City & Culture

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:54:03 +0000

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 08/16/2024 - 10:54

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U of T alumna and TOPS founder Emily Reid, right, poses with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a TOPS screening this summer (photo by Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias)

David Goldberg

Topic

City & Culture

Alumni

Cinema Studies

Film

Innis College

St. Michael's College

Subheadline

'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'

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.

And it’s all thanks to ��Ƶ alumna Emily Reid.

“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.

The venture began humbly in 2011, just a few months after Reid earned her master of arts degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Cinema Studies Institute.

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.

“I think there is such a strong desire for gathering and fostering cultural experiences together,” she says.

Within a few years, however, the park was packed every Sunday night – so Reid added more shows at more locations. After rebranding as Toronto Outdoor Picture Show and registering as a not-for-profit, Reid started running TOPS on a full-time basis.

“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.”

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.

Thousands of people flock to Toronto parks every summer to catch Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Lights, camera, education

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 A League of Their Own and Strictly Ballroom.

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 U of T could open the right doors and give her the experience she needed to make an impact.

“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.”

For the practicum requirement of Reid’s master’s degree, she worked at Toronto’s historic Revue Cinema, where she pitched and curated her first film series. She also learned the ins and outs of film sourcing, marketing and event production – all essential skills for her future startup.

U of T 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.

Felan Parker, associate professor, teaching stream, in the Book & Media Studies program 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.

“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.”

There’s a strong connection between U of T and TOPS, which draws more than 30,000 movie-goers each year (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Parker and Reid have teamed up to build strong ties between U of T and TOPS. The organization has hosted numerous for-credit undergrad interns.

Isabella Brown, for example, is a U of T graduate who joined TOPS as an intern and is now the organization's program administrator.

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.

“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.

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.

“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.

“We need to preserve what we love and what we value as the cultural fabric of this city.”

U of T’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:52:38 +0000

U of T’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/29/2024 - 10:52

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(Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Sayyeda Masood

Topic

City & Culture

Climate Positive Energy

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Leah Cowen

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Research & Innovation

Sustainability

Subheadline

Founded by the Climate Positive Energy institutional strategic initiative, the Grid Modernization Centre will help accelerate integration of novel green technologies

The ��Ƶ has received $10-million in federal funding in support of the Grid Modernization Centre, a state-of-the-art facility in Toronto’s Downsview area that aims to accelerate progress towards a decarbonized, decentralized and digitalized power system for Canada.

Founded by Climate Positive Energy, a U of T institutional strategic initiative, the centre will serve as a hub that provides utilities, regulators, municipalities and enterprises with the equipment and expertise needed to test, develop and commercialize a range of green technologies.

The Government of Canada announced the investment – which includes $5 million apiece from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Natural Resources Canada – at U of T's Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship on Friday, July 26.

“On behalf of the ��Ƶ, we thank FedDev Ontario and Natural Resources Canada for their $10-million investment in the Grid Modernization Centre,” said Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “By convening stakeholders across the electricity ecosystem, Climate Positive Energy and their partners will help ensure the electrical grid remains safe and reliable, while supporting the development of clean technologies and jobs.”

Leah Cowen (left), U of T's vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, was joined by Ya'ara Saks (centre), minister of mental health and addictions, and Julie Dabrusin (right), parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment, at the $10-million funding announcement for U of T's Grid Modernization Centre (photo by Liz Beddall)

The first facility of its kind in Canada, the Grid Modernization Centre will foster innovations pertinent to electricity demand, which is estimated to double in the next 30 years according to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.

“Through initiatives such as the Grid Modernization Centre here at U of T, we are collaborating to unlock a brighter future for our energy systems on the path to net-zero,” said Julie Dabrusin, parliamentary secretary to the minister for environment and climate change and the minister of energy and natural resources.

“By supporting advancements in clean energy technologies, we are not only protecting our environment but also positioning Canada at the forefront of the clean energy revolution,” said Ya’ara Saks, minister of mental health and addictions and MP for York Centre, who attended the announcement on behalf of Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

Ya'ara Saks and Julie Dabrusin speak with Associate Professor Ali Hooshyar during a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics (photo by Liz Beddall)

Ontario’s existing grid faces a number of challenges, including extreme weather events, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and concerns around capacity, reliability, and security.

To address these challenges, the Grid Modernization Centre will enable an array of green technologies – from electric vehicle charging stations to battery energy storage systems – to be tested and refined before they are integrated with the grid.

It will also provide training opportunities for students and thought leadership on policy, regulatory and climate financing models.

Prior to Friday’s announcement, MP Saks and Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin enjoyed a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics led by Ali Hooshyar, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Electric Power Systems in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The centre specializes in research and development around electric power systems in areas such as integration of renewable resources into power grids and energy storage and distribution in microgrids.

