Joe's Basketball Diaries

The year in pictures: U of T News looks back at 2023

mattimar — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:58:42 +0000

The year in pictures: U of T News looks back at 2023

mattimar Tue, 12/19/2023 - 09:58

Cutline

Dancer Deanne Hupfield at the inaugural All-Nations Powwow co-hosted by U of T Mississauga’s Indigenous Centre and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Acceleration Consortium

Geoexchange

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Joe's Basketball Diaries

UTogether

Artificial Intelligence

Entrepreneurship

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Undergraduate Students

University Health Network

The ��Ƶ marked many memorable milestones across the three campuses in 2023.

From co-hosting an inaugural All-Nations Powwow to guiding the future of artificial intelligence and advocating for social justice around the world, members of the U of T community and their partners made an impact well beyond the classroom in 2023.

And photographers at U of T News and elsewhere at the university were often on hand to capture the action.

Here are just a few of the special moments that shaped U of T this year:

(photo by David Lee)

The Landmark Project has transformed the historic core of U of T’s St. George campus around King’s College Circle into a greener, more accessible and pedestrian-friendly space.

Front Campus is also now home to Canada’s largest urban geoexchange system, which will generate renewable energy and store surplus heat in the summer for use in the cold winter months. The system will save the university an estimated 15,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually – a key part of U of T’s climate-positive plans and among the reasons it was recently named the most sustainable university in the world.

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Following ��Ƶ’s departure from Google, U of T News travelled to his home in London, England, for an in-depth conversation with the U of T University Professor Emeritus of computer science about the dangers posed by unchecked advances in AI, the role he and others played in creating the technology and the importance of responsible development.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Abby-Gayle Isadora Allen celebrated completing the Support, Engage, Experience ��Ƶ Mississauga program this year by dancing beside Juno Award-winning singer Liberty Silver during the graduation ceremony.

The innovative program aims to make university education more accessible to Black youth who are underrepresented at Canada’s post-secondary schools. Students in Grade 11 and 12 earn a university half-credit and two Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits, have a co-op experience and are mentored by a senior U of T undergraduate student while simultaneously completing their high school semester.

Similar programs operate at U of T Scarborough and the St. George campus, which introduced SEE U of T, the inaugural version of this access program, four years ago in collaboration with the Toronto District School Board.

(photo by Luis Mora)

Jaivet Ealom, a U of T student, author, a member of the persecuted Rohingya minority and refugee advocate, shared his harrowing escape to Canada in U of T News and U of T Magazine.

Ealom fled his home country of Myanmar in 2013. Before arriving at U of T, he had travelled through six countries and three continents seeking asylum – surviving a near-drowning and multiple detentions along the way.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

U of T hosted the 14^th annual Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) conference in May, which brought together global scholars, artists, Elders and independent professionals working in the field of Indigenous Studies. The event covered themes from food sovereignty to contemporary Indigenous cinema and language revitalization.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Brokoslaw Laschowski, a research scientist at the KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, and assistant professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and his team are developing AI-powered wearable technology for medical applications.

Known as the “bionic professor,” Laschowski is passionate about developing assistive technology such as bionic prosthetic legs and exoskeletons to help individuals with physical disabilities.

In his spare time, he’s helping students from Ukraine flee the Russian invasion and war to come to U of T to continue their studies.

(photo by Chai Chen)

Charlotte Wargniez graduated from U of T Scarborough at the age of 17 with a major in environmental geoscience and a minor in applied climatology.

She wrapped up her degree with many impressive accolades – including the Rose Sheinin Award, given to the highest-performing woman student in science across U of T’s three campuses and an excellence and leadership award from U of T Scarborough's department of physical and environmental sciences.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

The Acceleration Consortium at U of T, an institutional strategic initiative, was awarded a $200-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund to revolutionize the speed and impact of materials discovery – all with a focus on building a sustainable future.

The funding – the largest federal research grant ever awarded to a Canadian university – supports the consortium’s work on “self-driving labs” that combine AI, robotics and advanced computing to discover new materials and molecules at a fraction of the usual time and cost.

With a strong plan of equity, diversity and inclusion guiding project implementation and research design, the initiative will commercialize ethically designed technologies and materials to benefit society and train today’s scientists with the skills they need to advance the emerging field of accelerated materials discovery. It will also allow the consortium to examine critical issues regarding the application of the technology, including from environmental and Indigenous perspectives.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Niloofar Ganji, a PhD student in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, is changing the world in more ways than one.

Ganji not only conducts groundbreaking research on a critical condition affecting premature infants – she is deeply committed to activism for social change in her home country of Iran.

