch tens of thousands of fans through social media, and avoid three hours in a drafty cargo van eating Hickory Sticks seemed to me to be almost magical at the time. As it turns out, a half a billion You Tube views later, I am convinced: it really is magic.
"Having a positive outlook, believing that good things can and do happen is not something that you just stumble upon, it’s a decision—and a decision you need to lean into."
Did you know you were always going to be creative?
From an early age there was a very high probability that vocationally it was either urban-organic egg farming or…music. Curiously enough, the corner office at Goldman Sachs or the space program, neither of these ever really seemed to be in the cards. My parents were very musical people. As regular performers in musical theatre they lived and breathed musicality, and so my brother, sister and I all grew up thinking that ducking the batons of masochistic classical piano teachers and sitting around the breakfast table singing Bavarian Christmas carols were just things that families did. So yeah—perhaps by process of elimination—yeah, I suppose I knew.
What’s your favourite aspect of what you do?
I truly enjoy playing. But being able to do what you love in front of people that appreciate the art you create, that’s a spiritual experience and nothing less. I also enjoy the fact that my life has become a little unpredictable—and I mean this in a completely positive way—because of the band and the travel and the whole routine that goes along with it. I’ve met fascinating people, I’ve shared the stage with my musical heroes, I’ve been in places and in situations that I would have never been otherwise if it wasn’t for being in a band. Except for being away from the people I care about, I love the whole package.
What makes you the most proud to be Canadian and why?
I’ve always been proud to be Canadian. In a personal sense, one of my proudest moments was just recently when we were asked to perform the national anthem at the World Cup Hockey Championship at the ACC in Toronto. For me it brought a bunch of things together: my music, my passion for hockey, and just being Canadian. But, you know, the broader question is difficult one because when you are a Canadian you can’t see Canada from the outside, as others see us. That’s why my pride swells when I hear about Canada as a reflection, from people I meet around the world who see us as a dynamic, creative, generous and compassionate place. They envy our cool. And that warms my heart.
Being a talented multi-instrumentalist what motivated you to learn so many instruments and what is your favourite to play?
Basically I’m a piano player. And for a lot of reasons it’s easier to transition from piano to bassoon than the other way around—though, for the record, being a concert bassoonist is not on my bucket list. The piano is the one instrument where you have a bass line, chords, melody and counter-melody all happening simultaneously. It gives you an innate understanding of how the parts of a song fit together and the role that each instrument plays. And so, when I pick up a new instrument I already know what it is that I’m trying to accomplish. Then it becomes just a matter of moving my fingers.
"I also enjoy the fact that my life has become a little unpredictable."
You guys regularly use an eccentric repertoire of instruments, from toothbrushes to a didgeridoo. What inspired you to reach outside the standard instrumental tools?
Gianni brought this to the band. He’s got this weird ability to see something that’s not a conventional instrument and hear how it can be weaved into the arrangement of a pop song. Most people see a microwave oven door, but Gianni, he hears it. This open-mindedness of Gianni’s, in a creative sense has rubbed off on all of us. That said, in terms of execution, more often than not if you ever see us perform, I’m usually the one with the turkey baster in his hand or shaking a bag of walnuts.
What message or advice would you want to impart to anyone who’s just starting out.
First, we always believed that you’re only going to get where you want to go if you own the journey, and all the pitfalls and accomplishments along the way. You can’t wait for others to make things happen for you. Finally, it takes some drive, and it takes a bit of moxie, but it also takes being positive. Having a positive outlook, believing that good things can and do happen is not something that you just stumble upon, it’s a decision—and a decision you need to lean into.
Choosing a life off the beaten path can be terrifying to most but to Mike Taylor it was undeniable. The intrigue of influencing people across the globe was something that could not be ignored and therefore chased. With the outlook that goals are not stumbled upon but chosen, breaking the mould is when you can begin your journey on the winding road to happiness. From turkey basters to toothbrushes, if you put all of your creative energy behind it, anything can be possible. Creativity is emanated from each member and when combined the results are as unique as each member. With a group as diverse in talent as Walk Off the Earth the ability to wow the world isn’t random, it’s inevitable.
]]>Tell us about yourself.
A textbook overachiever with heavy shades of rhinoceros. An average dude with a dream job. Personal space is optional.
What brought you into this industry?
Gravitated towards sports as my favourite escape, realizing there wasn’t enough talent inside this chubby body to compete professionally, so the next best thing was to work in the industry that broadcasted, featured and profiled the talented ones. I am one of millions that suck at sports, but immerse myself in them.
What’s your favourite thing about what you do/your industry?