(L-R) Chris Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and Deepa Kundur, chair of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, said the Grid Modernization Centre will help address crucial challenges around sustainable energy (photo by Liz Beddall)

Professor and chair of the department Deepa Kundur hailed the Grid Modernization Centre as a “crucial step” toward a safer and more sustainable society. "At ECE, we actively contribute to the technological landscape by addressing challenges in vehicle electrification, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. This new centre represents U of T's proactive response to society's energy needs, and I'm thrilled about its potential impact,” Kundur said.

Professor Christopher Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, described the clean energy transition as arguably the most important shift facing companies and communities today. “U of T has responded to this challenge by developing the Grid Modernization Centre," Yip said.

"Today’s investment is key in supporting the centre and propelling us towards a reliable, resilient and sustainable electricity grid that will power a clean energy future for generations.”

Read the Climate Positive Energy story

U of T alum shares her journey to becoming a celebrated Toronto restaurateur

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 30 May 2024 20:14:58 +0000

U of T alum shares her journey to becoming a celebrated Toronto restaurateur

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 05/30/2024 - 16:14

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Ambica Jain says she wants her guests at Adrak Yorkville to have a flawless dining experience while absorbing elements of Indian culture (photo by Matt Volpe)

Topic

Subheadline

After graduating from U of T Scarborough in 2018, Ambica Jain went on to open the critically acclaimed Adrak restaurant in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood

Celebrated Toronto restaurateur Ambica Jain has come a long way since her first year at the University of Toronto Scarborough in 2014.

As a young undergraduate student, Jain knew she wanted to follow in her family’s entrepreneurial footsteps – but first needed to decide on an undergraduate major.

So, she chose mental health studies, which was then a fairly new program.

“At that time, there was such a stigma around mental health, especially in the South Asian community,” says Jain who graduated in 2018 and now owns Adrak Yorkville, a high-end Indian restaurant in Toronto that has a sister location in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Jain strives to ensure the dishes at Adrak Yorkville are as authentic as possible (photo by Ben Ehrensperger)

She says she enjoyed her studies – and, later, found some of the lessons she learned helped her run a restaurant.

“You really learn about interactions with other people, which for me applied to staff, guests – you name it,” she says. “I'm grateful that I chose that program, and I'm grateful it was at UTSC. I think it was a really good platform and a really good university to introduce you to the world.”

In 2017, Jain debated whether to apply for a post-graduate degree in business and law, or gain hands-on business experience first.

Her mother suggested she try taking on a leadership role at one of the family’s many business ventures: Adrak, an Indian restaurant in Richmond Hill that her family had owned since 2014.

She decided to go for it.

“We renovated it, got a new team, and it had a new jazzy vibe. It was this refreshing new take on it – and I started liking it a lot,” she says.

When the opportunity arose to open a second Adrak location in the trendy Yorkville area, Jain jumped at the chance to open a new restaurant on her own – and her quick success at the helm of Adrak Yorkville has made her a big name in the Toronto restaurant scene.

Since opening in 2022, Adrak’s Yorkville location has had several glowing reviews: it was named one of Toronto Life’s best new restaurants in 2023, has been mentioned in the New York Times, and even earned a coveted spot in the Toronto Michelin Guide.

The restaurant’s success is due in part to its authenticity, says Jain, who wants her guests to have both a flawless dining experience and absorb elements of Indian culture along the way.

“If you're walking into an Indian establishment, you should be able to learn something new and take away something about the culture,” she says. “With Adrak, it's all about this upscale dining experience where we remain as authentic as possible when it comes to flavours and presentation.”

The decor of Adrak Yorkville features numerous elements hand-picked from India (photo by Ryan Emberley)

Her belief in cultural authenticity is applied to every aspect of the restaurant, she says, including the decor.

“In our Yorkville location, all the elements have been hand-picked from India. So, whether it's our furniture or our wallpaper, they each have a storyline that has relevance to our culture and our heritage.”

Jain believes it's important to reflect on and celebrate her own South Asian roots, but also to spread knowledge about her culture with others. And what better way to do that than through food?

“When it comes to our culture, I think it's very important that you don't lose the authenticity and the traditions of the dishes you're trying to showcase to the guests,” she says. “And you must explain it as well. You can't just serve them a dish and be like, ‘Here you go.’ It’s very important to tell the story behind it all.”

Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 17 May 2024 20:51:35 +0000

Learn long and prosper: U of T’s Fisher Library becomes ‘eternal archive’ on Star Trek: Discovery

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/17/2024 - 16:51

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Hy'Rell (Elena Juatco) leads Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) through the Eternal Archive and Gallery in an episode of Star Trek: Discovery that was filmed in U of T's Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Topic

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Libraries

Subheadline

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library was chosen as a filming location for the latest episode of the sci-fi series because of its unique architecture and "commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge"

The team behind Star Trek: Discovery didn’t have to venture too far into the final frontier to find the perfect venue for a boundless library containing all the knowledge of the universe.

