Innis College / en Reel impact: How a 91Թ alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer /news/reel-impact-how-u-t-alum-brought-free-films-toronto-parks-each-summer <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Reel impact: How a 91Թ alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/tops-inside-photo-1-crop.jpg?h=97ec4ec4&amp;itok=butvVQtk 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-08/tops-inside-photo-1-crop.jpg?h=97ec4ec4&amp;itok=pI363uGF 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-08/tops-inside-photo-1-crop.jpg?h=97ec4ec4&amp;itok=sPtKZET5 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/tops-inside-photo-1-crop.jpg?h=97ec4ec4&amp;itok=butvVQtk" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-08-16T10:54:03-04:00" title="Friday, August 16, 2024 - 10:54" class="datetime">Fri, 08/16/2024 - 10:54</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>91Թ alumna and TOPS founder Emily Reid, right, poses with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a TOPS screening this summer (photo by Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/david-goldberg" hreflang="en">David Goldberg</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cinema-studies" hreflang="en">Cinema Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/film" hreflang="en">Film</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">'There are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it'</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For more than a decade, the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) has been a staple of the city's summer scene. Whether it’s a cultural touchstone film or something more obscure, the screenings bring thousands of people together.</p> <p>And it’s all thanks to 91Թ alumna <strong>Emily Reid</strong>.</p> <p>“TOPS exists at the intersection of community, culture, cinema, public spaces, accessibility and affordability, providing programming that is available to everyone regardless of financial means,” says Reid, who is the artistic and executive director of TOPS.</p> <p>The venture began humbly in 2011, just a few months after Reid earned her master of arts degree from the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science’s&nbsp;Cinema Studies Institute.</p> <p>The first screening billed as, “Movies in Christie Pits”, was a small, potentially one-off event, but Reid was determined to tap into something the city craved.</p> <p>“I think there is such a strong desire for gathering and fostering cultural experiences together,” she says.</p> <p>Within a few years, however, the park was packed every Sunday night –&nbsp;so Reid added more shows at more locations. After rebranding as&nbsp;Toronto Outdoor Picture Show and registering as a not-for-profit, Reid started running TOPS on a full-time basis.</p> <p>“I didn't expect it to pay much, and I was right about that. It took quite a long time to take a salary,” says Reid. “And there are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it.”</p> <p>TOPS registered as a charity in 2020, which helped secure new government grants and sponsorship opportunities. This growth made it possible for Reid to hire more full-time staff and purchase better AV equipment to make the organization nimbler and more autonomous.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-08/tops-inside-photo-2-crop.jpg?itok=eO5jRKzh" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Thousands of people flock to Toronto parks every summer to catch Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (photo courtesy of TOPS)</em></figcaption> </figure> <h4>Lights, camera, education</h4> <p>Growing up in the 1990s in small-town Quebec, the only movies Reid could watch were the ones she rented from the local video store. Her favourites included&nbsp;<em>A League of Their Own</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Strictly Ballroom</em>.</p> <p>Reid was infatuated with film but realized she wasn’t a born filmmaker. Her true calling was in film curation and supporting other people’s artistic goals. She knew 91Թ could open the right doors and give her the experience she needed to make an impact.</p> <p>“Toronto always sounded like a mythical place to be,” says Reid. “I knew its reputation as a city of cinephiles and a city of festivals; I’d never been to the Toronto International Film Festival.”</p> <p>For the practicum requirement of Reid’s master’s degree, she worked at Toronto’s historic <a href="https://revuecinema.ca">Revue Cinema</a>, where she pitched and curated her first film series. She also learned the ins and outs of film sourcing, marketing and event production –&nbsp;all essential skills for her future startup.</p> <p>91Թ played a pivotal role in expanding Reid’s industry network. She formed close bonds with the 13 people in her cinema studies cohort, some of whom later became her collaborators at TOPS.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Felan Parker</strong>, associate professor, teaching stream, in the&nbsp;Book &amp; Media Studies program&nbsp;at St. Michael's College, is a TOPS co-founder who has served several terms on the board of directors and regularly contributes to festival programming.</p> <p>“Emily is the driving force behind TOPS, having taken it from humble beginnings to what is easily the biggest and best outdoor movie event in the city,” says Parker. “She is probably the most fastidious person I know, and community-oriented public arts is her passion and vocation.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-08/tops-cover-photo-crop.jpg?itok=q2sUZa2-" width="750" height="500" alt="A large group of people gather to watch a movie screen at Christie Pits at dusk" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption>There’s a strong connection between 91Թ and TOPS, which draws more than 30,000 movie-goers each year&nbsp;<em>(photo courtesy of TOPS)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Parker and Reid have teamed up to build strong ties between 91Թ and TOPS. The organization has hosted numerous for-credit undergrad interns.</p> <p><strong>Isabella Brown</strong>, for example, is a 91Թ graduate who joined TOPS as an intern and is now the organization's program administrator.</p> <p>Despite TOPS’ success, Reid is tasked with overcoming existential threats year in and year out, citing underfunding of the arts. She says government grants are shrinking while inflation is rising.</p> <p>“We lost all our sponsorship funding in the first week of the pandemic. And most of that has never returned, even though our festival is so much bigger, so much more successful than it was in 2019,” says Reid.</p> <p>But Reid is hopeful that TOPS will continue hosting outdoor film screenings for many years to come. She knows the value it brings to the city she now calls home.</p> <p>“When we hear that some arts entity is calling it quits, that doesn't mean something else won't come in its place. But it takes at least a decade to create something impactful. And we don’t live in a time where there are many resources available to create new things,” she says, adding that TOPS is grateful to the patrons who keep the festival running summer after summer.</p> <p>“We need to preserve what we love and what we value as the cultural fabric of this city.