Like an Olympic podium, there are 3 levels. Bronze: Full creativity to entertain audiences with athletes, actors and entertainers. If someone really likes an interview, then it was probably my producer Dave Krikst’s contribution or editor Owen Ewers making a change/suggestion. Silver: Having a dream job at the leader in sports in Canada. TSN is an iconic network and having the iconic Kobe Bryant on TSN mapping out the exterior glass case where I’ll live in his personal museum is a dream with a shade of nightmare. Gold: Getting millionaires to laugh and not like, “everyone laughs at the rich guy or the boss’ jokes” type of laugh. When the athletes laugh at a question or something stupid coming out of my mouth or a silly prop, that’s my favourite part of the job.
"I am one of millions that suck at sports, but immerse myself in them."
How do you come up with the skits and interview styles you have? What’s the process?
Fear and stress. Also, there’s a conversation with my producer Dave Krikst about an athlete and we consider three things: What hasn’t the athlete done before? What are they willing to do? What can I get away with on TSN? From there, we brainstorm separately and combine ideas the day before a shoot. And there’s still stress.
What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you during your career?
TIE. Craziest things that happened to me during my career, I had no real business doing. Kobe Bryant invited me to fly to Lakers practice in his personal helicopter. I am the only member of the media to fly in his helicopter. Pretty sure cookie crumbs were left in the back seat. In 2008, Chris Osgood (winning goaltender of the Detroit Red Wings) held the Stanley Cup to my lips and I drank champagne from it. I did not earn, will I ever earn the privilege of drinking from the most famous trophy in Canada’s history. Years later, I ate Cap’n Crunch (2012), Lucky Charms and M&Ms (2014) out of that same Stanley Cup. My brother Mike Richards is to blame for those ones. Don’t tell mom.
What does it mean to be Canadian?
To be Canadian means to be respected, adored and slightly weird.
What sets Canadians apart, be they professional athletes or fans, from the rest of the world?
Canadians sets themselves apart by being compassionate, cool and completely down for whatever. Have you ever traveled abroad, met Canadians that didn’t offer to buy you a drink, didn’t share something with you or didn’t want to do the most dangerous thing everyone else was doing? Hasn’t happened in recorded history.
What's the most accurate Canadian stereotype you've come across?
The most accurate Canadian stereotype is that women in Canada are beautiful. ACCURATE. Been falling in love with them since my birth at Mt. Sinai Hospital. There’s also this thing about hockey, but the women though…
"Canadians sets themselves apart by being compassionate, cool and completely down for whatever."
Outside of sports, what’s something you’re passionate about and would spend your time doing?
Need to spend more time creating lifetime experiences and memories for others. Love seeing videos where kids or communities are surprised by athletes or brands repairing, rebuilding or refurbishing playing fields, parks or anywhere we kids can live active lifestyles together.
If you could pick one place in Canada to visit, where would it be?
I only want to live in Toronto. Yes, “classic centre of the universe, d-bag” attitude. You’ll get over it.
What makes you most proud to be Canadian?
Feel proudest about Canada because this is a country of inclusion. When there are global crises, citizens fleeing conflicts can come here to build new lives. This is very important. Also, Canada invented ketchup chips. That shouldn’t go unmentioned. Lastly, we need a to start a campaign that identifies Canadians as the ones that invented kissing. Perhaps hire a US firm to do it. Canadians aren’t good at self-promotion.
Toronto is the centre of Cabbies universe and a place that has allowed him to pursue his passion for sport while incorporating an aspect of hilarity. He is the embodiment of the easy-going, fun loving Canadian, a person we are proud represents our country on the international stage. His personality is infectious and the effortless nature of each segment is what makes people drawn to him. We can’t wait to watch as Cabbie continues to bring his carefree charm to the sports industry. His charisma and humour allow his interviewees to open up and feel relaxed as if they are talking to a friend rather than a journalist, and that is exactly how we felt.
]]>Pushing herself to achieve not one thing, but everything she dreams about. We sat down with Taveeta to discuss her love of dance and entertainment.
]]>Everyone has seen a shooting star. It rapidly burns through Earth’s atmosphere, emitting a fleeting streak of light before it’s swallowed by the night sky. Rarely, though, do we see that same energizing force in a human. Taveeta is one of these humans. She moves through life unapologetically passionate about the things that she loves. Pushing herself to achieve not one thing, but everything she dreams about. We managed to sit down with Taveeta to discuss her love of dance and entertainment, where it has taken her and where she plans on going next.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Naturally, I’m a performer and entertainer - I love doing it all. I started with dance when I was 6 and that gave me the drive and discipline to apply myself to everything I’m doing today. Professionally, I’m a dancer and actress and I’m currently working on my music career. I want to break into the music industry since acting, dance and singing go hand in hand for me.