The ��Ƶ’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library stars as a complete repository of cosmic wisdom in the latest episode of the sci-fi series, titled “Labyrinths,” which premiered this week and is available to stream on Paramount Plus.

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (photo by U of T Communications)

With its tiered stacks of timeless tomes, the Fisher library – a brutalist architectural marvel – serves as more than a retro-futuristic TV setting, says Michael Cassabon, director of advancement at U of T Libraries.

“I think the university is trying to imagine an ideal future and bring it into the present … whether it’s working on inclusion, diversity and equity, or science and exploration,” he says.

“The Star Trek future represents a lot of what we’re trying to materialize.”

A self-proclaimed “Trekkie,” Cassabon says he had to set his fandom aside when reviewing the request to bring the USS Discovery to Fisher Library, which holds about 800,000 volumes and 5,000 linear metres of manuscripts.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery (photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

The Toronto-based production has previously filmed at various U of T locations. However, camera crews rarely gain access to Fisher Library’s valuable stacks and a shoot of this scale was unprecedented, Cassabon says.

The deciding factor? The pivotal role Fisher Library would play in the run-up to the series finale, offering the galaxy a glimpse of the rich trove of knowledge preserved within its walls.

“It was exciting that Fisher Library wouldn’t just be a backdrop,” Cassabon says. “It was like the library itself was a character – a very important character – in the story.

“The Fisher Library is a national treasure, and we thought this was a really good way of making it known to a lot of folks out there.”

The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery sends the crew on an interstellar scavenger hunt to uncover a hidden ancient power. The final clue lies in the “eternal archive,” an infinite library safeguarding the secrets of the universe.

As soon as Star Trek: Discovery location manager Melissa Warry-Smith read the site description, she says only one place came to mind.

“Not only does [Fisher Library] look like it is from the future and could in fact have been plucked directly from the Star Trek universe, but the library’s commitment to preservation and the pursuit of knowledge is intrinsic to the core values of Star Trek,” Warry-Smith says.

Larry Alford, right, university chief librarian, observes filming from a director's chair (photo by Michael Cassabon)

“The library is a stunning example of what we can achieve when we care deeply about preserving and sharing knowledge, and commit to coming together to use that knowledge for a shared vision of a better future for all – and what could be more Star Trek than that?”

This respect for the preservation of knowledge shaped the production team’s approach to shooting the scenes, says Cassabon.

Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers. The crew worked with Fisher’s librarians and archivists to implement strict protocols to protect its precious collections, including using heat-free lighting to prevent damage to delicate materials.

Cassabon and Larry Alford, university chief librarian at U of T Libraries, were on set for part of the shoot.

For Cassabon, meeting the show’s cast and crew was a fanboy moment.

“It was super surreal for me,” he says. “These are my childhood heroes.”

Filming took place overnight to minimize disruption to readers and researchers`(photo by Marni Grossman/Paramount+)

Cassabon adds that many researchers, professors and students have drawn inspiration from Star Trek as they look to tackle some of the greatest challenges in the world – and beyond.

Many of the show’s themes are reflected on campus, he says.

For example, the episode’s search through the “eternal archive” echoes the work of a U of T-led international research collaboration that’s using new techniques to unearth long-hidden stories lurking within Fisher Library and other collections, Cassabon says. And he notes that Star Trek has a nearly six-decade history of breaking new TV ground when it comes diverse representation and inclusivity – another one of the university’s core values.

“So much of Star Trek is imaging a world where … the things that label and divide us have faded away,” Cassabon says. “The university is all about trying to create a more inclusive and just world. It’s all about working together in harmony toward progress.”

Both U of T and Fisher Library are credited in “Labyrinths,” which is dedicated to “librarians everywhere, dedicated to the preservation of artifacts, knowledge, and truth.”

U of T producers set to make their Cannes debut with two films

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 14 May 2024 13:19:49 +0000

U of T producers set to make their Cannes debut with two films

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 05/14/2024 - 09:19

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Weijie Lai, left, and Elizabeth Wijaya, right, have two films premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Subheadline

Weijie Lai and Elizabeth Wijaya are co-founders of the development and production company E&W Films and teach in U of T Mississauga's department of visual studies

The ��Ƶ’s Elizabeth Wijaya and Weijie Lai are headed to the French Riviera to see not one, but two films debut at Cannes.

The two scholars – Wijaya is an assistant professor in U of T Mississauga’s department of visual studies, Lai is a Cinema Studies instructor – co-founded the company, E&W Films, that led the production of Mongrel, which is set to premiere as part of the Director’s Fortnight, an independent section that runs in parallel to theCannes Film Festival and is organized by the French Directors’ Guild.