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:54:03 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 309021 at 91Թ urban studies course explores wildfire response in Canada's North /news/u-t-urban-studies-course-explores-wildfire-response-canada-s-north <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ urban studies course explores wildfire response in Canada's North</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/GettyImages-499100302-forestfire-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=cb-kcskp 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-08/GettyImages-499100302-forestfire-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=U6kRLHFK 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-08/GettyImages-499100302-forestfire-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Y0SinzQP 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/GettyImages-499100302-forestfire-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=cb-kcskp" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-08-12T15:57:57-04:00" title="Monday, August 12, 2024 - 15:57" class="datetime">Mon, 08/12/2024 - 15:57</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Clouds of smoke billow into the air as forest fires burn in the Northwest Territories in 2015, leaving trees damaged and charred (photo by Sherry Galey via Getty Images)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/cynthia-macdonald" hreflang="en">Cynthia Macdonald</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-cities" hreflang="en">School of Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/geography-and-planning" hreflang="en">Geography and Planning</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/john-h-daniels-faculty-architecture" hreflang="en">John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">As part of a graduate seminar, students and professors visited Yellowknife to study the city's 2023 wildfire evacuation with an eye to informing future policy recommendations</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Wildfires such as the one that devastated Jasper, Alta., in July are becoming ever more common in Canada due to increased record-high temperatures and drought conditions associated with climate change.</p> <p>One year ago, it was Yellowknife that found itself under threat, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-wildfire-emergency-update-august-16-1.6938756" target="_blank">forcing a near-complete evacuation of its 20,000 residents</a>. Unlike Jasper, Yellowknife's homes and businesses were ultimately saved from destruction, but the Northwest Territories capital is nevertheless reviewing its wildfire response plans so it will be better prepared in the future.&nbsp;</p> <p>And the city is receiving valuable assistance from the 91Թ.</p> <p>Professors and graduate students from the&nbsp;urban studies&nbsp;program at&nbsp;Innis College recently visited the city to research disaster response policies and make suggestions on possible improvements.</p> <p>“We ended up designing a course that provided a retrospective on the evacuation experience as it related to government officials and the non-profit sector,” says <a href="https://urban.innis.utoronto.ca/faculty/david-roberts/"><strong>David Roberts</strong></a>, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of geography and planning in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science and director of the urban studies program.</p> <p>“The students are now working on projects that will provide policy recommendations for the future.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-08/Blog2024-06-25_025-crop.jpg?itok=vLtMhmwO" width="750" height="412" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>The view over Yellowknife’s Old Town (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>This seminar, which was also taught by Assistant Professor <a href="https://urban.innis.utoronto.ca/faculty/aditi-mehta/"><strong>Aditi Mehta</strong></a>,&nbsp;is one of several&nbsp;<a href="https://schoolofcities.utoronto.ca/learning-sofc/mugs/">Multidisciplinary Urban Graduate Seminars&nbsp;(MUGS)</a> being offered by 91Թ’s <a href="https://schoolofcities.utoronto.ca">School of Cities</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Roberts and Mehta created the class in consultation with <strong>Rebecca Alty</strong>, Yellowknife’s mayor and a&nbsp;visiting expert, or Canadian Urban Leader, at the School of Cities.</p> <p>Mehta says that the seminar’s multidisciplinary nature was key to crafting a well-rounded response to the crisis.</p> <p>“We were very deliberate in picking students from different disciplines so that we could create knowledge and think about what happened from different perspectives,” she says, adding that students who successfully applied came from backgrounds including geography and planning, forestry, anthropology, landscape architecture and public health.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-08/Blog2024-06-25_031-crop.jpg?itok=C1H7aRbs" width="750" height="563" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>The seminar’s participants pose for a group photo at the Bush Pilot’s Monument in Yellowknife (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>The 10 graduate students visited sites and interviewed government officials, community organizations, residents and Indigenous leaders. They explored how to build improved communication infrastructure in the city and investigated the connections between a local housing crisis and climate change.</p> <p>They also studied how Indigenous Peoples, including members of the Dene Nation living in Yellowknife, suffer disproportionate harms due to wildfire. Research shows that while 12 per cent of the entire Canadian population is at risk, that number rises to 32 per cent for on-reserve First Nations communities.</p> <p><strong>Léo Jourdan</strong>, who is completing his master of science degree in forestry at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, says the seminar provided him with an opportunity to examine wildfire science from a different angle.</p> <p>“The research we do in our lab has to do with wildfires,&nbsp;but from a scientific point of view –&nbsp;in the sense that we try to answer ecological questions about the origins of these fires. So this class was a great opportunity to broaden my perspective and learn more about the human side of wildfires, and I think it did an amazing job.”</p> <p>Jourdan explains that most wildfires are a natural – and&nbsp;necessary – phenomenon. “A lot of the forest in Canada co-evolved with fires, and their ecosystems would not function without them,” he says. “The issue we’re facing now, however, is that the wildfires are getting more intense and the communities closer.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-08/62ae5eac-9f29-46d1-bf74-21deccf14c3c-crop.jpg?itok=VSbpGIud" width="750" height="563" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>The seminar group enjoyed the city’s culinary and cultural offerings (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>For <strong>Lilian Dart</strong>, the course offered an opportunity to explore her twin interests in environmental justice and housing policy.</p> <p>“One of the focuses was to look at how people experiencing homelessness were evacuated,” says Dart, a PhD student in the department of geography and planning.</p> <p>She notes that in the wake of the wildfire evacuation, a team from professional services firm KPMG conducted an audit that revealed significant holes in the system that allowed vulnerable populations to fall through.</p> <p>“People without housing, for example, did not have social safety supports that other people did,“ she says. “They also had comorbidities that affected their health, making them even more vulnerable.”</p> <p>Dart’s final assignment for the course is a policy paper that examines this issue. “My recommendations are mostly to do with how the municipality can better support service organizations in their collaboration with one another. How can resources be co-ordinated? And how can people work together to ensure a more organized response?”</p> <p>&nbsp;Jourdan, for his part, is proposing that Yellowknife adopt the principles of&nbsp;<a href="https://firesmartcanada.ca/about-firesmart/" target="_blank">FireSmart</a>, a national program that leads the development of programs and resources to help Canadians increase their resilience to wildfires.</p> <p>Mehta says Yellowknife’s mayor provided the group from 91Թ with some recommendations of her own.&nbsp;“She gave an important critique of planning education in our country, noting that people rarely study the problems that cities in northern Canada are facing,” Mehta says. “Instead, we are overly focused on big cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.”</p> <p>Roberts says that the policy recommendations written by Dart, Jourdan and the other students will be offered “not just to the mayor, but to everyone else we talked to – those working in the non-profit field and at the territorial level, as well as those who work with the Dene.