• In the Blog

    Racism and Colten Boushie

    February 18th, 2018     by Christine Miskonoodinkwe Smith     Comments

    Racism is defined as “the unequal treatment of a population group purely because of its possession of physical or characteristics socially defined as denoting a particular race. Racism is the deterministic belief system which sustains racialism, linking these characteristics with negatively valued social, psychological, or physical traits” (5 Satzewich). Canada is widely believed to be a tolerant society, accepting a diverse range of ethnicities, cultures and religions. Yet Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people is complex to … READ MORE

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    Calpurnia and The Quest to Write the Truth

    February 9th, 2018     by Audrey Dwyer     Comments

    “When starting a play, I ask myself, “What’s the last play in the world I would ever want to write?” Then I force myself to write it. I do this because I’ve found that the best way to make theatre that unsettles and challenges my audience is to do things that make me uncomfortable. I work with stories that I find trite and embarrassing, I keep the development of the text as open and unstable … READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Non Binary World Building with M Téllez

    January 18th, 2018     by Estraven Lupino-Smith     Comments

    M is a member of the Philadelphia-based collective METROPOLARITY, a sci-fi and speculative fiction group that, in their words, uses writing to ride against empire. While I was living in Philadelphia I got into M’s writing through their zine about cyborgs navigating dystopia called All That’s Left. I loved this zine because it re-ignited the old sci-fi nerd in me while opening up new possibilities for queer, trans and non-binary worlds. Interviewing them was a great chance to reconnect and speak about science fiction, binaries, and writing your dreams. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Aftermathematics

    January 17th, 2018     by Anonymous     Comments

    Content Warning: This piece contains discussion of sexual assault and its aftermath, trauma, psychiatry, and includes misogynist and homophobic language. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    “I wish work like this existed in Toronto!” - A conversation with Julia Cratchley

    January 15th, 2018     by Michelle Schwartz     Comments

    Julia Cratchley is the Artistic Director of the Transcendance Project, a contemporary dance company based in Toronto. Starting out as a dancer in a fine arts high school in Richmond Hill, Ontario, she’s gone on to dance and choreograph shows with companies across Canada. Julia is the creator, director, and choreographer for Eve of St. George, an immersive recreation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, inspired by Sleep No More, an immersive show still playing in New York. In immersive theatre, the audience wanders through the set, choosing their own path and even interacting with the performers. Each audience member’s experience of the show is unique. Eve of St. George will be taking over four levels of the Great Hall in Toronto at the end of the month. We spoke with Julia Cratchley about her artistic process and the creation of Eve of St. George. READ MORE

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    Chelsea Martin’s Caca Dolce: Essays for a Shitty Era

    January 3rd, 2018     by Marta Balcewicz     Comments

    Earlier this year, a New Yorker article called “The Personal-Essay Boom Is Over” sparked a heated debate on the truth of its title’s claim. In short, the author, Jia Tolentino, argued that personal essays, the kind written mostly by women, often young women, often writers who are just starting out and who do not get paid much for the online publication of said personal essay, and whose said personal essay focuses on the deeply, often shockingly, personal (Tolentino gives the example of an essay published by Jezebel about a tampon lost inside the author’s body), are a thing of the past. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    What I Am

    December 26th, 2017     by Amethyst Tagney     Comments

    My name is Amethyst, and I’m biracial. Don’t get me wrong — I love that I have multiple heritages to call my own. It means I can relate to more people since I’ve had experiences as both a Hispanic and a white individual. Since I have the dark hair and eyes of my Puerto Rican-Cuban mother and the lighter skin of my European father, I’m usually seen as one or the other. However, my physical … READ MORE

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    What it Means to be a Working Student

    December 19th, 2017     by Erin Calhoun     Comments

    There is one thing that is never simple: money. As a college or university student, things only become more daunting with tuition invoices, rent, bills, and other income-absorbing expenses. Students often hold part-time jobs to accumulate income during their studies; for low-income students this is often essential. Desperate enough, students sometimes enter into stressful and toxic work environments. READ MORE

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    Past, Present, Futures – Indigenous Futurism by Youth Filmmakers

    November 18th, 2017     by Jackie Mlotek     Comments

    The only way to survive is to imagine futures, but it’s even better to create them. Visualizing futures is power. Giving shape to future worlds that aren’t separate from the past, but inextricable to them is what can get us through. This is the gift the young filmmakers at imagiNATIVE explored through their films. imagiNATIVE is an annual film festival held in Toronto every October. imagiNATIVE’s vision is about showcasing, promoting, and celebrating Indigenous film and … READ MORE

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    Rupi Rising: In Defense of (Shamelessly) Loving Instagram Poetry