The film, which marks the feature debut of co-directors Chiang Wei Liang and You Qiao Yin, tells the story of Oom, an undocumented migrant who works as a caregiver in the mountains of rural Taiwan.

Meanwhile, director Trương Minh Quý’s Việt and Nam will compete in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard category, which is dedicated to non-traditional stories and styles. The film, also produced by E&W, follows two lovers, one from the north and the other from the south, on a mission that explores the dreams and trauma of the southeast Asian country’s children.

“I would say both films this year are heavy, but they have very distinct artistic visions,” Wijaya says. “With everything we work on under E&W Films, we look out for that sense of directorial vision or artistic voice.”

A still from the movie Mongrel (Image courtesy E&W Films)

Wijaya and Lai met in an undergraduate philosophy and film course at the National University of Singapore. They launched E&W Films for practical reasons: they needed somewhere to hold funds while raising money to make Lai’s thesis film project. Later, E&W Films produced a short project for an undergraduate schoolmate: director Kirsten Tan. Next, the pair moved on to produce Tan’s debut feature Pop Aye, which won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Fast forward to today and E&W Films now has more than a dozen productions under its belt.

Wijaya generally defines her roles as development, strategy and co-ordination while Lai is more hands-on, helping facilitate everything from ideation and scripting to fundraising, production, sales and distribution.

A still from the film Việt and Nam (image courtesy Epicmedia Productions Inc.)

The couple’s dedication to film media, as well as their teaching and scholarship, has enriched U of T Mississauga’s department of visual studies, where they’ve built the UTM Asian Short Film Collection (accessible to anyone with a U of T library account) and organized the UTM DVS filmmaker-in-residence program, which has welcomed international talents such as Davy Chou, Pimpaka Towira and Anocha Suwichakornpong to campus for workshops, lectures and screenings.

Two projects currently in development by E&W Films have also received U of T Mississauga funding: an eco-horror project directed by Gogularaajan Rajendran was awarded the Black, Indigenous, and/or Racialized Scholar Research Grant, and The Sea is Calm Tonight by filmmaker Lê Bảo was given seed support by the Research and Scholarly Activity Fund.

The opportunity presented by the Cannes’ platform is enormous, the producers say.

“It's the biggest international market in terms of the number of attendees,” Lai says. “The most number of critics internationally are there. The most number of distributors are there and sales agents and things like that … So if you're there, in theory, more people will watch your film.”

While E&W Films has had a presence at the festival for years, this is the first time its work is set to be screened at Cannes.

“I think I’m excited just to see the first reactions,” Wijaya says.

Lai, too, says he’s looking forward to the experience.

“By the time we get to the world première, you've seen the film so many times that you’re actually bored stiff,” he says. “But for some reason, when you're sitting there with a fresh audience during the world première … the feeling is always different. You feel the energy of the audience, and fingers crossed the energy is good.”

Founded by sibling team, U of T startup partners with university to sell apparel

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:23:52 +0000

Founded by sibling team, U of T startup partners with university to sell apparel

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 03/07/2024 - 12:23

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Along with younger sister and creative partner Calille, left, Malik and Sydnie Pottinger worked with U of T's Trademark Licensing Office to create a capsule collection for their clothing brand MOTUS (photo by Varenya Danthurthy)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

St. Michael's College

Startups

ThisIsThePlace

Subheadline

Clothing brand MOTUS, co-founded by two U of T students and their younger sister, is collaborating with the university on a capsule collection

Startup co-founders and siblings Sydnie and Malik Pottinger are set to make history by becoming the first students to partner with the ��Ƶ’s Trademark Licensing Office to create a capsule collection with their clothing brand MOTUS.

Sydnie, a third-year student at St. Michael’s College, and Malik, a fifth-year student in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), will see their MOTUS line of fashion wear, complete with the university’s iconic T-and-leaf logo, go on sale at the U of T Bookstore’s St. George campus location in March.

The collection includes a varsity jacket, sweatsuits, beanies, soccer jerseys and T-shirts.

Bringing this dream to fruition has been a family affair for the Pottingers, whose younger sister Calille is also involved in the company – and whose parents have been a constant source of encouragement.

The siblings, whose university years saw them turn out for the Varsity Blues – with Malik playing basketball and Sydnie, volleyball – began to consider creating a line of comfortable but stylish fashion pieces during the pandemic. They launched MOTUS in January 2023, taking on everything from designing clothing and creating a logo to arranging manufacturing and shipping orders.

Malik says the brand name MOTUS is derived from the Latin word for motion. “It fits us because we are always pushing ourselves and each other to have one foot forward, and it signifies always progressing and elevating,” says Malik.