</p> <p>“We’re now thinking about other ways of presenting this information, such as returning to Yellowknife to ensure that the dialogue we’ve started is able to continue.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 12 Aug 2024 19:57:57 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 308947 at Innis Town Hall /node/308730 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Innis Town Hall</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>laurie.bulchak</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-07-30T00:34:18-04:00" title="Tuesday, July 30, 2024 - 00:34" class="datetime">Tue, 07/30/2024 - 00:34</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-url field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">URL</div> <div class="field__item">https://townhall.innis.utoronto.ca/book-a-venue/innis-town-hall/</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above clearfix"> <h3 class="field__label">Tags</h3> <ul class="links field__items"> <li><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-campus field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Campus</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6953" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> </div> Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:34:18 +0000 laurie.bulchak 308730 at One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives 91Թ honorary degree  /news/one-canada-s-most-eminent-filmmakers-sarah-polley-receives-u-t-honorary-degree <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives 91Թ honorary degree&nbsp;</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-06-17T16:35:44-04:00" title="Monday, June 17, 2024 - 16:35" class="datetime">Mon, 06/17/2024 - 16:35</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J_w6XWPHx-s?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives 91Թ honorary degree&nbsp;" aria-label="Embedded video for One of Canada’s most eminent filmmakers, Sarah Polley receives 91Թ honorary degree&nbsp;: https://www.youtube.com/embed/J_w6XWPHx-s?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/scott-anderson" hreflang="en">Scott Anderson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-music" hreflang="en">Faculty of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/film" hreflang="en">Film</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A celebrated actor, director, author and Academy Award-winning screenwriter,&nbsp;<strong>Sarah Polley</strong>&nbsp;has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most thoughtful and influential filmmakers. She explores themes of intimacy and memory, loss and resilience, and uses her platform to speak up against injustice.</p> <p>Today, for her prodigious talent in the arts and her&nbsp;steadfast commitment to equity and fairness, Polley will&nbsp;receive a&nbsp;Doctor of Laws,&nbsp;<em>honoris causa</em>, from the 91Թ.</p> <p>Born in Toronto in 1979, Polley began her career in entertainment as a child actor. At age eight, she was cast as a lead character in Terry Gilliam’s&nbsp;<em>The Adventures of Baron Munchausen</em>. But the experience – which she says involved working 18-hour days and at times left her frightened and in tears – influenced her acting journey: it soured her on big Hollywood productions and led her to focus on smaller, often Canadian projects.&nbsp;“<em>Baron Munchausen</em>&nbsp;really defined me in terms of never really wanting to be on huge films ever,”&nbsp;she <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/movies/29osta.html" target="_blank">told the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;in 2007</a>.</p> <p>Polley came to widespread attention in 1990, starring as the lead in the CBC series&nbsp;<em>Road to Avonlea</em>, for which she was nominated for three Gemini Awards. Simultaneous with the success, though, came profound loss: shortly after the show’s debut – and just two days after she turned 11 – her mother,&nbsp;<strong>Diane Polley</strong>&nbsp;(also an actor), died of cancer. A few months later, Polley developed scoliosis, leaving her wearing a brace and undergoing an operation.</p> <p>After a lengthy recovery, she continued acting but was uncommitted to it as a career. (She once called it a “frivolous thing to do with your life.”)&nbsp;By age 17, she dropped out of high school and left the entertainment industry to devote herself to political causes. Already involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, she became a member of the Ontario NDP.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/DZ6_4150-crop.jpg?itok=eBqPO4-1" width="750" height="500" alt="Sarah Polley recieves her honorary degree from Chancellor Rose Patten" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Within months, she felt her singular focus on activism was making her, as she said in the&nbsp;<em>New York Times</em> interview, “boring, dogmatic, narrow,” so when director Atom Egoyan offered her the lead role in&nbsp;<em>The Sweet Hereafter</em>, she accepted, thinking it would provide a short break from her advocacy.</p> <p>But the film was a critical success – and Hollywood came calling. She took roles in&nbsp;<em>Go&nbsp;and&nbsp;Guinevere</em>, then dropped out of Cameron Crowe’s&nbsp;<em>Almost Famous&nbsp;</em>during rehearsals, feeling like she had taken the part by mistake. “Every day, it felt less and less like something I could pull off,” she told&nbsp;the <em>New York Times</em>.</p> <p>She took some time to consider her next move and then, in 2001, at age 22, enrolled at the Canadian Film Centre, where she directed two shorts. The experience set in motion a transition from acting to writing and directing.</p> <p>Polley’s debut feature,&nbsp;<em>Away from Her&nbsp;</em>(2006), adapted from an Alice Munro short story,&nbsp;tells the affecting story of an elderly couple whose marriage comes under strain as the wife develops Alzheimer’s disease. It earned Polley an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay and established her as a force in filmmaking.</p> <p>Her next two films,&nbsp;<em>Take This Waltz</em>&nbsp;(2011) and the documentary&nbsp;<em>Stories We Tell&nbsp;</em>(2012) cemented her reputation as a director with a deep empathy for her subjects.&nbsp;Stories We Tell&nbsp;delves into Polley’s own family history, using interviews and re-enactments to reveal a long-held family secret.&nbsp;</p> <p>In 2019, Polley was approached to adapt and direct a film version of the novel&nbsp;<em>Women Talking</em>, by Miriam Toews, inspired by a true story about the horrific sexual abuse of women and girls in a Mennonite colony.&nbsp;&nbsp;She said <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/21/sarah-polleys-journey-from-child-star-to-feminist-auteur" target="_blank">in&nbsp;a&nbsp;<em>New Yorker</em>&nbsp;interview</a>&nbsp;that the hardest part of the&nbsp;<em>Women Talking</em>&nbsp;shoot came during a scene when one of the characters talks about how men in the community got the women to doubt themselves.&nbsp;“That came from the experience of talking to so many women, and that feeling of being made to seem, or feel, crazy.”</p> <p>In 2023, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay and was nominated for best picture.</p> <p>Polley continues to support causes that are meaningful to her. She has used her platform to&nbsp;speak up about income inequality and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, and to argue for filmmaking that is informed by feminist principles. In her Oscar acceptance speech, she alluded to the need for change in the male-dominated film world: “I just want to thank the Academy for not being mortally offended by the words ‘women’ and ‘talking’ put so close together like that.”</p> <p>At today’s convocation for the Faculty of Music and Innis College, Polley told graduates about her experience recovering from a severe concussion and shared the life-changing advice she had received from a doctor to “run towards the danger.”</p> <p>She encouraged graduates to face their fears as a way to move past them. “Have a beautiful life and don’t always avoid the edges,” she said. “Ask for help. Admit your terrors to someone you can trust. Don’t assume you aren’t equal to what you want. It’s okay to be scared, and to feel like a fraud – most of us do. Go try to do it all anyway. And if your anxiety tells you that you can’t? Thank it for trying to protect you, and tell it that it’s allowed to come along for the thrilling ride – it’s just not allowed to block the driveway.”