National Disability Independence Day: The Journey to a Barrier-Free Society

July 26, 2021 Shakira Rouse

Speaker, facilitator, author and Creator and Founder of Special Compass: Shakira’s works to help make education accessible for different kinds of learners. Photo credit: Linda Lebreton

July 26 2021, is National Disability Independence Day.

Starting with signing the “Americans with Disability Act” (ADA) in 1990, July 26 became National Disability Independence Day, in commemoration of the act.

Block Boy: The Story of Jeremiah Ranger; Part Three: January 7, 2016

July 9, 2021 Pastor Bill Sunberg

For the last 18 months of his life, Jeremiah Ranger never went to school.

Not one day.

That sounds shocking, I know. But the reality is that this meant he was only in school slightly less than previous years due to his frequent suspensions. He would be suspended for 20 days, return to school for a short time and then get suspended for another 20 days. It was a consistent case of educational whiplash.

The Bloom Red Project: Student-Led Non-Profit Tackling Period Poverty and Stigma in the GTA Community

July 8, 2021 Krystal Grover

Flyer for donation drive occurring on July 8th. Photo credit: Krystal Grover

Amidst the ever-growing list of civic and social justice issues slowly being brought to light in our world today, one especially prevalent problem remains hidden in the dark; period poverty. Period poverty refers to the inaccessibility of period products, waste management, basic sanitation such as toilets, proper disposals and soap, as well as lack of education regarding menstruation. Period poverty exists across the globe and impacts millions of people every waking minute. Even right here in Canada, 1 in 4 women have to choose between buying period products or buying food - a choice that absolutely no one should have to make.

York University Climate Solutions Parks are Putting Students at the Forefront of the Environmental Movement

June 29, 2021 Ayesha Khan

Students and faculty pose during a solar panel installation February 29th, 2020. Photo credit: Codrina Ibanescu

As part of a series of climate-friendly initiatives, York University’s faculty of Environmental and Urban Change has been working on a number of innovative Climate Solutions Parks, both on campus and throughout the wider world.

“I cannot forget.” A Ugandan-Canadian Refugee’s Reflections on their Experiences in Canada

June 21, 2021 Issra Ali

Samuel Kisitu sits on a subway car in Toronto. Photo credit: Matthew Best

In light of World Refugee Day on June 20th, which is recognized by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Downsview Advocate interviewed local Downsview resident Samuel Kisitu, who fled political persecution in Uganda, asking him to reflect on his experience as a refugee in Canada.