The business began booming shortly after the e-commerce brand was launched, with Malik and Sydnie soon making regular trips from their small warehouse to the post office to mail orders.

It wasn’t long before they met their first benchmark of success: seeing people on the street wearing their clothes.

“Success is your brand being recognized,” Sydnie says.

The siblings then began to think of how to create a brick-and-mortar presence and pondered whether they could reach an arrangement to sell their items in the U of T Bookstore.

“We brought up the idea to our parents. They encouraged us and said, ‘The worst that can happen is that the bookstore says no,’” Sydnie recalls.

Soon, they were in contact with U of T’s Trademark Licensing Office, where they were introduced to manager Ivan Canete, who previously managed the Under Armour portfolio for the Sport & Rec programs at KPE. Together, they discussed how U of T branding and logos could be integrated into a MOTUS x UofT collection.

In addition to the bookstore stocking their items, MOTUS also received support from Spaces & Experiences, which invested in initial inventory and connected the siblings with resources such as the Black Founders Network.

“We haven’t done a lot of this before,” Canete says of the collaboration, noting that only recently have big brands begun to create collaborative clothing collections with U of T.

Canete says that since U of T Bookstore royalties are poured back into student experience, partnering with students is a great path. “U of T is pioneering this kind of thinking and developing a model for other schools to follow,” he says, describing the arrangement as part of the bookstore’s evolution.

“It's a great feeling to know that something that my sisters and I created in our parents’ living room is going to help other people,” says Malik, who is set to graduate from KPE this year. “We are the first students to collaborate with the university’s Trademark Licensing Program and it’s really nice to see MOTUS among big-name brands like OVO, Roots and Peace Collective.”

Malik plans to spend at least a year following his graduation solely focused on building the business. Sydnie, who has two years of school remaining and also coaches volleyball, will also continue to make a full-time commitment.

Among MOTUS’s next steps is to produce leather goods, says Malik, who has been looking into suppliers in Portugal. “We are already developing an assortment of items of this category for our brand. Our goal for MOTUS is to have an international footprint,” he says. “We are so grateful for U of T’s backing.”

Malik says he would advise students to not let their studies box them into a corner. “Just take everything you learned from U of T and apply it in whatever direction you want to take in your life,” he says.

“My first two years at KPE provided me with a great foundation and perspective to figure out what I like. That structure, combined with playing on the varsity basketball team in the first two years of my studies, provided me with discipline and routine that come in handy today.”

In photos: U of T's Black History Month Luncheon 2024

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 19:52:10 +0000

In photos: U of T's Black History Month Luncheon 2024

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 02/29/2024 - 14:52

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Volunteers serve food during the 22^ndedition of the Black History Month Luncheon, a signature event at U of T during Black History Month (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Black History Month Luncheon

David Palmer

Hart House

Meric Gertler

Glen Boothe says he always wonders how many people will turn out for the Black History Month Luncheon – an annual event that brings together the ��Ƶ community to celebrate Black excellence, history and culture.

“Every year, I go through this, ‘are enough people going to show up?’,” said Boothe, who works in U of T’s division of advancement and co-founded the annual luncheon more than two decades ago.

He needn’t have worried.

Glen Boothe, a co-founder of the Black History Month Luncheon, thanks Michaëlle Jean for delivering the event’s keynote address (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Booth estimated nearly 600 people gathered in the Great Hall in Hart House for the 22^nd edition of the event this week – with many others joining the celebration virtually, including via a watch party hosted by U of T Mississauga.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s tangible support.”

Lilly Phillip, a chef with U of T’s Food Services, has been cooking for the luncheon for eight years (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Those who attended in person and virtually heard from keynote speaker Michaëlle Jean, a former journalist who served as governor general of Canada from 2005 to 2010, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, and spoken-word poet Randell Adjei, who was named Ontario’s first poet laureate in 2021.

Spoken-word poet Randell Adjei gestures to the audience (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Senior U of T leaders, including President Meric Gertler, David Palmer, vice-president, advancement, Barbara Dick, assistant vice-president, alumni relations, and Dickson Eyoh, interim principal of U of T’s New College, welcomed attendees and commended the event’s volunteer organizers.

“This is one of the signature events for U of T’s annual Black History Month celebration,” President Gertler said.

U of T President Meric Gertler with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Michaëlle Jean, who served as Canada’s governor general from 2005 to 2010 (photo by Johnny Guatto)

President Gertler also remarked on the recent $5-million investment in the African Studies Centre and the Centre for Caribbean Studies by alumnus Richard Rooney, who was in attendance.

“It will help attract world-leading scholars through the establishment of two new endowed professorships and it will support the next generation of top minds through the creation of a pair of postdoctoral fellowships,” said President Gertler.