</p> <p>Over her nearly four-decade career in entertainment, Polley has received numerous high-profile honours for acting, writing and directing. She is also an Officer of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the National Arts Centre Award.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:35:44 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 308112 at Anne Innis Dagg, renowned zoologist and feminist, remembered as ‘the woman who loves giraffes’ /news/anne-innis-dagg-renowned-zoologist-and-feminist-remembered-woman-who-loves-giraffes <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Anne Innis Dagg, renowned zoologist and feminist,&nbsp;remembered as ‘the woman who loves giraffes’</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT94447_Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=sErqx_8k 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-04/UofT94447_Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=iPnp8Ipz 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-04/UofT94447_Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=BxMkbhK2 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT94447_Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=sErqx_8k" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-04-05T15:33:32-04:00" title="Friday, April 5, 2024 - 15:33" class="datetime">Fri, 04/05/2024 - 15:33</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utogether" hreflang="en">UTogether</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">91Թ Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Anne Innis Dagg</strong>, a renowned zoologist and feminist, is being remembered for&nbsp;her passion for her long-necked research subjects.</p> <p>The Waterloo, Ont.-based scientist, conservationist and feminist whose story was chronicled in the award-winning documentary,&nbsp;<a href="https://thewomanwholovesgiraffes.com/about/" target="_blank"><em>The Woman Who Loves Giraffes</em></a>&nbsp;died Monday after a brief illness,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/anne-innis-dagg-woman-who-loves-giraffes-dead-1.7161994">CBC reports</a>. She was 91.</p> <p>Innis Dagg was celebrated for her foundational contributions to giraffe science and advocacy for women in academia – and she leaves behind a deep and decorated legacy at the 91Թ.</p> <p>Even before she enrolled to study biology at 91Թ, her family name was a familiar presence around campus. Her mother,&nbsp;<strong>Mary Quayle Innis</strong>, served as the dean of women at University College, and her father,&nbsp;<strong>Harold Innis</strong>, was an esteemed professor of political economy and the namesake of Innis College.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2024-04/UofT94446_Anne-Innis-Dagg-outside-square.jpg" width="350" height="350" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Innis Dagg won a gold medal – and a $500 prize – for graduating first in her class in 1955. After staying at 91Թ for another year to earn a master’s degree in genetics, she used the prize money to underwrite her first trip abroad to study wild giraffes.&nbsp;</p> <p>In an interview ahead of her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/founder-giraffe-science-anne-innis-dagg-speak-2023-snider-lecture">Snider Lecture&nbsp;at 91Թ Mississauga</a> last year, Innis Dagg recalled the skepticism about her solo 1956 trip to South Africa, where she became the first Western scientist to observe the world’s tallest mammal in its natural habitat.</p> <p>“I just wanted to see them and be near my beloved giraffe,” she said. “I didn’t really think about it being unusual.”&nbsp;</p> <p>After receiving a PhD in animal behaviour from University of Waterloo, Innis Dagg was hired as an assistant professor in the University of Guelph’s zoology department in 1968.&nbsp;</p> <p>But even as she gained recognition for her scholarship, Innis Dagg struggled to secure a tenured faculty position.&nbsp;“My career was sidetracked by the institutional sexism that was rampant in academia,” said Innis Dagg. &nbsp;</p> <p>Despite career setbacks, Innis Dagg went on to publish more than 60 scientific articles and more than 20 books – and, alongside naturalist&nbsp;<strong>Bristol Foster</strong>, co-wrote what is considered to be a seminal text in the field of giraffe science, 1976’s&nbsp;<em>The Giraffe: Its Biology, Behaviour and Ecology</em>.</p> <p>In 2019, Innis Dagg was named an honorary member of the Canadian Society of Zoologists and a Member of the Order of Canada.</p> <p>She was&nbsp;awarded <a href="/news/renowned-zoologist-anne-innis-dagg-woman-who-loves-giraffes-receives-honorary-degree">an honorary degree&nbsp;from 91Թ in 2021</a>. In her address, she urged graduating students to chase their curiosity even in the face of challenges.</p> <p>“Find another way. Reach out to others who will help you. Look for those mentors who will bring out your best – and shine,” she said.</p> <p>“Finally, be kind to nature and the animals with whom we share the world. It is my everlasting hope that people will treat animals and their environment with the same respect as we treat each other.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/founder-giraffe-science-anne-innis-dagg-speak-2023-snider-lecture">Read more about Innis Dagg at 91Թ Mississauga</a></h3> <h3><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il0cU8LDpUA&amp;t=275s">Watch Innis Dagg receive her 91Թ honorary degree</a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 05 Apr 2024 19:33:32 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 307249 at Remembering Norman Jewison, one of Canada's most celebrated filmmakers /news/remembering-norman-jewison-one-canada-s-most-celebrated-filmmakers <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Remembering Norman Jewison, one of Canada's most celebrated filmmakers</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-01/Chancellor-Norman-Jewison-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=-ANFGadT 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-01/Chancellor-Norman-Jewison-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=57VV3aI2 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-01/Chancellor-Norman-Jewison-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=G_Zv1FGu 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-01/Chancellor-Norman-Jewison-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=-ANFGadT" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-01-23T15:50:38-05:00" title="Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - 15:50" class="datetime">Tue, 01/23/2024 - 15:50</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(supplied image)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sally-szuster" hreflang="en">Sally Szuster</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/film" hreflang="en">Film</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-college" hreflang="en">Victoria College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-university" hreflang="en">Victoria University</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The acclaimed director was a 91Թ alumnus and former chancellor of Victoria University in the 91Թ</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 91Թ community – and film fans around the world – are mourning the death of alumnus <strong>Norman Jewison</strong>.</p> <p>One of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers, Jewison received many awards and accolades for his artistic vision that challenged the status quo and brought a deep humanity to the characters and stories he told.</p> <p>Jewison, who graduated from 91Թ in 1949 as a member of Victoria College, served as chancellor of <a href="https://vicu.utoronto.ca/">Victoria University in the 91Թ</a> from 2004 – 2010. <a href="https://alumni.utoronto.ca/news-and-stories/featured-alumni/norman-jewison">One of 91Թ’s most distinguished graduates</a>, he also received an honorary doctorate from 91Թ in 1985 and from Victoria University in 2001.