On the acting side of things, I’m involved with theatre, TV and movies. This December, I’m starring in Ross Petty’s production of Sleeping Beauty at the Elgin Theatre which I’m really excited about because it’s a great family event that I’ve been a part of for a year. I also just finished filming a movie called Jazz Hands written by my friend Kira Murphy. My character is the fashionista but I can’t tell you more than that. We’re hoping to have it launch in 2017.
What got you into the world of dance?
I started dancing when I was 6 and fell in love with it instantly. From the get-go I took it very seriously and knew it was something I wanted in my life forever. It didn’t come to me super quickly but I worked hard and I was fortunate enough to get to a level that took me to my professional career. My whole life has consisted of waking up, going to school, going to dance, coming home and repeating. It will always be something that has given me all these opportunities and helped me be where I am right now.
What drove you when you were younger?
What drove me was knowing that I was doing it for myself. It was just my passion for it. When I first started out I was never that competitive kid who tried to outdo everyone. I understood that my love for dancing was all that mattered. I just worked at it and I knew that one day I would be the most flexible and most talented one but that I had to work at it. Eventually, I got there.
Today, I’m working on music and acting and it’s still the same thing that drives me - my love of dance.
“I’ve learned to know being different is amazing”
What pushed you to pursue it as your career?
It actually was something that fell into my lap in my senior year of high school. My best friend called me before the day of auditions for The Next Step, which is one of the TV shows that I’m on, and told me to go audition for a part. It was super last minute, so I just went in hoping I would get a dancing role - I didn’t have huge expectations. They ended up developing a whole new character for me and I’ve been with the show for three seasons now. That was my breakthrough and I will forever be grateful.
After that, I got myself an agent whom I instantly clicked with and soon after, booked another TV show on Nickelodeon called Make It Pop.
What has been the biggest challenge for you in getting to where you are today with dancing?
Time management in high school was very difficult. My school would end and I would be at the studio for 4-5 hours after that. I had to be really organized and put myself on a strict schedule so that I could do both my school work and my dancing. I missed out on a few social events but at the end of the day, it was so worth it because it’s what brought me here.
Today, it’s deciding where to put my energy because I want to do so many things. Right now I’m filming a movie called Jazz Hands which is set to come out in 2017. I can’t say much about it but it was really fun to play the role of the fashionista in the movie. On top of that, I’m trying to work on my music. It’s a challenge trying to make it all work. I’m figuring it out slowly but it’s definitely a work in progress.
What is your biggest passion? Something you would be doing if it weren’t dancing, acting, singing and performing.
My biggest passion has always been geared towards working with kids and giving back however I can. It does kind of go back to dancing because I teach and am a choreographer. In the future, I want to open up a school for kids who don’t have the opportunity to pay for dance classes.
I’ve started a lifestyle brand and blog called Veeta Girl which is the platform through which I’m trying to empower young girls and women in dance. The premise of the blog is beauty, fashion, fitness and girl talk geared towards being true to who you are and accepting everything about yourself. Through Veeta Girl, I’ve already collaborated with a jewelry brand called AVEL. We’re designing chokers coming out in October. Proceeds of the choker sales will be donated to Because I Am A Girl since, on my side of things, Veeta Girl is all about empowering women and I love everything that charity does for girls in developing worlds.
I also have an improv based dance company called Liberum Dance projects where we move for those who can’t move. Proceeds from our shows, projects and workshops are donated to Easter Seals, a non-profit organization helping children with disabilities.
Are you in school?
No but that’s on my list. I’ve been fortunate to continue to work and book new projects so I haven’t been able to go to post-secondary but it’s something I do want to do. In the future there’s so many things that I want to do so I would get a business degree to facilitate those endeavours.
What’s your favourite part about living and being from Toronto?
My favourite part would have to be how diverse and multicultural we are. To be able to walk down the street and see so many different types of human beings is really inspiring. It constantly fuels the love and positive energy that’s so important in life.
How do you think your city has shaped you to be who you are today?
Because the city is so diverse and full of culture, it’s an extremely accepting and open-minded place. There’s a place in the city for everyone and I think if I wasn’t exposed to that, I wouldn’t have gravitated towards all of the things I’ve gravitated towards. I’m constantly trying to fill myself with as much knowledge and culture as the city can give me.
“We are on fire and I’m so proud to be from here”
If you could describe Toronto and Canada in one word, what would you use?
For Toronto I would say “fuego”. We’re just on fire and we’re not going to be able to put it out.
I know this is two words but for Canada I would say “peace makers”. I truly am just so proud to be Canadian. We’re leading in positivity and peace making so much that other countries are noticing. We’re pushing our values and energy into the global sphere and it’s inspiring to watch.
What makes you the most proud about being Canadian? Why?
I love travelling and saying I’m from Canada. We’re game changers. More and more people ask me to tell them about Canada and Toronto when they find out where I’m from. It’s a sign that we’re doing something right!