An estimated 600 people attended the Black History Month Luncheon in Hart House’s Great Hall (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Meanwhile, Palmer presented Jean with an achievement award – recognizing her service, leadership and impact nationally and globally.

Attendees at U of T Mississauga’s watch party listen to Michaëlle Jean via livestream (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Jean credited her mother and grandmother for motivating her to be an advocate from a young age.

“My mother constantly reminded me that indifference is not an option,” she said. “You have to be aware of what’s happening around you and how it affects you and others.

“Embrace this discomfort. Feel the pain but stand firm.”

Attendees line up in Hart House’s Great Hall as volunteers serve food (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Jean said her mother told her to use her voice, not just for her own cause, but for others too.

“Having perspective and knowing you can make a difference – that is the key to rising above adversity.”

Researcher Juveria Zaheer on how her day job prepared her to compete on Jeopardy!

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 20:02:56 +0000

Researcher Juveria Zaheer on how her day job prepared her to compete on Jeopardy!

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 02/22/2024 - 15:02

Cutline

Juveria Zaheer, pictured here on the TV game show Jeopardy!, is a clinician scientist at CAMH’s Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and an associate professor of psychiatry in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine (image via Jeopardy Productions Inc)

Heather McCall

Topic

City & Culture

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Subheadline

"As a physician, you learn how to manage and memorize a lot of data and to recall it very quickly"

As the medical head of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s emergency department, Juveria Zaheer provides urgent psychiatric care to people in crisis and is a leading expert and researcher in best practices around suicide risk assessment and prevention.

She is also a trivia whiz, as evidenced by her recent appearances on the TV game show Jeopardy! – and a comeback success story at that.

A clinician scientist at CAMH’s Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and associate professor of psychiatry at the ��Ƶ’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Zaheer lost during her first appearance on the show in May 2023 but performed well enough to be invited to compete in a Jeopardy! Second Chance tournament later that year.

Zaheer, a U of T alumna, won that competition and went on to play in a Champions Wildcard tournament, where she also came out on top. She will now compete in Jeopardy!’s Tournament of Champions, which begins airing Friday.

Having just wrapped taping of the tournament, Zaheer chatted with writer Heather McCall about her experiences on- and off-camera.

Many now recognize you for your Jeopardy! appearances, but can you tell us about your day job?

I work in the CAMH emergency department, which is the only stand-alone psychiatric emergency department in Ontario. It’s busy. When I started at U of T Psychiatry as a resident, we would see 350 patients a month. Now we see more than 1,500. I'm also the medical head, ensuring we provide evidence-based, dignified care to people in crisis. I’ve always said I have the best job in the world. It’s very rewarding to see people on the hardest days of their lives and provide them with comfort, dignity and support – and to be able to help connect them to the resources they deserve.

I’m also a scientist. My research focuses on suicide and suicide prevention. My team and I are seeking to understand the epidemiological underpinnings of suicide – the cultural and structural impacts within different populations – as well as biological and psychosocial determinants. We also do a lot of work around best practices in suicide risk assessment and co-create plans with participants on how best to support recovery.

Right now, we’re running a study looking at the experiences of people with suicidality during the height of COVID to better prepare for future pandemics. Another big investigation we’re working on – the first of its kind anywhere in the world – is a cohort study on people with suicidality across all ages, all diagnoses and all types of presentation. We’ll follow them for a year to understand them from multiple perspectives.

I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in research because people with severe and persistent mental illness are often excluded from studies, especially when they're experiencing suicidality.

How has your U of T education and training contributed to your Jeopardy! success?

I've always really loved people's stories, which is an important part of connecting with the people you treat. I applied this skill a lot during my residency. Apparently, an affinity for stories is common among trivia experts – there’s even a recent Scientific American article about this phenomenon. A former Jeopardy! contestant did a study and learned that trivia experts were most likely to remember facts in the context of a scene or a memory or an anecdote, and not through rote memorization.

Before I did my MD, I also completed three years of an undergraduate degree at U of T in the Faculty of Arts & Science through the Centre for the Study of the United States at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. That foundational education was incredibly important in building up my knowledge of American history and politics.

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings and Juveria Zaheer (image via Jeopardy Productions Inc)

What about in your current clinical practice and as a researcher?

As a physician, you learn how to manage and memorize a lot of data and to recall it very quickly. This is especially so in emergency settings. You also have to stay calm for your team and for your patients. You need to model that it’s a safe place. When you work in an acute care environment, you also need to respond to things quickly and pay attention to more than one thing at a time. All those skills have been very helpful.

One of the other things that being a researcher has taught me about life is variance. There is so much variance – so much randomness – in Jeopardy! There's a huge component of luck on this journey, so you can't get too high or too low.