</p> <p>The&nbsp;Jewison stream of <a href="https://vic.utoronto.ca/future-students/vic-one/?_gl=1*15lhpvz*_ga*MTA3MTkxMzcwMC4xNzA2MDI1NjMx*_ga_LN8C9B3XCC*MTcwNjAzNTk4NS4yLjEuMTcwNjAzNzAyNS4wLjAuMA..*_ga_GV631CB04R*MTcwNjAzNTk4NS4yLjEuMTcwNjAzNzAyNS4wLjAuMA..">Vic One</a>, the award-winning first-year program at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vic.utoronto.ca/">Victoria College</a>, is named in his honour. There is also a <a href="https://awards.innis.utoronto.ca/award/norman-jewison-film/">Norman Jewison Fellowship in Film Studies</a> at Innis College.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-01/Jewison-PeterBreggHELLO-crop.jpg?itok=XANbY8Ei" width="750" height="568" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Norman Jewison (photo by Peter Bregg)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“Norman Jewison embodied a dazzling sense of curiosity and creativity that is such a big part of the Vic U ethos,” says <strong>Rhonda N. McEwen</strong>, president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University in the 91Թ, which is planning to lower its flag to half-mast to honour Jewison’s legacy.&nbsp;</p> <p>“He was an inspiration to others while he was a student on campus and continued to evoke a sense of awe in generations of students, alumni, staff and faculty who watched as he went on to make films that are now an indelible part of our cultural landscape.</p> <p>“He showed his gratitude for his university experience with generous donations to Victoria University throughout his life. I had the pleasure to meet his son and granddaughter recently and we enjoyed recounting his Vic U adventures. He will always be remembered here.”</p> <p>Victoria University Library (E.J. Pratt Library) <a href="https://library.vicu.utoronto.ca/collections/special_collections/f56_norman_jewison?_gl=1*11d2v23*_ga*MjM2MzQ3NDM2LjE3MDU5Mjg2MzE.*_ga_GV631CB04R*MTcwNjAzMzE2My4yLjEuMTcwNjAzNDE0Mi4wLjAuMA..">holds a&nbsp;large collection</a>&nbsp;of Jewison’s photographs and publicity materials, papers and correspondence, shooting scripts and schedules primarily for films directed or produced by Jewison between the years 1975 and 2003. Materials related to the films&nbsp;<em>Fiddler on the Roof</em>,<em>&nbsp;…And Justice for All</em>,&nbsp;<em>A Soldier’s Story</em>,&nbsp;<em>Moonstruck</em>,&nbsp;<em>The Hurricane</em>,&nbsp;<em>The Statement</em>&nbsp;and others are held in this collection.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-01/Jewison-in-Bob-from-Archive-grayscale-crop.jpg?itok=utfGRFWK" width="750" height="462" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>As a student, Norman Jewison&nbsp;was involved in various theatrical productions, including the Vic “Bob Revue,” Canada’s longest-running collegiate sketch comedy show (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>As a 91Թ student pursuing a bachelor of arts degree, Jewison was involved in writing, directing and acting in various theatrical productions, including the <em>All-Varsity Revue</em> in 1949 and the Vic “<em>Bob Revue</em>,” Canada’s longest-running collegiate sketch comedy revue, which was founded in 1874.</p> <p><strong>Ira Wells</strong>, director of academic programs at Victoria College, wrote the biography&nbsp;<a href="https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/norman-jewison/"><em>Norman Jewison A Director’s Life</em></a>&nbsp;in 2021.</p> <p>“Norman Jewison was among the greatest film directors of his generation,” says Wells. “His films were animated by a profound social conscience and commitment to civil rights and human dignity – and by a belief in the integrity of film itself. He believed that film could change its audience, even in a small way.</p> <p>“Mr. Jewison was fond of saying, ‘film is forever.’ His unwavering support for Canadian talent through the Canadian Film Centre, and for Victoria College and 91Թ students, made concrete differences in the lives of many. His abiding belief in the power of cinema will inspire generations to come.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:50:38 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 305677 at 91Թ Mississauga event to spotlight Anne Innis Dagg, the founder of giraffe science /news/u-t-mississauga-event-spotlight-anne-innis-dagg-founder-giraffe-science <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ Mississauga event to spotlight Anne Innis Dagg, the founder of giraffe science</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-10/Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_18xdj1U 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-10/Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=tLltzwpa 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-10/Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=7MBfHF3l 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-10/Anne-Innis-Dagg-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_18xdj1U" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-10-10T13:20:53-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 10, 2023 - 13:20" class="datetime">Tue, 10/10/2023 - 13:20</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Widely considered the founder of giraffe science, 91Թ alumna Anne Innis Dagg is a passionate advocate for equity in academia</em>&nbsp;<em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/shauna-rempel" hreflang="en">Shauna Rempel</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">91Թ Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">This year's virtual Snider Lecture includes screening of an award-winning documentary about the esteemed zoologist followed by a Q-and-A</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At the age of 23, as a recent 91Թ alumna,&nbsp;<strong>Anne Innis Dagg</strong>&nbsp;defied the naysayers and set off alone for South Africa.</p> <p>The year was 1956 and a young woman travelling solo overseas was unusual.&nbsp;She faced multiple obstacles, but Innis Dagg was driven by her lifelong curiosity about the world’s tallest mammal: the giraffe. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I just wanted to see them and be near my beloved giraffe. I didn’t really think about it being unusual,” Innis Dagg said recently during a conversation at her home in Waterloo, Ont. “It was just something I wanted to do.” &nbsp;</p> <p>Today, she’s widely considered to be the founder of giraffe science. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Innis Dagg will be the focus of this year’s virtual&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/snider-lecture/">Snider Lecture</a> at 91Թ Mississauga, which<span style="font-size: 1rem;">&nbsp;includes the screening of an award-winning documentary – </span><a href="https://thewomanwholovesgiraffes.com/" target="_blank"><em>the Woman Who Loves Giraffes</em></a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1rem;">followed by a pre-recorded question-and-answer session with the esteemed zoologist.&nbsp;</span></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-10/Anne-Innis-Dagg-outside-crop.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Anne Innis Daag (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“We are excited to bring a special presentation to our remote audience,” says&nbsp;<strong>Lawrence Switzky</strong>, associate professor in the department of English and drama at 91Թ Mississauga and chair of the Snider Lecture Committee. “For the past 49 years, the Snider Lecture Series has brought together members of our community to learn about, question and reflect on some of the most important issues around us.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The documentary&nbsp;<em>the Woman Who Loves Giraffes</em>&nbsp;recounts Innis Dagg’s time in Africa and her subsequent publications, which formed the basis of giraffe study. The film also details her struggles as a female academic in the 1960s and 1970s, which prompted her to call out sexism in academia and champion feminist causes. &nbsp;</p> <p>Innis Dagg’s ties to 91Թ are numerous and enduring, dating back generations. Her mother,&nbsp;<strong>Mary Quayle Innis</strong>, was a former dean of women at University College. Her father,&nbsp;<strong>Harold Adams Innis</strong>, was a renowned political economist and the namesake of Innis College. He was interested in biodiversity and was an avid adventurer and explorer, once travelling by canoe to the Arctic to observe beavers, moose and bears. &nbsp;</p> <p>“I inherited those traits from him,” Innis Dagg said.