If you could pick any other place in Canada to live, where would that be?
I actually just came back from an international tour and spent a lot of time traveling through Canada. I loved Vancouver. It has a city vibe and a relaxed nature. It was a really nice and refreshing take on how a city can run. I would love to spend some time there and maybe even live there for a while to see what that scene is like. If we had their waterfront in Toronto that would just do it for me. It’d be the cherry on top of a delicious cake.
It’s not surprising that Taveeta is a performer. Her presence is contagious and her enthusiasm for her life is infectious. One minute of speaking with Taveeta puts it all in perspective. Of course this girl - who is as talented as she is grateful - is rocketing through life. Taveeta moves with the impetus of her whole city. The only difference between her and the shooting stars we grew up venerating is that her flame isn’t fleeting and just like her country, it can’t be put out.
Writer: Sarah Eskandarpour
Photographer: Alen Palander
]]>At 16, Marissa Papaconstantinou is already making an impact in both the Canadian and global community.
]]>At sixteen years old, Marissa Papaconstantinou -- born without a right foot -- is already making an impact not only in the Canadian community, but in the global community as well. She’s spent her life experiencing exciting things such as being an ambassador for Holland Bloorview Hospital, inspiring an exhibit at the Science Centre and competing against women twice her age around the world. Today, the excitement has risen to new levels, but Marissa and her support system keep it business as usual, not letting the potentials of the 2016 Summer Paralympics distract her from focusing on what she loves. We were lucky enough to catch her -- as well as her friend Caterina and her sister Kristin -- before practice to ask her a few questions about what drives her, what she loves about Canada and what having a disability has really done for her.
I was taught to do what I love, to do what makes me happy and to never give up, because disability is an extra-ordinary ability that makes the impossible, possible."
What’s something people may misunderstand about having a prosthetic or a blade?
Marissa: People have a really big misunderstanding about people with disabilities that do athletics because they feel bad and think “oh that sucks that she’s born without a right foot” but in reality, it’s something I can’t complain about. I’m travelling the world and getting to experience so many amazing things because of it and it’s something I wouldn’t be doing if I felt bad for myself.
The Science Centre did a whole exhibit centering around you so how does it make you feel when you hear people calling you one of their role models or someone they aspire to be like?
M: Being part of the Science Centre was really cool because it gave me the opportunity to inspire others through something as simple as being athletic with a disability. Being called a role model is something you can’t put into words. It’s a really good feeling. Knowing that other kids and people can look up to me and think “she can do it so I can do it too” is something really, really special.
What’s been the hardest thing for you on the #RoadtoRio?
M: The most challenging thing has definitely been the training getting a lot harder since last year. It’s been really exciting, though. I’m still young - I’m only 16. I’m not going to say “I’m going to win a gold medal” because I won’t be at that level until I’m 25. I’m going for the experience, I’m putting my name out there and I’m showing everyone that I can compete with these women at 16 years old and perform amazingly alongside them.
Who or what is it that drives you and keeps you going when things get tough?
M: Something my parents teach me is to always be grateful and have a positive attitude. No matter how difficult my day may be, I’m still so lucky. I have a family that cares about me, a beautiful home and I get to live in a safe place in the world. I was taught to do what I love, to do what makes me happy and to never give up, because disability is an extraordinary ability that makes the impossible, possible.
How has it been balancing school, social life and training?
M: During the week is when my practices are so I focus on track and school and then during the weekend I have a little bit of fun. The best way I can balance myself is to just do it and not complain about it. And we have ILIP at school which is kind of like study hall.
Caterina: But we’re in the same ILIP so we never get any work done.
Okay, so what does a typical school day look like for you?
M: I wake up at seven
Kristin: I wake her up.
M: Yeah, she wakes me up. I get to school about 8 and sit in the cafeteria since I’m there early, then I have class throughout the day until 2 when I take the bus to training. I do some sort of training from 4-7 depending on the practice and then I’m home at 7:30. After that it’s homework, eating and bed. They’re really busy days but they’re good.
What are you doing when you’re not training?
M: Well, I train all year round but I get little breaks here and there so after I come back from nationals next week I’ll have a week or two off. I like hanging out with my friends and family doing fun things. I’m just relaxing as much as I can.
C: She also low key sings.
M: Yeah, if I’m just at home and I’m bored, I’ll just sing.
K: I’ll be trying to sleep and I’ll just hear her singing in her bedroom.
Outside of track, what’s something else you’re passionate about and would consider pursuing in your life? Would it be singing?
M: It wouldn’t be singing because that’s more of a thing I do out of enjoyment and to unwind. I don’t really see myself doing anything else because sports has been such a huge focus in my life. I’ve been into sports since age 3 so I’ve never thought of anything past that.
What makes you most proud about being Canadian?