Have your colleagues helped in your preparation?

When you film three tournaments in two-and-a-half months – and you have to be very evasive about where you're going and why – you need all the support you can get.

Aislynn Torfason is an emergency department psychiatrist whom I mentored. She's extraordinary and brilliant. Whenever I needed coverage for my administrative responsibilities she was right there. Paul Kurdyak was the emergency head when I was new at CAMH and we still work together. He’s been an incredible mentor and supporter – it’s a very tight-knit community.

Our pharmacist also shared a book on buzzing-in strategies with me. Others would quiz me on categories I was weak in. CAMH has also aired all my games on the big screen on our huddle board.

When I lost the first time, I was so worried about what people would say, but my colleagues only talked about how great I was. That’s made it easier to keep playing because I felt like I wouldn’t disappoint anyone, no matter what happened.

When it comes to your Jeopardy! success, how would you describe the balance between knowledge and the other aspects of game play?

When I got the call to appear on the show for the first time, I was so focused on acquiring knowledge that I didn’t think about anything else. I didn't think about how I was going to stay calm. I didn't think about betting strategy. I didn't think about the buzzer. I didn't think about how I would manage adversity. And I didn't think about my values.

So, I made a conscious effort during these last three tournaments to focus more on those elements. And I think having that sense of mental wellness or perspective really helped me play better. Everyone knows lots of stuff, but it's how you translate that knowledge into your performance that’s most important.

You’ve been cited by many fans as a role model – as a parent, a woman of colour, a physician and a fierce competitor. How does that sit with you?

It's such a flattering thing because I've had extraordinary mentorship in my career, and I know how important it is to have people to look up to. One of the things I wanted to show is that you can be good at Jeopardy! and also be a good mom, a good clinician and a good researcher. Of course, you can’t do all these things at once, but with the help of a good team and your family, you can have different experiences.

I also wanted to show my daughters that you can be brave and take chances – that you can fail in front of millions of people and it’s OK. You can be yourself and that's enough.

What from this experience will you take into your work and research?

I think my stress meter is now a little broken. The extreme, high-intensity experience of Jeopardy! has made academic presentations feel a little less scary.

But bigger-picture-wise? Since medical school I’ve been working non-stop building my career and building a research program. It’s hard work and sometimes it’s a slog. To be able to pick up a new hobby in midlife, to be able to take chances and to invest in myself, has been such a gift.

Also, as a mom to my two daughters – as well as the CAMH “emerg mom” as my team calls me – there are so many people I want to take care of. But I’ve learned it's not selfish to want to win. It's not selfish to do things for yourself. And it's never too late to make new friends and try something weird.

U of T prof takes home award at Sundance Film Festival

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 18:06:40 +0000

U of T prof takes home award at Sundance Film Festival

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 02/13/2024 - 13:06

Cutline

Brett Story, an assistant professor at U of T’s Cinema Studies Institute, says it was the first time she had a film premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Sean McNeely

Topic

City & Culture

Cinema Studies

Faculty of Arts & Science

Film

Subheadline

Brett Story co-directed Union, which follows a group of workers who successfully organize the first labour union at online retail giant Amazon

The ��Ƶ’s Brett Story recently returned from the Sundance Film Festival, where the documentary she co-directed about a group of unionizing Amazon employees won the festival’s U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change.

Union follows a group of current and former Amazon workers in the New York City borough of Staten Island as they attempt to organize an independent labour union at the online retail giant.

An assistant professor at the Cinema Studies Institute in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Story recently spoke to writer Sean McNeely about the film, her time at Sundance and the lessons she’s passing on to her students.

What is Union about?

Union is a documentary chronicling the organizing efforts of a group of Amazon workers in Staten Island, N.Y., who organized the first ever successful union campaign at an Amazon facility. We were there from day one and we filmed for almost three years documenting their efforts to form an independent union without institutional affiliation. When they won their election, they became the first Amazon union in America. But it’s not just a film about employees versus the employer, it’s really a film about how hard it is to organize people.

And we didn't know they were going to win. In fact, the decision to make the film – that it was worth documenting their process – was made independent of any kind of real evaluation of whether or not they had the capacity to win. It didn't seem like they could win. This was basically a small group of people outside, under a tent, who are trying to unionize a workplace that even the Teamsters deemed unsuitable.

Union, co-directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at Sundance (image supplied)

How was the experience of being at Sundance?

It's got the aura of a very glamorous festival, but it takes place at a very high elevation in Park City, Utah, which is a ski town. It's very snowy – so instead of red-carpet glamour, everyone's wearing snow boots and sweaters.

