“I was quite upset following the last US presidential election, especially at how all media had become labeled as ‘fake news.’ The message was that nobody can believe anybody anymore, everything is just a matter of opinion, facts and evidence don't matter. This is the message that was being shared. I felt that the whole […]
"A single picture can say 1000 words. I try to communicate my personal experiences through photography and share what it is like to be a Muslim woman in today's world. Because, if I put myself out there, people will resonate with me and my journey." Now that I have won my award, what is next? […]
"It’s nice to know that I can be a person to pave pathways for younger kids and to show them that dreaming this dream really is achievable. My love for soccer started way back before I could possibly remember because my dad was a football player as well. He loved the sport but one of […]
"I have been very fortunate to be mentored by Indigenous artists, colleagues and friends over the last twenty-five years. Their mentorship has shaped my work as a cultural ally, and I cherish their continued guidance navigating urgent issues of Indigenous rights, truth and reconciliation, and the collective necessity of land stewardship in climate change. Onondaga […]
"There are a couple of ways being a queer neuroscientist affects not only my research but my pedagogy. For me, its important to just be out there, capital O out there and be a face for the students. I teach one of the core courses in Kinesiology, so I teach between 700 - 800 undergraduates […]
"I grew up in Toronto, right next to High Park. Curious and creative, I gained my deep appreciation for nature spending time at Lake Ontario, riding my bike throughout High Park, making visual art from natural and recycled materials, and spending time in Muskoka, Algonquin Park, and Haliburton. I also grew up riding transit and […]
Megan Côté uses Scholarship as a Springboard to Change York had a chance to catch up with the dynamic Megan Côté, about to graduate with a BBA from the Schulich School of Business. Megan has the distinction of receiving the Yamana Gold First Generation Award for York students with high academic merit, who are also […]
“My entire transnational and transgenerational history and legacy as a descendant of enslaved Africans is one of constantly having to 'overcome'; 'come thru', and 'break apart/free'. I grew up in working class neighborhoods in Scarborough and was a part of a very vibrant anti-violence women's community and pan-African activist community from a very young age. 'Overcoming adversity' for me […]
“When I was younger I had skipped a grade, so when I graduated from Oakwood Collegiate Institute in Toronto, I was a year younger than the rest of the graduating class. Not only was I leaving high school at 17-years-old, but I hadn’t hit my growth spurt yet, standing at 5 foot 8. Coming to […]
"Giving back to my community has always been important to me; my mom taught us from an early age that we needed to do our part to give back. Toronto drafting me and allowing me to stay in the city just opened the door to allow me to do that on a larger scale. I’m […]