M: Last year when I was at World's people would ask me where I’m from and after I’d say Toronto, they’d think that’s the coolest thing and express that they’ve always wanted to visit. Just hearing those words made me feel so proud to call Toronto home. It’s a huge thing right now. Toronto is really trendy and people look at us and say ‘“oh that’s so cool, I want to be a Torontonian!”
Why do you think that is?
M: I don’t know, probably Drake plays a huge part in it. The city itself is just so beautiful and I think people here underestimate it.
C: Yeah, we don’t realize as much as other people until they come up and say “oh my god thats so cool, Toronto is so cool.” We’re used to it so we don’t realize how amazing it is until someone from somewhere else points it out.
Where is your favorite place in Canada?
M: Toronto is for sure my favorite. No matter what, anywhere I go I always love coming home because I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
What’s something that you guys want people to know about Marissa?
C: Marissa is one of the most well-rounded people in every aspect. She never complains and always puts people before her no matter what.
K: She’s very determined. We get very competitive with things like potato sack races. The stakes get very high. But it’s fine because we do a lot of things for each other. She’ll take me to really cool places because of her sports and then I’ll be the one making her food at home because she’s lazy.
Marissa has experienced things that most of us can only dream of experiencing, all while living with a disability some may call exactly that - disabling. After only a minute of speaking with her, it’s clear that she has no room in her life for anything less than positivity, support and a powerful work ethic. In her preparations for Rio, Marissa is gearing up for her most impactful life event yet and through this journey, she’s teaching the rest of us what happens when you follow your passions and refuse to let a small circumstance define how your life unfolds. For us at Peace Collective, we could not be more proud to have Marissa be on track to represent our city, our country and our home.
]]>For 28-year-old Schulich graduate Eyal Rosenblum, the past decade has seen his leadership in the growth of two successful Canadian non-profit initiatives, and the mentorship of young social entrepreneurs.
]]>For 28-year-old Schulich graduate Eyal Rosenblum, the past decade has seen his leadership in the growth of two successful Canadian non-profit initiatives, in addition to a major project aiming to connect young social entrepreneurs with resources for support and mentorship.
Operation Groundswell, for which Rosenblum is currently the Executive Director, is changing the culture of travelling and volunteering abroad by leading programs across four continents that more sustainably and holistically approach voluntourism through immersion, education, and partnerships with local institutions. A second project of his, Heart-to-Heart, now in its sixth year of operation, gathers a group of 20 Israeli youth - half identifying as Jewish, the other as Palestinian - for a seminar at the Otty Lake summer camp, Camp Shomria. It aims to address racism and inequity and build a better, shared Israel. We visited Eyal at the vibrant OG headquarters to chat about the intersection of business and charity, taking on daunting tasks in your 20’s, and social innovation in Canada.
How did you get involved with non-profits?
Good teachers, I would say… and not like middle school teachers, though I’m sure I must have had a few of those, too. I grew up at a very weird summer camp, [Camp Shomria,] that was run like a small village; the director is 21 years old and is democratically elected by the staff. Issues of social justice, issues of what it means to be a good citizen, a good human - all these things were all brought to the forefront for me at this camp. I guess it kind of instilled in me an understanding that I have a lot of privilege… and because of that there’s a sense of obligation to ensure that others can get a fair shake.
How did that translate into your involvement with Operation Groundswell?
I can’t take credit for starting OG - that would go to [two other Shomria alumni,] David Berkal and Jonah Brotman. They started it in 2007 after their first trip to Ghana. Essentially, they landed there and recognized that this place was totally different from what they’d seen in the news and in typical “save Africa” commercials. It was a bustling city full of culture, language, joy, and also extreme wealth. Of course, you can’t not notice the extreme poverty, but it really changed their view of what Africa was… So they found eleven brave backpackers to join them. The program was really there to show other Canadians that Ghana isn’t just poor sad orphan babies; it’s a lot more. Through that experience the participants came back and decided that other people needed to have trips like this, and need to really connect with other cultures in this way. That’s when they came to me to start planning a program to Israel and Palestine. They said, “here’s kind of our basic principles of what we do: provide as many different perspectives on the conflict as possible… except your own.” I loved that notion and was totally drawn to it, so in 2008, I drank the OG Koolaid.
How did your time at Schulich influence or deter you from that route? Off the bat, it seems kind of antithetical to the non-profit route.
It for the most part is - but they had a small subsection of people at Schulich that were dedicated to non-profit management, and that route is filled with awesome people who are doing amazing things all over the world today… What I really respect about that program is that it pushed us to apply the same kind of management and business principles that you see in the for-profit world to the non-profit world. You should build a business plan to determine funding, you need to create hiring standards and practices that value people with clear experience over people that only have passion, things like that. It focussed on the questions of: how do you operationalize your values, and how do you turn your passion into a tangible force?