</p> <p>Innis Dagg earned an honours bachelor of biology degree from 91Թ in 1955 and later went on to earn a master’s degree in genetics from the university. She also has a PhD from the University of Waterloo.&nbsp;</p> <p>During 91Թ’s spring 2021 convocation season, <a href="/news/renowned-zoologist-anne-innis-dagg-woman-who-loves-giraffes-receives-honorary-degree">she was recognized with an&nbsp;honorary degree</a>. The same year, she was <a href="https://www.uc.utoronto.ca/alumni-influence/dr-anne-innis-dagg">named an&nbsp;Alumni of Influence at University College</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>In her convocation address, Innis Dagg recounted the “demoralizing” experience that helped propel her passionate advocacy for equity in academia. &nbsp;</p> <p>In 1968, she was hired as an assistant professor in the zoology department at the University of Guelph, where she taught courses on mammals and wildlife management – but she did not receive a tenured faculty position.</p> <p>“My career was sidetracked by the institutional sexism that was rampant in academia,” said Innis Dagg, who has tackled gender issues in several of her more than 20 books. &nbsp;</p> <p>She acknowledged that the fight for equality isn’t over. “Women should continue to demand their place in science. I encourage them to reach out to mentors and peers to develop a support network and continue to push forward, even if it feels uncomfortable.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Now 90, Innis Dagg is working to ensure the future of giraffes via a foundation she runs with her daughter, Mary Dagg. &nbsp;</p> <p>“One of the philosophies of my foundation is that education equals conservation. The more people know about giraffes, the more they want to become engaged in their survival.” &nbsp;</p> <p>For children aged seven to 17, the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation offers the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.juniorgiraffeclub.org/" target="_blank">Junior Giraffe Club</a>&nbsp;to engage and inspire a new generation of giraffologists. &nbsp;</p> <p>More importantly, she wants to instil a sense of determination and engagement: “Get involved in whatever your passion is.”&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 10 Oct 2023 17:20:53 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 303571 at 91Թ Faculty of Law hosts screening of film celebrating 'the supreme life of Rosalie Abella' /news/u-t-faculty-law-hosts-screening-film-celebrating-supreme-life-rosalie-abella <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ Faculty of Law hosts screening of film celebrating 'the supreme life of Rosalie Abella'</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/UofT91411_2023-02-07%20Rosalie%20Abella%20at%20Jackman%20Law_Polina%20Teif-23-lpr.JPG?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zJSRMyEx 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-09/UofT91411_2023-02-07%20Rosalie%20Abella%20at%20Jackman%20Law_Polina%20Teif-23-lpr.JPG?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=0Hh7r-0o 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-09/UofT91411_2023-02-07%20Rosalie%20Abella%20at%20Jackman%20Law_Polina%20Teif-23-lpr.JPG?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MDF8DYNK 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/UofT91411_2023-02-07%20Rosalie%20Abella%20at%20Jackman%20Law_Polina%20Teif-23-lpr.JPG?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zJSRMyEx" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-09-27T09:56:10-04:00" title="Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 09:56" class="datetime">Wed, 09/27/2023 - 09:56</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>A</em>&nbsp;<em>91Թ alumna,&nbsp;Rosalie Abella was the first pregnant woman appointed to the judiciary in Canada, the first refugee appointed to the bench in Canada and the first Jewish woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada (photo by Polina Teif)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/nina-haikara" hreflang="en">Nina Haikara</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cinema-studies" hreflang="en">Cinema Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">"Rosie has been motivated by the pursuit of justice and a steadfast, infectious belief in the power of individuals, institutions and the law to be forces for the good"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Equal rights champion. Innovator. Icon.</p> <p>For her many accomplishments, retired Supreme Court of Canada justice&nbsp;<strong>Rosalie Silberman Abella</strong>, a dual graduate of the 91Թ’s University College and the Faculty of Law, is the focus of a new documentary about her life,&nbsp;<em>Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella</em>.</p> <p>91Թ Law will host <a href="https://www.law.utoronto.ca/events/without-precedent-supreme-life-rosalie-abella">a&nbsp;special screening of the film Thursday,</a> which had its&nbsp;<a href="https://hotdocs.ca/archive/festival/2023/without-precedent" target="_blank">debut premier at Hot Docs International Film Festival</a>&nbsp;this spring.&nbsp;The event will be held at the Jackman Law Building in the room that honours Abella: The Rosalie Silberman Abella Moot Court Room.</p> <div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-09/Without-Precedent--crop.jpg" width="300" height="442" alt="Poster for film Without Precedent"> </div> </div> <p>“Rosie has been motivated by the pursuit of justice and a steadfast, infectious belief in the power of individuals, institutions and the law to be forces for the good,” says <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a>&nbsp;<strong>Jutta Brunnée</strong>, dean of the Faculty of Law and James Marshall Tory Dean’s Chair. “She's inspired generations of students and young lawyers.”</p> <p>Abella’s is an especially storied legal career.</p> <p>Her father graduated with master’s degree in law from Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, but war broke out before he was ever able to practise. Her parents were married on Sept. 3, 1939 – the day Britain declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland – and both survived several years in different concentration camps during the Holocaust.</p> <p>Abella was born after the war on July 1, 1946 in a displaced persons camp in Stuttgart, Germany. The family came to Canada as Jewish refugees in 1950. But as a non-citizen, her father could not practise law.</p> <p>“It's one of my earliest memories in Canada, of his coming home and saying, 'I can't be a lawyer here’. I remember saying – ‘Then I'm going to be a lawyer’ – I had no idea what it meant. But I was four years old and could see how disappointed he was,” she told a 91Թ audience in 2019&nbsp;<a href="/news/justice-rosalie-abella-receives-u-t-alumni-award-unwavering-commitment-human-rights-and">when she received 91Թ’s Rose Wolfe Distinguished Alumni Award</a>.</p> <p>“I just stayed on that course. I was going to be what he couldn't be. What was amazing was that he never complained. Neither of my parents or grandmother ever complained. They thought that this is a country of opportunities, but you have to make them happen.”</p> <p>True to her vow, Abella graduated from 91Թ Law in 1970. She was one of only seven women in a class of 150 law students.</p> <p>She became the first pregnant woman appointed to the judiciary in Canada at age 29. She was also the first refugee appointed to the bench in Canada, as well the first Jewish woman appointed to Canada’s Supreme Court.</p> <p>Among her many contributions to legal thought and jurisprudence, Abella created the term and concept of employment equity when she was the sole commissioner of the 1984 federal Royal Commission on Equality in Employment. Her definition of equality was adopted by the Supreme Court of Canada in its first decision under Section 15 of the&nbsp;Charter of Rights and Freedoms.