In January, hundreds of people gathered outside Queen’s Park to protest the provincial government’s plans to cut tuition grants for low and middle income students.The Ford government announced sweeping changes to OSAP. Grants that many middle to low-income families relied on to in order to afford obtaining a post-secondary education will change. The new rules will not only greatly narrow the number of Ontarians who qualify for grants but also limit the number of those who can qualify to get OSAP loans at all. The provincial Tories also announced that they would eliminate the 6 month grace period so recent graduates would not have to pay interest. In addition, the grant-to-loan ratio will now make it a minimum that students have to have a minimum of 50% loan - limiting the amount of grants. Many students and critics have greatly criticized the cuts to OSAP by highlighting how they compound the problem and create more barriers for those who are seeking post-secondary education. “The Ford government is going after low-income and middle-income students by cutting grants, making loan support harder to get, and cranking up the amount of interest they’ll pay,” MPP Chris Glover from Spadina-Fork York said, “This is going to mean more debt, holding back young people already desperate for relief from debt.” The PCs softened the blow of these changes by adding that they would cut tuition by 10% and would freeze it at the same rate for the following year. The 10% cut will come from the funding the government pays institutions. This will force schools to restructure their budget and many are skeptical that the difference will come from the salaries of high-up administration but rather will come from schools’ bursary funds, course allocation, and student support systems. Glover predicts that courses will be cancelled, classes size will grow, and contract faculty will be laid-off as a result. He added that it is the students who will pay for these cuts by receiving, “two years of a lower quality education — followed by skyrocketing tuition in 2021 to make up for the shortfall.” Many have criticized that the 10% cut in tuition as deceitful and as a strategic move to distract from the cuts to the grant and loan supports. OSAP’s crippling levels of interest rates and the huge burden of debt that too many young Ontarians are forced to grapple with has made this a dire situation. Ontarians who pursued post-secondary education are already under stress and Ford’s moves will make future decisions to pursue post-secondary education even more difficult. The previous OSAP system was rightly criticized because of its high interest rates and its scant debt relief options, but the PC government’s changes to OSAP have made it even more dysfunctional. “The government should not be cutting grants, it should be converting [already existing OSAP] loans to grants and eliminating all interest,” Chris Glover noted.One thing we know for sure is that making OSAP more unmanageable and creating more barriers to access post-secondary education has inspired thousands to take to the streets and protest.
Downsview teachers investing in the future of students
A few years ago at graduation season, William Wallace and his colleagues found themselves watching a familiar, yet despairing, scenario unfold. In his 15 years as an English teacher at Downsview Secondary School, Mr. Wallace watched students who were extremely capable, make the decision to forego pursuing a post-secondary education because they simply could not afford to attend. This is despite having overcome significant challenges and still excelling academically. “Growing up is hard. Throw in a bunch of factors: socioeconomic status, mental health, unstable housing, racial injustice... Stress and pressure on young people in those situations are far greater,” Mr. Wallace explained. As students try to navigate post-secondary careers, those issues compound and they end up missing out on key university experiences such as getting time with professors outside of class to better understand course material or having to skip tutorials because they have to work up to 40 hours a week.Mr. Wallace walked away from that scene asking himself, “Are we going to talk about the issues, or are we going to do something about it?”While being a teacher commands a lot of time and focus, Mr. Wallace, along with faculty members at Downsview S.S. began to fundraise for what became the One City Scholarship Fund almost 4 years ago. They began by asking teachers to ask ten friends to donate fifty dollars and have slowly raised up to $500.00 in single donations; teachers have come together over the years, organizing socials and game nights to raise money. He has also found a community partner in the Esther Myers Yoga Studio in the Bloor Street West community and they have donated proceeds from book sales to the One City Fund.After three years of fundraising, they were able to award four $2,500 scholarship last year to students who were eager to begin their post-secondary careers. The scholarship is disbursed over two years, $1,500 the first year and $1,000 is released in the second year. Mr. Wallace himself graduated from university in 1984, during a time where he was able to earn his tuition in a summer. “The idea that I have any idea what students need is ridiculous,” Mr. Wallace said as he cited this privilege. He has convened a scholarship committee comprised of teachers and past students who have attended post-secondary education to help pick candidates and provide mentorship to scholarship applicants.Mr. Wallace believes that the cultivated model of care existing in high school needs to extend beyond that space and the fund is also designed to help bridge the gap. The scholarship is “aimed at students who will benefit from money and mentorship.” Recipients will grow to become mentors to other post-secondary students. Mr. Wallace contends, “Current insight is brought from recent graduates and those going through university is invaluable.” Candidates need to be academically successful, demonstrate financial need and a capacity to excel. Mr. Wallace describes the past and future recipients of the One City Fund as, “Someone who understands where they are from, where they are going and where they want to be.” Applications for the scholarship opens on February 19, 2019 and welcomes students who are graduating from high school and entering their first year of post-secondary. Visit the OneCityFund.com to learn more about how to apply or donate. The Fund is trusteed by the Toronto Foundation and is distributed by the Toronto District School Board’s Toronto Foundation for Student Success.