"Never be afraid to start a side project"
Would you say that these organizations did arise out of a passion, or a feeling of necessity or obligation?
Probably a mix; I would say, though, that without passion, [necessity and obligation] don’t exist. I think for Operation Groundswell there was a clear trend in volunteering abroad - but a lot of it was for-profit, a lot of it was exploitative, and we wanted to show that there could be an ethical alternative that could be successful. We saw a need in that industry to voice our concerns for volunteerism.
You were in your 20's when you started both Operation Groundswell and Heart-to-Heart. Did they feel like daunting tasks given your age?
Totally. It cuts both ways: when you’re in your 20’s you don’t have the experience that you can draw upon to navigate your path for something new and different. At the same time, you also tend to not have the same risks… [which] opens up a lot of opportunities. The other good thing about being young is that it’s really easy to get advice, because people that are older than you want to give advice… I think a lot of people who are in their 50’s and 60’s think to themselves “that’s fantastic, I wish I did that when I was that age.” The challenges are a lack of experience, and managing people older than you, which can be difficult if they see your age as a barrier to what you’re able to do.
How do you define success in your industry?
It’s different for every project. For Operation Groundswell, success for me would be defined by responsible and ethical travel becoming the mainstream, where millions of people look at the environmental, social, and economic effects of their travel. If millions of people were making lasting connections with others from all over the world, where they’d have a real deep sense of who they are and why their culture is the way it is. For Heart-to-Heart, it’s no less than peace in the Middle East.
Why run a coexistence program like Heart-to-Heart in Canada?
I was approached by Givat Haviva, which is an organization in Israel directed towards peace initiatives between Israelis and Palestinians. One of the directors there wanted to create a program that would help Jewish and Palestinian youth understand “the other.” Having grown up at this summer camp that had these wonderfully progressive values, we recognized that we had a space where we could bring them outside the conflict, where they weren’t being influenced by the media, by their schools, by their parents… A lot of these kids don’t get that chance because they’re stuck in a conflict zone. I felt like taking them out of that atmosphere and allowing them to just be young people would provide them a great starting point for dialogue and communication about how to make Israel and Palestine safer and more equal.
What is Canada's place in the non-profit world? What can we do better?
I think, generally, the Canadian public and non-profit industry tends to think small. The other thing I don’t like is the mentality that with anything you fundraise or any revenue that comes in, all of it needs to go towards providing the services you say you provide. For instance, if you’re doing Run for the Cure, most Canadians would be really upset if they found out that 50% of the dollars fundraised went to operations… I think that’s kind of weird, because for me, if I could give a marketing director a million dollars of the two million dollars I raise, and with it they can help us raise ten million, I don’t see why that’s a bad thing. So I would rather work for the organization that spends 50% on overhead, than the one that is using only 1%... but is affecting only small change. If we are aiming to hire great talent, we need to be able to pay for it… and if we want to solve the world’s biggest problems, why wouldn’t we be trying to hiring the best talent? We have a lot to learn from the for-profit industries when it comes to this.
Do you see Canadians moving away from or towards providing more ethical options for where to put our dollars?
The trends that I’m seeing in Canada right now are towards a lot of different social movements coming together around climate change, which I think is amazing. I expect there’ll be a lot of new jobs coming up in clean tech, in resource management, things like that. There’s also a shift towards greater awareness towards indigenous rights. Both will be met with a backlash because when people are making big strides towards a social change, there will inevitably be more fights to be had - but ultimately, as Martin Luther King said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
For city dwellers with full-time jobs in other industries, what is the best way to make a positive difference?
I would say the first step is becoming informed. I believe that the world is on fire and that there are a lot of really terrible awful things happening, but that most of us don’t take the time to learn or read about it, because we know that if we do we would feel compelled to act. The second step is to be critical of what you’re being informed of: where is this information coming from? Who benefits from it? If you do those two things first, I think you’ll find where your passion is, and from there, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved. And never be afraid to start a side project, because Operation Groundswell was once a side project, and now it’s become an organization that’s running forty programs a year.
]]>Toronto is a city full of creatives, all dedicated to their art and how it can impact the community.
]]>Written by Amanda Schroeder
Toronto is a city full of creatives, all dedicated to their art and how it can impact the community. Ballet is an art form that has dominated the performing arts world for centuries, allowing the precision and fluidity in each movement to capture the spectator from first step to last. The National Ballet of Canada was established in 1951 and has been a pivotal centre for the arts. I had the opportunity to sit down with two talented ballerinas to discuss their passion for dance and art. After being introduced to dance at a young age, they have both refined their skills and dedicated their careers to their art. Having trained at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto prior to pursuing full-time careers with the company. Clare Peterson is an Apprentice and Calley Skalnik is Corps de Ballet at the National Ballet of Canada.
