The March 24 Toronto Star noted York’s continued celebration of the 30th anniversary of its jazz program that has graduated such great players as tenor saxman Mike Murley (BFA ’86), among others. Another jazz player, music grad Marilyn Lerner (BFA ’81) was also mentioned in another Star article March 25. The story remarked on how her piano playing goes well beyond jazz. Lerner has become a respected jazz artist as well as an important figure in the world of Klezmer, folk, improvised music and multimedia collaborations involving poetry, theatre, radio and television.
Fighting racism
York University student Daniella Glustein was cited in a March 24 Canadian Press wire story on communities rallying against anti-Semitism. “I see the swastikas on the wall and it scares me because of Europe in 1939 and I’m afraid it’s going to happen again and it shouldn’t,” she said. “The world has to put a stop to it.”
Born to dance
Patrick Parson‘s love of dance is so great he’s made a career of it, noted a Toronto Star article March 25. “I like to express myself through dancing. It is therapeutic and physically uplifting,” says the York grad (MA ’99), who is an instructor with York’s Faculty of Fine Arts and School of Kinesiology and Health Science. Parson trained in traditional Caribbean dancing, in Trinidad, where he was born. His mother was a dancer, singer and musician and she taught dance for the government. Parson is the founder and artistic director of Ballet Creole.
On Air
- York University imposed a ban this week on Palestinian and Israeli student groups holding activities on campus after heated confrontations between the two groups last week, reported many Toronto radio stations March 24. CBC Radio’s “Metro Morning” talked to Hina Khan and Miriam Yosowich, co-presidents of Shalom-Salam, a peace group at York University; OMNI.2’s South Asian edition of “Omni News” interviewed Nancy White, York University spokesperson and York students pro-Palestine Sarah Amash and pro-Israel Talia Klein; “Opening Bell” (CP24-TV) talked to Miriam Yosowich. “Newsworld Today” (CBC) spoke with York students Jordie Saperia and Nariman Abu-abed of the group Solidarity for Palestinian Students.
- “Studio Aperto” (CFMT-TV), March 24 spoke with Osgoode Hall Law professor Michael Mandel about recent acts of anti-Semitism in Ontario.
- “Windsor Now” (CKLW), March 24 spoke with Dr. Joel Lexchin, a professor in York’s School of Health Policy & Management, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies, on the issue of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asking makers of 10 different antidepressants to either add or strengthen suicide warnings on the labels.