As an executive member of U of T Students for a Free Iran (UTSFI), she has organized many events at the university in support of the anti-regime movement in Iran. She hopes to use her knowledge and expertise in pediatrics and healthcare to work for the Iranian people one day.

(photo supplied)

When a catastrophic series of earthquakes hit Türkiye and Syria earlier this year, students from the Turkish Students Association (pictured) at U of T Scarborough rallied together to collect funds and in-kind donations on campus.

They were among the many U of T community members across the three campuses who pitched in to help raise awareness and funds in the wake of the disaster.

(photo by Nithya Thayaal)

U of T celebrated the graduation of more than 21,000 students from the university’s three campuses in 2023 – including the U of T Scarborough student pictured above.

Friends and family looked on as many of those graduates crossed the stage inside Convocation Hall during convocation ceremonies held in spring and fall.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Peter Ma, an undergraduate math and physics student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, is dedicated to searching for life beyond our planet by drawing on his passion for science – and artificial intelligence in particular.

He became the youngest member of a team of international researchers at the University of California, Berkeley who are searching the stars for extraterrestrial intelligence and was lead author on a paper published earlier this year in the journal Nature Astronomy.

From left to right: William Lou, Joseph Wong, Sam Ibrahim and Aleer Aleer-Leek (photo by Polina Teif)

In the first episode of the second season of the award-winning series Joe’s Basketball Diaries, host Joseph Wong sits down with Will Lou, writer and co-host of the Raptors Show podcast, Sam Ibrahim, a business leader, philanthropist and major supporter of U of T Scarborough, and Aleer Aleer-Leek, a U of T student and Varsity Blues basketball player, to talk about community and sports.

In future episodes, Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and guests take the conversation beyond the court as they discuss topics ranging from sustainability to inclusion.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Studying at U of T gave Alicia Corbiere an opportunity to re-engage with her culture when she began learning from Indigenous professors and studying Anishinaabemowin. She also connected with her community by joining First Nations House and the Indigenous Students’ Association.

After graduating with a degree in criminology and Indigenous studies from the Faculty of Arts & Science in the spring, Corbiere went on to study Indigenous law at U of T’s Faculty of Law.

(photo by Polina Teif)

The leafy, green lettuce that many members of the U of T community are eating in their salads, sandwiches and hamburgers is not just locally grown – but grown on the St. George campus by a student-led startup in partnership with U of T Food Services.

Lyrata co-founders Leo Hua (pictured), Carol Lin and Adnan Sharif say they are bringing innovations to the field of sustainability – including 3D-printed soil.

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Season 2, Ep. 2: Sport and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:34:53 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Season 2, Ep. 2: Sport and Reconciliation Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 12/13/2023 - 10:34

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Indigenous

Sports

Truth and Reconciliation

In the second episode of Season Two of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, host Joseph Wong sits down with retired Canadian basketball player Michael Linklater to reflect on his career and the impact basketball has had on his life.

A member of Thunderchild First Nation, part of Treaty 6 Territory, Linklater has become an advocate in the Truth and Reconciliation process in Canada and a role model for Indigenous youth.

“I think the first time I got asked to speak in front of an audience, to my peers, I was 16 years old,” says Linklater, who played with the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (and went out on top after his team won the inaugural championship following his final game of professional basketball in 2019).

“I was tasked with the responsibility of being a role model. It wasn’t something I had asked for, but it was something I took very seriously.”

The conversation between Linklater and Wong – U of T’s vice-president, international and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science – also explores the intersection of sports and reconciliation.

Linklater was named an ambassador for Nike N7, the company’s program to get kids in First Nations communities in North America more involved in sports, and was invited to the White House for the first ever Native American Heritage Month reception in 2022.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure …,” he says, “but there is a responsibility for me in terms of respecting and honouring my ancestors who were here before me and what they went through in order for me to be here today.”

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries S2, Ep. 2

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:04:13 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/29/2023 - 11:04

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Diversity and Inclusion

Subheadline

In a new season of the award-winning series, host Joseph Wong and guests take the conversation beyond the court as they discuss topics ranging from sustainability to inclusion

For Joseph Wong, basketball is more than a hobby or a passion – it’s a platform to foster meaningful conversations about community, sustainability, diversity and equity, and reconciliation.

As host of the award-winning series Joe's Basketball Diaries, Wong explores these and other themes with guests from inside and outside the ��Ƶ in a new season that begins today.

“The show puts front and centre a lot of key issues we’re grappling with as a society,” says Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“These are all big issues that are not exclusive to the world of sport or basketball, but it provides an opportunity for a discussion.”