What does passion/chasing your passion mean to you?
CP: Passion to me means that you want to work hard at something and feel a responsibility to share that with other people. By sharing your passion you are expressing that what you feel is important and could be applicable to someone else's life. Pursuing ballet fulfills me and I want to share that with other people because I think it would touch them and have an impact on their lives.
CS: I think it’s how you translate your passion practically; it's about how you channel it into your work. It's about discovering and deciding what to do with your love for the art form, because you can be passionate about dance but never take it anywhere. Depending on what roles you're given throughout your career, there will be certain ones which you are more passionate about because you can identify with it and you’ll take it and run with it. There are other times that you’re given choreography that may not suit you or be your style you’re like blah. It's about knowing that you love dance and finding how you can put your passion into those roles that you don’t identify with or relate to so well. Once you can do that you’re fulfilled in your role as a dancer. Being passionate about ballet means it is an art form I can’t keep to myself, I can't contain it or be still without knowing that my art is having an impact.
What does the lifecycle of a ballerina look like from when you start to when you finish?
CP: It really depends on the dancer, it can be a really personal journey as far as what you do and how long you dance for. Some people can dance until their mid forties and others will get injured or pursue another career earlier on. The timeline for dancers is an individual one. Most people start dancing ballet around ages 5-10 and it gets serious between ages 12-14.
CS: Once you’re 12 to 14 the girls are in pointe shoes. Once you start doing pointe work you are putting in more hours and it's hard and it hurts and you know you’re serious when you start going into that. Up until that point dance, can be more of a hobby.
CP: Usually from 18 to early 20’s people audition for professional companies all over the world. Once you are accepted into a company you’re considered a professional ballet dancer. Some people will dance with one company and move up the ranks; whereas others will work at various companies depending on where they want to live, who they want to work with or what repertoire they are interested in.
How do you measure your success in the arts?
CP: I think it is difficult in the arts to measure success because art is subjective. You could perform for someone and they might think it’s the best thing they've ever seen but someone else in the audience may not like it at all. I think your success has to come from within because you can’t always rely on other people to validate that you’re doing well. Personally, working hard and doing what I love everyday is satisfying and to me that’s success. I relish in seeing improvement in my dancing and giving everything I have to an audience in a performance. If I have done that then it was a success in my eyes.
CS: You can’t be waiting for affirmations. For me it’s the understanding the reasoning behind what you’re doing, why you’re dedicating so much of your life and your time and your energy to your art, because not everyone will appreciate it. It's not for everyone but once you realize and understand that what you’re doing is making a difference in some way, that’s success. You are successful if you channel your passion into your art and use it to communicate effectively. Changing, influencing, or impacting even a single person's ideas by sharing a piece of yourself is success. Being able to relate to people through something you love so much and work so hard at is fulfilling for both yourself and the audience.
Have you ever second-guessed the path you chose?
CP: I think everyone goes through phases where they are unsure if the path they have chosen is the right one. I’ve struggled a lot with injury and sometimes people take injury as a sign that they should stop dancing. That’s happened a few times to me but I’ve kept going because its my passion. When I first started auditioning for ballet companies I came back after a month of traveling with no job offers, everyone had said I was too weak and needed more time. A few months later out of the blue I was approached by the National Ballet of Canada. They had seen my improvement since my initial audition and wanted to offer me a contract as a apprentice. Its easy to second guess the path you have chosen when your timeline of how you think your career should go is not lining up with reality. I learnt from this experience that you cant always focus on your timeline, that if you keep working at your passion opportunities will come your way in their own time.
CS: You have to put yourself out there to be seen, you can't give up on yourself. You have to make connections and prove to yourself and other people that what you want is achievable. There isn't an ultimate goal or specific position that you are aiming to achieve. I'm passionate about ballet because it is a continual journey. As a dancer, you're getting new roles and doing new things but you’re not necessarily moving up the corporate ladder. You’re not becoming CEO and then you’ve made it, you have to love everyday. You have to love the constant work and the change and the struggle. I've definitely entertained the idea of doing something else, pondered other paths and thought about what my life would have been like if I hadn't sacrificed so much time and energy to ballet, but as soon as I'm dancing onstage or in the studio there’s nothing else I would rather do. I can't imagine my life without dance, it just fulfills me.
What advice would you give to someone looking to chase their passion but worried they aren’t able to because it doesn’t follow a traditional path?
CP: I think that they should just go for it because in the end if its something that you want and you are passionate about it’ll happen if you work hard.