</p> <p>“Our generation revolutionized how the law worked for people,” says Abella in&nbsp;<em>Without Precedent</em>.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/Without%20Precedent_4.jpg?itok=TGFqvqTh" width="750" height="422" alt="still from the film Without Precedent shows Rosalie Abella at home with her husband" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Rosalie Abella with her late husband Irving Abella in a still from the film (image courtesy of Melbar Entertainment Group)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Following the screening, Abella, the distinguished jurist-in-residence at 91Թ Law who received an honorary degree from the university in 1990, will be joined in conversation with the award-winning filmmakers of&nbsp;Melbar Entertainment Group.</p> <p>"In a long career of documenting the famous and the infamous, the rare opportunity to focus on an individual with the insight, humanity and power to change history and lives was one of the great highlights of my career," says director and producer,&nbsp;<strong>Barry Avrich</strong>, a graduate of Woodsworth College whose previous credits include&nbsp;<em>Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>David Foster: Off the Record</em>.</p> <p>"This film is a testament of an infinitely inspiring journey that will be remembered for generations."</p> <p>Producer&nbsp;<strong>Mark Selby</strong>,&nbsp;a graduate of the cinema studies program in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, says he's thrilled to have the documentary screened at 91Թ.</p> <p>“Canada does not make celebrities out of its Supreme Court justices, but if ever there was someone who should be renowned across the country for her incomparable achievements and devotion to helping people, it’s Rosalie Abella,” Selby said.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:56:10 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 303236 at In photos: Students settle into their new homes across 91Թ's three campuses /news/photos-students-settle-their-new-homes-across-u-t-s-three-campuses <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">In photos: Students settle into their new homes across 91Թ's three campuses</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/tri-campus-v3.jpg?h=4d6a39ba&amp;itok=VDLEJOpP 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-09/tri-campus-v3.jpg?h=4d6a39ba&amp;itok=a1aDtBSf 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-09/tri-campus-v3.jpg?h=4d6a39ba&amp;itok=JrmlvZ7O 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-09/tri-campus-v3.jpg?h=4d6a39ba&amp;itok=VDLEJOpP" alt="various photos of students moving onto the 91Թ campus"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>bresgead</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-09-05T17:56:14-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 5, 2023 - 17:56" class="datetime">Tue, 09/05/2023 - 17:56</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photos by Don Campbell, left, and Nick Iwanyshyn, centre and right)&nbsp;</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-secondary-author-reporter field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/don-campbell" hreflang="en">Don Campbell</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/nick-iwanyshyn" hreflang="en">Nick Iwanyshyn</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/back-school-2023" hreflang="en">Back to School 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utogether" hreflang="en">UTogether</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">91Թ Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">91Թ Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">From instant ramen noodles to lengthy goodbyes, it was a busy – and emotional – Labour Day weekend 2023 at 91Թ residences </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Incoming students from across Canada and around the world made the 91Թ their home over Labour Day weekend, pulling up to their residences across the three campuses with boxes of belongings, preferred snacks and plush creature comforts in tow.</p> <p>Returning students and residential staff welcomed 91Թ’s&nbsp;newest community members with enthusiastic cheers and a helping hand in hauling suitcases, boxes and appliances through the hallways and to their rooms.</p> <p>Parents ticked off items on their to-do lists as they prepared to say goodbye, some admitting they were saving their tears for the trip home, while siblings and friends helped figure out how to decorate new quarters.</p> <p>First-year students, meanwhile, settled into their surroundings and looked forward to writing an important new chapter in their lives.</p> <p>Interactive Digital Producer<strong> Nick Iwanyshyn</strong> and Staff Reporters <strong>Adina Bresge</strong> and&nbsp;<strong>Don Campbell</strong> were on hand to capture the emotions and excitement of move-in day in photos at each of the three campuses.</p> <hr> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0903UTSGMoveInDay016-crop.jpg?itok=h4H1XbJ_" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>New arrivals at University College on the St. George campus were greeted with signs and cheers as they unloaded their cars outside Morrison Hall.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0902UTMMoveInDay005-crop_0.jpg?itok=lsXOE2hU" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Like many students, 91Թ Mississauga’s <strong>Diore Thorpe</strong> stocked her dorm room with all the essentials&nbsp;– including a ready supply of instant ramen.&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0903UTSGMoveInDay009-crop.jpg?itok=Sa0wWMCR" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)​​​</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Crystal Zhang</strong>, a first-year student at Trinity College, says she felt “mildly terrified” but “very excited” about living on her own for the first time.</p> <p>While she’s comfortable doing her own laundry, she’s less confident in her cooking skills. “I’m glad I got a meal plan,” said Zhang, who is beginning her studies in Rotman Commerce.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/_DSC2293-crop.jpg?itok=esgpMRtS" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Don Campbell)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Hundreds of students moved in to 91Թ Scarborough’s new sustainable student residence, Harmony Commons, <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/our-community/place-where-friendships-are-forged-u-t-scarborough-breaks-ground-new-750-bed">which is built to passive house standard</a> – a type of building designed for energy-efficient heating and cooling.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0903UTSGMoveInDay008-crop.jpg?itok=ot4VJEqr" width="750" height="500" alt="a male student moves into his dorm room at the 91Թ" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Sahil Basra</strong>, who is studying computer science, battled the heat as he lugged his desktop and monitor up to his room. “I’m exhausted,” Basra said, bracing himself for several more trips up and down the stairs.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0903UTSGMoveInDay015-crop.jpg?itok=hTU99XSO" width="750" height="500" alt="students carry their belongings to their dorms on the 91Թ St. George campus" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Mya Thompson</strong> brought an armful of plushies – a shark, a frog and a dinosaur – to keep herself cozy at Innis College.</p> <p>While the life sciences student was thrilled to be in the big city, her mother admitted that she was holding back tears for the drive back to Port Dover, Ont. “I’m excited for her, though, to chase her dream,” Eva Thompson said.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0U1A7311-crop.jpg?itok=00KXnCL8" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>photo by Don Campbell)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Luggage carts helped with the heavy lifting as students got to know one another at 91Թ Scarborough.