But it's so exciting, especially the first weekend. There's tons of press – all the critics are in the room, all the buyers. Part of the hype around Sundance is that it’s a big market. So it's not just the prestige, it's also knowing there's an opportunity to get distribution. A lot of independent films, including my own, that go to Sundance don't have a distributor, so we don't know where anyone's going to be able to see this film outside of a festival.

The hope is that at Sundance, you can get someone to distribute it. That didn't happen for us yet. We're still waiting to see if anyone's going pick it up. It's a bit of a hot-button film. Obviously, Amazon isn't going to buy it.

But, realistically, when the media landscape is dominated by media-tech companies, one has to ask whether any of them want to touch a film about a scrappy labour movement that took on one of the world's biggest companies. We’re optimistic that someone will pick it up because it’s an exciting story and we think we did it cinematic justice in our film.

How was the screening of your movie?

Watching it with an audience was a really special, beautiful experience. People laughed and cried, and we got a big standing ovation. For me, part of the joy of making a film is watching how other people respond to it. It's then out of my own mind and into the imaginations of others.

Were participants in the movie at the screening?

Yes – not everybody, but we brought eight people. You’re not always able to do that. It's very expensive and people have complicated lives. But it was important for us. The film honours their hard work. They showed a lot of vulnerability, allowing us into their lives.

And it's only fair that the rewards of making a film – like getting applause, or having people tell you that it's amazing – don't just accrue to the filmmakers. Those should be felt by the people who are in the film.

What was your reaction to Union winning an award?

This was the first time I'd ever had a premiere at Sundance, so it was a big deal. I tend to not have expectations about these things – that keeps me from disappointment. But it's a huge honour to even be at Sundance. We only finished the film six days before the festival started.

From left to right: Brett Story and Stephen Maing hold the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival (photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

How does your filmmaking impact your teaching?

The great thing about having taught last term was that I could tell students, in real time, what I was struggling with regarding the construction of the film. At one point, we couldn’t decide on our opening and my co-director and I were having this artistic disagreement, so I could talk to them about that process and show them the different possible openings. I think it was fun for them to see me go through that and complete the film.

What’s your advice to students who are thinking of making a movie?

It's important to understand that failure is part of the process. The only way to learn how to make a film is to actually make one. If there isn't the possibility that what you try might fail, then you're not actually trying anything at all.

A lot of the exercises I'm doing in my class right now are about limitation. We just did an exercise where the students made a film but were only allowed to use one shot. Their next exercise is to make a sound film in which they're not allowed to have any images. There's something about these kinds of limitations that helps them understand the tools a little better and hopefully take risks.

One doesn’t just “become” a filmmaker overnight. It is a practice like any other and the most important thing is to not let yourself get discouraged. I got a film in Sundance and won a big award. It's huge for my career. But this is my fourth feature film and I've been making films for over 15 years. I could have given up after my first film didn't get into Sundance, but I didn't and I learned from it.

Can you show Union to your class?

Right now we're on a festival rollout. I won’t be able to have a public screening until we have a festival screening. I hope to report soon on where the film will play in Toronto. It makes a difference to watch something with a big audience, so I will probably show them scenes but will wait until the film is playing in a theatre to invite them all. And then, yes, absolutely, we will hopefully show it at Innis (College).

Psychiatrist Juveria Zaheer headed to Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions: CBC

bresgead — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:18:23 +0000

Psychiatrist Juveria Zaheer headed to Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions: CBC

bresgead Mon, 02/05/2024 - 14:18

Cutline

(photo courtesy of Jeopardy Productions Inc.)

Topic

City & Culture

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Psychiatry

Subheadline

“With every win, you keep pinching yourself to say, ‘Is this real? Is this happening?’”

Juveria Zaheer, a psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the ��Ƶ, is set to compete in the Tournament of Champions on Jeopardy! after winning the Group One Champions Wildcard tournament.

An expert on suicide risk and prevention, Zaheer prevailed on Friday’s show with a two-day final score of $20,000, earning her a $100,000 grand prize, reported durhamregion.com.

In an interview on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Zaheer – a scientist with CAMH’s Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems Division and an associate professor of psychiatry in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine – recalled how she thought her time on Jeopardy! was up after losing her first game in May 2023.

She returned to the podium last fall and emerged as a Second Chance winner, and after cleaning up in her latest tournament, she says her comeback story feels like something out of a fairytale. “You feel like Cinderella. You just don’t want it to be midnight quite yet,” she told Metro Morning host David Common. “With every win, you keep pinching yourself to say, ‘Is this real? Is this happening?’”

The Tournament of Champions begins airing on Feb. 23.

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Researcher Juveria Zaheer on how her day job prepared her to compete on Jeopardy!

U of T prof takes home award at Sundance Film Festival

Psychiatrist Juveria Zaheer headed to Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions: CBC

Listen to Juveria Zaheer on CBC’s Metro Morning