    October 17th, 2017     by Tita Kyrtsakas     Comments

    After a number of conversations with colleagues, friends, and family, and reviewing online comments, I find that people either adore Kaur’s minimalist style of art or they shake with disapproval. The latter seem to express a similar attitude: this type of writing isn’t “real” poetry, or “I could write that,” or it’s already been done/said. In school, you may have learned about haiku and rhyme pattern, imagery and alliteration. These are important for understanding poetry’s structure, or for an introduction to what poetry has been in the past. But I’d like to consider: how do we define poetry? READ MORE

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    That Time I Wrote a Play About Consent and Didn’t Know It

    October 5th, 2017     by Rose Napoli     Comments

    Content warning: Discussions of consent and situations involving sexual abuse of minors About a year ago, a wondrous thing happened to me: a theatre company wanted to produce one of my plays. Scratch that: two theatre companies wanted to join forces and produce one of my plays. In the glamorous and lucrative world of playwriting, we call this “eating dinner”. I was thrilled. I love dinner! Scratch that: I was not thrilled, really I was terrified. … READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Fat Positivity for the Unapologetic

    October 3rd, 2017     by NiaZamar     Comments

    Recently in the media Black women’s bodies in particular have been under high scrutiny. If you Google Beyoncé or Rihanna right now much of what shows up is focused on their bodies and the changes they are going through. It is clear that Fat is still deemed as a bad word. The internet memes implying that Quantasia Sharpton is too fat to have possibly slept with Usher reveal how much our society literally steals away desirability and humanity from fat women. All the memes implying Rihanna must be pregnant as a way of explaining her recent weight gain are a sad reminder that while the body positivity movement is in full effect we still need a more comprehensive conversation around Fat positivity, one that includes sexual health, desirability and awareness around consent. READ MORE

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    Aboriginal and Native American People: How The Media Sees Us

    September 18th, 2017     by Sara Aldred     Comments

    To most people, Native people are majestic, spiritual and, sadly, a thing of the past. Most people who don’t live in America believe that Native people are all of the above, and with the representation we receive in the media - how could one not think that? And, adding to that, a lot of the media coverage we ‘receive’, half the time Native characters are not being played by actual Native people! Being a Métis … READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Trust Your Audience and Write Well: Roxane Gay on Writing

    August 29th, 2017     by Lauren Kirshner     Comments

    Last month I saw Roxane Gay in an on-stage interview in Toronto, where she was discussing her newest book Hunger, a powerful memoir about trauma and living in an “unruly body.” Gay was fascinating, moving, smart, and funny (as her work always is). As a creative writing teacher, I was especially excited when Gay talked about how she approaches writing. Early on in the interview, Gay discussed one of the most important decisions a writer must … READ MORE

  • Blog Series

    Shamelessly Watching… Gossip Girl

    August 18th, 2017     by Fariha Shimu     Comments

    To accompany our new Mental Health issue, we asked writers to share the guilty pleasure TV that brings them solace when the world gets them down. This is the first instalment in our series. READ MORE

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    Dream Nails: DIY Punk Witches Shaking the Scene

    July 26th, 2017     by Valentina Reetz     Comments

    From The Slits in the ‘70s to Bratmobile in the ‘90s, female-identifying individuals have been using punk music as a vessel for self-expression and social change for decades. Through punk, countless women have found their voices and made them heard. Among these fierce females are Janey, Anya, and Lucy of Dream Nails. Dream Nails is a London, UK based independent band recognized for their energy, spirit, and unapologetic politics. They released their first EP in 2016, and are in the process of crowdfunding for their next project – a compilation of recordings called, “Dare to Care,” which tackles topics of self care and perseverance. READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    The Soundscapes of Self Care

    July 25th, 2017     by Jessica Kasiama     Comments

    As we continue to slip down the slope of sociopolitical turbulence, it is an act of self-care to reserve space for art that reminds us of gold beneath the rubble. It is important to hold space for art that invites us to rise. In September 2016, singer-songwriter Solange Knowles graced us with her third studio album, A Seat at the Table, and as a result, affirmed my presence during a time where I felt invisible … READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Dreaming of starting your own media project? 6 lessons from 90 media activists across Canada

    June 6th, 2017     by Darya Marchenkova     Comments

    If you’ve ever mused about starting your own podcast, ‘zine, photography project, or another idea, do it now! It’s an incredibly fascinating time to get involved in media production. Right now there is an abundance of people involved in making media from the frontlines of movements and the communities hardest hit by our society’s deep injustices. READ MORE

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    Here’s how you can help a friend struggling with depression

    May 31st, 2017     by Anonymous     Comments

    Learning how to be a good support system when you don’t understand what they’re going through READ MORE

  • In the Blog

    Why We Need to Focus On Alternatives to Women’s Incarceration

    May 16th, 2017     by Danika Kimball     Comments

    Over the past 25 years, women’s rates of incarceration have skyrocketed. In Canada, the statistics are grim, as recent reports have confirmed that Indigenous women are among the fastest growing prison populations in the country, as poverty-related crimes and nonviolent drug sentences have translated into life-sentences for many. READ MORE

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