PEACH Radio: Planting seeds, growing a community
There is no doubt that the Jane-Finch community has been known for many things over the years – some of which have not always been very positive. This being said, there has also never been a shortage of occasions within the community that are worth celebrating. The launch of PEACH Radio is one such occasion. Community leader, Wayne Black, and Shari Castello, the Executive Director of PEACH (Promoting Education and Community Health), launched PEACH Radio in the hope that it will serve as a platform that would facilitate dialogue in the community by creating an open public forum to discuss issues such as education, mental health, justice, and more. This exciting and innovating project will also provide many opportunities for young and aspiring journalists in the community. Moreover, local businesses and neighbourhood organizations will benefit as they now have a local outlet through which they can advertise and promote themselves.“We want people to be insightful and aware of what’s happening,” Wayne Black says. Both Black and Castello emphasize the need for more local communication outlets in the community, citing the many notable developments in the education and public health front that need to be better publicized. Some of the key focuses of PEACH Radio will include local artists, local athletes, local community organizations and agencies, and the local experiences and concerns of youth in the community. The official PEACH Radio launch took place on May 3 and despite the rainy weather, familiar faces in the community including local artist, Kofi Frempong, and members of the Black Creek Community Health Centre came to show their support. Other locals artists such as EYE 2 EYE and Sydanie and Terence Penny also showed their support by performing for the audience. Both Wayne and Shari hope that this project will bring to the fore underground issues that are often overlooked and to create a forum that will connect local issues, the arts, culture and education to reinforce the voice of the community. Visit www.PeachRadioLive.com today to hear about what’s happening in and around the community.
Our Schools in Disrepair and Disarray
Our schools are valuable public assets. They help set the prices for homes in our neighbourhoods. They set the standard by which our children are able to thrive. They are central parts of our communities and their health affects everyone, whether directly or indirectly. Letting them fall in disrepair to the tune of $15 billion across Ontario, like the provincial government has done, is letting our communities down and putting our kids at risk. Just recently at Derrydown Public School, multiple news sources reported an incident where three children were injured as workers were doing repairs to the school’s roof. Tar dripped down through the ceiling on children below during gym class. Two children were taken to hospital, but thankfully, they are expected to do fine. The larger issue is that this is not an isolated incident. A website called www.fixourschools.ca details some of the incidents: scaffolding injuring a child; another child suffering cuts due to lack of lunchroom supervision; a railing in a playground giving way and resulting in a child breaking her wrist; the list goes on. These are recent incidents that speak to the backlog of disrepair and to the larger issue of inadequate funding for our public schools. Moneys needed for emergency repairs have been taken away by more immediate operational budget needs in our schools for years. This ultimately affects the quality of education in our classrooms over time as the budget gets tighter with the growing backlog of repairs. Today we have less specialized assistants to deal with children that need one-on-one help, we have fewer lunchroom supervisors, and parents are increasingly asked to fundraise more and more to fill in gaps. In the 1990s, the Progressive Conservative government gave developers a tax break by structuring development fees in such a way that they would no longer have to contribute toward new schools in school boards like the TDSB. As a result of this, new construction projects in the City of Toronto have not led to more investments in public schools. This system has been maintained by the current Liberal government, despite their protestations about investments in our schools. Ultimately, developers saved hundreds of millions of dollars through this tax cut in Toronto. The tax cut reduced the funding school boards depended on for capital investments and, as a result, schools in Toronto have millions of dollars worth of disrepair despite the longest continuous real estate boom in Canadian history. The repair work that does take place is often done in case of emergencies, rather than to systematically maintain buildings in a financially responsible way.We can all change this. There are two million school children in Ontario. Our city is growing and we need to ensure that our schools are safe places of learning and that we invest in the public assets that we all own so that they can be used by future generations.