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0902UTMMoveInDay014-crop.jpg?itok=Qh7hsrna" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>&nbsp;(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Staff and volunteers at 91Թ Mississauga’s Erindale Hall residence ferried students’&nbsp;belongings to their rooms in giant plastic bins.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-09/0903UTSGMoveInDay007-crop.jpg?itok=ieDCCDOU" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Esmé L. Wilson</strong>’s parents flew in from San Francisco to get her set up in her room. While she was ready for classes to begin, Wilson felt less prepared for the coming Canadian winter. “I have no idea what kind of jackets I’ll need,” she said. “I’ll probably have to buy a lot of new things.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 05 Sep 2023 21:56:14 +0000 bresgead 302757 at From the oil sands to politics: New grad Eli Rose aims to use his voice to empower others /news/u-of-t-graduate-eli-rose-aims-use-his-voice-empower-others <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">From the oil sands to politics: New grad Eli Rose aims to use his voice to empower others</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/2022-04-08---Eli-Rose-%28by-Shayla-Anderson%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=efl5vq-r 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-06/2022-04-08---Eli-Rose-%28by-Shayla-Anderson%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Gz1HS8uy 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-06/2022-04-08---Eli-Rose-%28by-Shayla-Anderson%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=__CUaQ6Z 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/2022-04-08---Eli-Rose-%28by-Shayla-Anderson%29-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=efl5vq-r" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>siddiq22</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-06-20T16:29:21-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 16:29" class="datetime">Tue, 06/20/2023 - 16:29</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Eli Rose says his undergraduate experience taught him how to articulate his ideas as an advocate&nbsp;</em><em>(photo by Shayla Anderson)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/cynthia-macdonald" hreflang="en">Cynthia Macdonald</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6899" hreflang="en">Convocation 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/community" hreflang="en">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/political-science" hreflang="en">Political Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/student-life" hreflang="en">Student Life</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Getting involved in student leadership helped underscore 91Թ political science graduate's interest in building community</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Eli Rose</strong> has a reputation for asking challenging questions&nbsp;– and he intends to continue asking them, as an advocate for those who cannot.</p> <p>A longtime mentor and community organizer, Rose&nbsp;–&nbsp;a member of&nbsp;<a href="https://innis.utoronto.ca/">Innis College</a>&nbsp;– graduates this week from the 91Թ with a degree in political science.</p> <p>As he leaves the undergraduate life and prepares for graduate school, Rose&nbsp;spoke with <a href="https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a> writer <strong>Cynthia Macdonald</strong> about how his many leadership activities have prepared him for his ultimate ambition: a career in politics.</p> <hr> <p><strong>How did you come to study at the 91Թ?</strong></p> <p>I had a full life before coming to 91Թ, having graduated from college with a marketing diploma. I worked in the oil fields of Alberta, then went back to school for another certificate. But it was always my dream to go to 91Թ. When my mom’s sister, to whom I was close, passed in 2018, I decided to dedicate the next part of my journey to honouring her.</p> <p><strong>You’re going to do a master’s degree in political science in the fall. Why did you decide on that field?</strong></p> <p>I have my own political aspirations, actually! Being in government has always seemed very interesting to me. I grew up in Malvern, in the northeastern part of Toronto. It’s a part of the city with many issues such as street violence and a lack of essential services. I was advocating for solutions to problems like that even before I knew that I could be an advocate professionally. I was already thinking about different ways to make life a little more just for people there, supporting communities that needed a bit more help.</p> <p>But it wasn’t until I came to university that everything came together. I started to see who I am and what I wanted to do&nbsp;– the kind of change and impact I’d be able to create.</p> <p><strong>You’re the winner of a student leadership award and you’ve improved the student experience at your college and beyond. What initiatives did you participate in?</strong></p> <p>I first got involved with the&nbsp;<a href="https://utapss.sa.utoronto.ca/">Association of Political Science Students</a>. That led me to get involved with the undergraduate chapter of&nbsp;<a href="https://bfl.law.utoronto.ca/">Black Future Lawyers</a>, where I was vice-president of finance and helped the founder recruit the rest of the board.</p> <p>But where things really took off for me was when I became a student mentor at Innis College at the tail end of my second year. I helped with training and offered support. I met a lot of good people and found I was able to empower others, especially first-year students. From there, I started building relationships and worked on the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/program/innovation-hub/">Innovation Hub</a>&nbsp;to help redefine the student experience.</p> <p>All these experiences gave me the confidence and the courage to go after things I wanted, or even just to voice my opinion. One of my ideas was to create an identity matching system for mentors: aligning students with mentors who matched their backgrounds and interests. I was also one of the first two Black orientation coordinators and was on the working group of the <a href="https://innis.utoronto.ca/student-services/inclusion-supports/black-student-experience/">Black Student Experience</a> at Innis, making a point of ensuring that the group would be sustainable after its founders had graduated.</p> <p><strong>You seem to have a real focus on empathy, identity and the empowerment of individuals, whether at school, work or elsewhere.</strong></p> <p>I think that comes from my own experience of feeling undervalued&nbsp;– showing up to the workplace in a way where I’m not bringing my true self. There’s a lot of overlap between my working world and my academic world&nbsp;– it’s just different language.</p> <p>As a young teenager growing up in my neighbourhood, I saw how power dynamics could negatively affect my friends. Now that I’ve gone through university, I’ve been able to better articulate and visualize ideas in order to find solutions.</p> <p><strong>Why have you decided to pursue a future in politics?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>My senior thesis really changed me. I chose to research political career structures&nbsp;– in particular, how identity conditions people’s lived experiences and careers. Working on that gave me the clarity to proceed with where I’m going next.</p> <p>We’re in an era of political mistrust and multiple truths&nbsp;– and that’s a barrier for those who might consider a career in politics. But if you really want to effect change, the political arena is the best place to do that. We elect people to represent us, and those are the people making the decisions. Why wouldn’t I want to have a seat at the table, especially to act for those who haven’t been represented?</p> <p>Opening myself up to criticism will be difficult&nbsp;– but that’s okay, because I’m coming at public service from a space of truth and care and support. And I want to use my experiences&nbsp;– as a mentor, as a team lead, as a facilitator of discussions around identity&nbsp;– to help empower others and give them a voice. And this is the way I know how to do it.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 20 Jun 2023 20:29:21 +0000 siddiq22 302054 at