CS: I think you have to come at things from different angles and know that even if someone else has done it one way does not mean it will work out the same for you. But keep going for it in different ways. Say dance for example, you might try to become a ballerina but that’s not right for you or your body or you’re not entirely passionate about it. There are so many other genres of dance or things that you can use your talents for that still contribute to ballet. Be creative and don't give up on yourself.
CP: Also just keep trying, everyone’s timeline is different and you cannot compare other peoples journey to your own. Every time I've set myself up with a timeline and said if I check all these boxes I will achieve this it hasn’t worked out the way I planned. Instead something else has happened but it actually opened another door to make me happier. It's good to take a step back when things aren’t working out the way you wanted. Give yourself time and have patience and it will work itself out, just not in the way you thought.
CS: If its what you love you’ll find another way or another time to make it possible. Because Clare’s right, there is no timeline that you go along and check the boxes and then reach your end goal. It doesn’t work like that because everyone’s different. You just have to be patient and persistent in your own path. Just keep working at it because there will be many barriers along the way.
CP: A lot of it is luck and timing. I’ve seen amazing dancers not succeed because they’ve given up early. Some of the most successful dancers were the ones who were underestimated, but they kept working hard and pursuing their passion and went further than anyone ever expected.
CS: You can’t hold yourself to someone else’s timeline or standards or what they’ve done. There’s no “once I’m 16 and can turn 5 times or jump this high by the time I’m 20 or do this role...” it doesn’t work like that. You have to keep at it in your own timing.
Identifying your passion can sometimes be a difficult task, for Clare and Calley it is a question that is easily answered. Most people don’t get to chase their passion on a daily basis, often hindered by busy schedules, with only small windows to enjoy what they truly love. These girls have created a life where they are able to do the opposite, filling their days with innovation through dance. Ballet is a demanding art that is not easily mastered; however through dedication, practice, and refining your craft the rewards are incomparable. Their passion for their art is all consuming, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Images 1,2,4 by Karolina Kuras
]]>Androgyny, genderless, gender-fluid and unisex, all of these terms encompass an idea very close to our own Canadian history.
]]>Lately, when it comes to the world of clothes and fashion, Canada has been embracing androgynous style and casual wear. Canadian Instagramers and bloggers like @vanessacesario_ and @dentellefleurs are great examples of people who turn plain unisex items, like t-shirts and jeans, into a way of expressing their individual style and aesthetic.
Many of the trending pieces Canadians are wearing today are suitable for both and all genders. From white sneakers to jogger pants, toques and bomber jackets, most of the items are available in both male and female sections of a lot of stores.
We as Canadians can take some pride in the way we dress without the need to stick to gender stereotypes. Stepping out of our gender when it comes to our clothes and personal style is definitely a stronger possibility; clothing trends for men and women are being combined into one, cohesive collection. Canada is blossoming into a place where your sex and your gender don’t have to dictate the way you dress and express your uniqueness within this growingly diverse community.
Writer: Aliyah Guillemette
Editor: John Molina
Image: @mr.shoub
In honour of Fashion Month, we teamed up with MindOverModel to remind our traveling models that we’re so proud of them for chasing their passion.
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It’s no secret that for us, home is Canada. We’ve cultivated friendships and memories in a space that so many different people pass through. For some, home may be a person or a place they’ve travelled. Really, it’s the relationship you feel with a thing, place, person, or community that gives you the drive to chase your passion. It’s knowing that, no matter where you are and what you’re doing, you always have home to come back to.
For the friends chasing their passions around the world, we hope our survival kits reminded them that they always have Canada to call home and that we’re all rooting for them while they do great things. If you’re still trying to figure out what your passion is, there’s no rush. In the meantime, take a look at what these models have to say about what it means to chase their passion and who knows, maybe you’ll find enough inspiration in them to jump into doing what it is you love.
“It means to not let anyone tell you what you can or can’t be, or what you can or cannot do. And enjoy the ride while you’re at it!"
— Ashley Foo @ASH_FOO
“Knowing that if I want something I’ve never had, I have to do something I’ve never done”
— Madison Leyes @MADISONLEYES
“No matter what the circumstance, you find a way to do what you love. It’s about focusing on the positive things in your life and using that to motivate you to be better, do better and try harder to accomplish your goals and never having it feel like ‘work’”
— Jane Bradshaw @JANEBRADZ
Whatever chasing your passion may mean to you, we hope it keeps driving you to affect change in your lives and make Canada a place we’re proud to call home. In our models and our broader Peace Collective community, we’re happy to have found our home and to use the support we feel every day to keep chasing our passions and doing what we love.
Credits:
Row 1 LTR: Grace Mahary, Jane Bradshaw, Ashley Foo
Row 2 LTR: Fred Juneau, Madison Leyes, Shelby Furber
Row 3 LTR: Grace Mahary, Shelby Furber, Jane Bradshaw, Madison Leyes
Writer: Sarah Eskandapour