Freedom Fridayz Turns Seven
A full house of youngsters, elders, art enthusiasts and some of Toronto’s emerging singers, poets, rappers and dancers united on January 26 at York Woods Library to celebrate Freedom Fridayz’s seventh anniversary.Many artists including C-Flava, a dance group specializing in Afro-Caribbean dance, inspired five live painters to create full canvas paintings in a matter of hours. The live performances showcased the incredible talent that we are fortunate to have in the Jane-Finch community.“Freedom Fridayz is always dope and it’s a good environment that supports the youth”, says Sheldon, one of the young community members.Freedom Fridayz is an initiative of Black Creek Community Health Centre and The Spot, a youth-friendly space in the Jane Finch Mall.During the Freedom Fridayz showcase, Passport to Employment (PTE) held their Ontario Trillium Foundation Recognition event, acknowledging three years of funding for a youth employment project.Neighbourhood Action Youth Employment Committee (NAYEC), a collaboration of community and employment organizations, recognized the need to increase the employability of youth in Jane-Finch. Passport to Employment (PTE), a project of NAYEC, was created to tackle the issue of youth unemployment.Sheldon believes the program is important for young people, saying, “The Passport to Employment program doesn’t leave anyone behind. That’s what I like about it.”PTE works with five high schools in the Jane-Finch/Black Creek area which includes C.W. Jefferys, Westview, Downsview, Emery and McGuigan. Youth participate in training sessions to learn skills in a fun and interactive way. The trainings include customer service, food handling, HIGH FIVE and first aid/CPR.PTE also serves youth between the ages of 15 and 29 who are out-of-school and out-of-work, assisting them with Smart Serve, fork lifting, first aid and food handling training. The program also offers job readiness workshops to assist youth with their online job applications, resume writing and interview skills.The project is dedicated to increasing future economic opportunity and stability for high school students and out-of-school and out-of-work youth in the Jane-Finch community.For more information, contact Faduma Mohamed at 416-747-5616 ext. 106, or at pte.coordinator@gmail.com.
Community Spotlight: Against All Odds (part 1)
Samuel Boakye was on a downward trajectory in his middle and early high school years. Today, he attends the University of Toronto and runs a non-profit program that exposes marginalized youth to experiences in the field of construction.Samuel moved into local community housing at age 10, his mother struggling to raise three children after her husband had left her some years ago."At my old school, I was a popular, energetic and playful kid." says Samuel, "When I moved, it was like I dropped rank and had to ascend again. There were many terms like 'teacher's pet' that would deter you from taking a positive role and become a target of bullying."Samuel reflected on his feelings of isolation and being bullied when he first arrived. His priority in school was his social status and he reached the top of that food chain as a tough kid with little interest in his studies.The transition to high school meant starting from the bottom once more. Samuel had few thoughts of the future and his focus was on fun and the respect of his peers. It was a time of frequent fights, trips to the principal's office and school suspensions.Samuel speaks of his mother's feelings about him during those years, "I think she had accepted I would never be the smart kid at school. At best, she hoped I would make it through school and find any job I could." By grade 10, Samuel's mother came to believe that her son's only chance of redemption might lie elsewhere; she made the hard decision to send her son to live with his father in Ghana.At the time, Samuel was extremely resentful of her plan to send him to his father. He plotted mischief he would unleash upon his arrival but when he faced his father once more in the flesh, all his plans melted away. "The moment I saw him again it was back to the drill sergeant and cadet." says Samuel with a grin.Samuel's father was a successful businessman back in Ghana, managing and owning over a dozen pharmacies. His father demanded discipline of his son but had no time to administer it so he sent Samuel to a boarding school where he would live on campus and under strict rules and supervision. At this new school, Samuel observed something that was incredibly surprising: some of the coolest and toughest kids also were the most academically involved. This was in stark contrast to the youth culture he was used to, which he described as idolizing mediocrity and apathy towards studies.Despite this realization, Samuel continued feeling resentment and disinterest in his studies. Half a year passed and Samuel's grades continued to be poor, so his exasperated father took him out of school and sent him to live with his two uncles. It was during this time with his uncles that two defining moments happened in Samuel's life, setting him on a path of reflection and ultimately redemption...to be continued next month
A Strike for Real Food and Real Jobs at York University
If you have ever bought food at York University, you likely didn’t spare much thought for the person serving you. We tend not to think much of the people serving us but they think a lot about us. At York, they even think of their customers as their kids, making sure that they serve good food and provide a good service. Customer service isn’t easy, with many hours on your feet to serve an often fickle public -it’s a job that can be made even worse with bad management. The situation at York illustrates this perfectly.Food service workers at the university are not directly employed by York and are not covered by any existing labour agreements with York employees. Instead, York has contracted out the operation of most cafes and restaurants on campus to Aramark, a company notorious for not paying employees for the hours they’ve worked and for firing food service employees for speaking out about unsanitary working conditions. It’s hardly surprising that many of these workers privately admit that they would never eat at an Aramark operated shop because of the number of health code violations they’ve seen on the job.The circumstances at York are hardly different, but at least they are members of a union. In addition to the health code violations, many employees who’ve worked there for over ten years are still not considered full time and are not even eligible for benefits. Unite Here, the union covering the workers, has also documented instances of Aramark managers using racist names for their employees, many of whom come from Caribbean countries. In at least one instance, a manager kicked an employee hard enough to leave a bruise on her shin. This employee was later suspended for being too loud – the fact that she is part of the union bargaining committee makes this management decision highly suspicious.The situation has deteriorated to the point that a strike vote taken in December passed unanimously – there were no members who voted against the measure. Real Food Real Jobs, a campus organization of students, faculty, and community members who work to aid the workers, has held information sessions so everyone on campus knows what’s at stake and what to expect.Not all shops on campus are operated by Aramark; sympathizers can visit the Real Food Real Jobs website or Facebook page to see which shops to avoid during the strike. Winter is a difficult time for a strike so let’s all show our support.
Breaking Barriers through Art in Toronto
Ojo Agi is a Toronto based Nigerian-Canadian artist. Her artwork seeks to explore races or identities that are often ignored in contemporary art. In 2012, Ojo worked with Alex Folzi on an exclusive t-shirt collection. In 2015, Ojo Agi's art was featured in a pop-up gallery in Ottawa, Ontario.HA: Tell me about yourself. Can you explain your transition from a Tumblr account to a personal website?OA : My name is Ojo Agi and I'm a visual artist currently based in Toronto. I've always loved making art and about six years ago I started posting my artwork online. I received a lot of positive feedback, which encouraged me to continue making art, but the downside of social media platforms is that you lose control of the context once you post online. People were reposting my work and it was rarely credited back to me. Two years ago I made my own site, which has helped to contain my work and act as an online portfolio.HA: What is the message that you try to convey through your pictures?OA : Growing up, I rarely--if ever--saw people like me represented positively in the media I consumed. So writing stories and drawing pictures has been my way of making up for it. At the core of it (message), is representation, but simply representing women like me in non-stereotypical ways has also been an act of resistance against white supremacist, patriarchal standards.HA : Where do you gather inspiration for your art work? Are there any artists who have influenced your work?OA: I take in inspiration from so many sources--photographs, fabrics, people on the street, other artists. Some of my favourites are Dessie Jackson, Stella Blu and Daniel Segrove but I have many, many more.HA: When "marketing" your work to people what techniques have worked and what has not ?OA: I'm still trying to figure that out! But I can say that exposure for exposure's sake is not beneficial. I have to learn to market myself to the right audiences and be selective with how I choose to show (and, therefore, brand) my work. This means saying no to some opportunities and working to create my own if I can't find what I'm looking for. For example, I hosted a pop-up gallery in May 2015 which had a great turnout and helped showcase my art locally. It also set the tone for how I want my work to be shared with the public and gave people an idea of the standard I'm looking for.HA: Have you faced any criticism or misconceptions concerning your work? How have you tried to alleviate such circumstances in which you felt that you were misunderstood?OA: Once someone commented on my Instagram photo that I only drew racially ambiguous people. It was absurd since I was in the middle of posting my "Daughters of Diaspora" collection which was based specifically on reference photos of African models (my Nigerian friend included).I thought a lot of it was chalked up to the commenter's ignorance about what looks "black" or "African" enough. The conversation went back and forth but ultimately I can say this: if there is something you feel is missing in art or media, then create it! One person can't (and shouldn't) represent everyone. So if there's a gap, look for ways you can fill it.
Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire holds its 6th Annual Gala
Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire (PEH) celebrated its 6th annual gala aiming to collect donations in favour of St. Paul School in Corail Cesselesse, Haiti. The event took place Saturday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m., at the Don Valley Hotel and Suites in Toronto.Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire organized an unforgettable event with great food, an amazing dance presented by Rugcutterz Danz Artz and an opera presented by the amazing young man, Jeffrey Smith along with pianist Maria Merkolova.Dr. Eric Pierre, founder of this organization and Honorary Consul, does not hesitate to affirm: "this event is one of the most important to raise funds for the school. It is by working together that we make it possible to finish the construction of the second floor level of St. Paul School.”Since 2008, Pierspective organizes the gala with the help of volunteers and, each time, the revenues help with the construction of St. Paul School. The intention is to provide education to more students at the primary, secondary and professional level in one location.During the Gala, a few people received an award for the humanitarian and social work services they have accomplished. Among them, Annik Chalifour, journalist at the Express Toronto, Akwatu Khenti from CAMH, Maria Masucci and Mohini Basran as well as Father Michael Corcione and Claudio Moser, from the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter.According to Antoine Derose, president of Pierspective, "the Ministry of Education in Haiti lacks resources to rebuild schools and train teachers since the earthquake in 2010. Therefore, charitable contributions, including Pierspective, are extremely important."Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire is a charitable organization created in June 2002 that built St. Paul School in Corail Cesselesse, Haiti. Today, the school welcomes more than 400 students. The organization is currently in the midst of building the second floor of this school so every donation makes a huge difference.To learn more about: visit www.haitiaide.ca or check out their Facebook page: Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire.
Holiday Eating the Healthy Way
There’s no avoiding it. There’s food everywhere you go this time of year. From holiday parties, treats at work, eating on-the-go, and not to mention all the high-calorie drinks.We tend to get so wrapped up in the festivities that we forget all about our healthy living goals. But don’t worry; there are many ways to enjoy this season without being terrified of going near a scale once it’s all over.Try these 10 tips to minimize your calories while still enjoying the festivities:1. Start with a high protein breakfast - Include peanut butter, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, which will curb your hunger and make it easier to pass on those high-calorie snacks. Skipping any meal is never a good idea, especially breakfast!2. Eat a snack before your function- If you arrive hungry, you’re more likely to overindulge.3. Fill up on lower calorie appetizers first- Choose fruits, vegetables and shrimp cocktail instead of nuts, olives and full-fat cheeses.4. Eat your calories instead of drinking them- choose no-calorie or low-calorie beverages (water, diet sodas, lite beer, or wine spritzer) and limit quantities of alcoholic beer, wine and mixed drinks; which can range between 150-300 calories per drink.5. Talk more, eat less- Don’t stand beside the buffet table with the urge to nibble constantly; focus on socializing with people instead.6. Survey the table first- Choose vegetables & salads, lean meats, and small portions of those side dishes you really love. Fill your plate with a rainbow of colors and watch out for those dense hidden calories (ie. cranberry sauce, gravy, butter, whipped cream, etc.). Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.7. Slow it down- Give yourself 15-20 minutes to finish a plate by eating slowly and savouring the tastes and table conversations.8. Choose dessert wisely -considering that they can range from 100-1000 calories, decide which one will satisfy your sweet tooth and limit portion size.9. Get active -a brisk walk after the event will not only help burn off those calories and keep you focused on your health goals during the season, it will relieve stress too!10. Practice saying “No thank you, but everything was delicious.”Sneak in exercise whenever you can by looking for the furthest parking spot while holiday shopping and always choosing the stairs over the escalator. Family gatherings are a great time to get to know the kids better by getting on the floor and playing with them or running after them. Energy is contagious!Fine foods are one of the many pleasures of the holiday season, so allow yourself to splurge on the foods that make it meaningful in small amounts.Always remember: even if you’re not always successful at eating right, compliment yourself for trying and then get right back on track.For more information, visit www.registereddietitian.ca