Season Two begins by following up on a topic explored in the first season – community – and opens with a discussion about the Scarborough Shooting Stars, a local basketball team that won its first championship in the Canadian Elite Basketball League this past summer.

Sam Ibrahim, a business leader, philanthropist and co-founder of the Stars, says during the episode that it was important to name the team after Scarborough to keep its roots authentic.

“Scarborough is not a city anymore, it’s more of a historical region,” says Ibrahim, who is a major supporter of U of T Scarborough. “For us to preserve Scarborough and what it means to us – it was important regardless of what it meant to the Greater Toronto Area.”

Will Lou, writer and co-host of the Raptors Show podcast, adds that locals understand the social and cultural of importance of Scarborough.

“People always make jokes, but at the end of the day a lot of Toronto’s culture comes from Scarborough,” he says.

Aleer Leek, a player on the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team who grew up in Scarborough, says he saw first-hand how excited the community was about local sporting events, while Fabienne Blizzard, co-founder of the Capital Courts Academy and the Cadette National Team coach, speaks about how sports brought her community together growing up.

Airing biweekly on U of T’s YouTube channel, future episodes of Joe’s Basketball Diaries will delve into the intersection of sports and reconciliation, the significance of sustainability in sports and the complexities that surround transgender athletes. For instance, while much of the mainstream debate on issues of transgender inclusion and sport focuses on elite athletes, Wong says the show is deliberately steering the conversation towards the underlying issues – from the science of sports performance to the sociology of gender and the need for inclusion.

On the topic of sustainability, Wong notes that few sports fans stop to consider the volume of greenhouse gases that are emitted when tens of thousands of people travel to a stadium to watch a big game.

“Sports attract a lot of people – and all the work that goes into putting on a sporting event comes with a carbon price,” he says.

Wong says he puts a lot of thought into his hosting the series, often reading hundreds of pages in preparation for an episode, in an effort to go “beyond the headlines.”

Even so, the series’ success – the first season received more than 1.3 million views on YouTube and won several awards – has surprised Wong. “It’s talked about in the extended Toronto community,” he says.

Guests of the show have included three-time Olympian Miranda Ayim and former Toronto Raptors basketball coach Nick Nurse. In addition, the MLSE Foundation, NBA Canada, Sinai Health Foundation, Raptors for Research, and Canada Basketball have all shared interests in connecting with U of T and potentially engaging in future partnerships, Wong says.

He adds that he’s confident viewers will find the second season of Joe’s Basketball Diaries as compelling as the first – and encourages new viewers to explore older episodes.

“They’re timely, but they’re also timeless.”

Prehistoric: U of T alum Alex Wong explores the Toronto Raptors' origin story

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 14:41:30 +0000

Prehistoric: U of T alum Alex Wong explores the Toronto Raptors' origin story

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 11/01/2023 - 10:41

Cutline

U of T alumnus Alex Wong signed copies of his book Prehistoric: the Improbable and Audacious Origin Story of the Toronto Raptors at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport (all photos by Dewey Chang)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Subheadline

Alex Wong's book delves into the launch of the Toronto Raptors and examines the power of sport to foster community

The origin story of the Toronto Raptors – and the team's subsequent impact on community-building in the GTA and beyond – are the subject of a new book by ��Ƶ alumnus Alex Wong, who discussed the stories and themes from the Raptors' rise at a launch party held at U of T's Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

Wong, producer and co-host of Canada's most popular basketball podcast – The Raptors Show with Will Lou – delved into Prehistoric: the Improbable and Audacious Origin Story of the Toronto Raptors during a recent panel discussion hosted by U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) that featured key figures in the founding of the Raptors.

From left to right: Alex Wong, John Bitove Jr., founder of the Toronto Raptors, David Peterson, founding chairman of the Toronto Raptors, and Tom O'Grady, designer of the original Raptors' logo

“This is a story about the people who bonded over a common purpose – the launch of a professional basketball team,” said Wong, who graduated from U of T Scarborough. “But the core element of the book is community, which is at the core of basketball and is at the core of the Raptors.”

Helping Wong tell the story – in the book and on the Goldring Centre stage – were John Bitove Jr., founder of the Toronto Raptors, David Peterson, founding chairman of the Raptors and U of T chancellor emeritus, and Tom O’Grady, designer of the team's original logo.

“I got emotional over some of the passages in the book,” said Bitove. “When we started this venture, we believed in it, of course – we hoped that it would turn into something with a legacy. But when you see the positive impact the Raptors had on the community over the years, it’s really something.”

Attendees packed U of T's Goldring Centre to hear the origin story of the Toronto Raptors.

Peterson, who was premier of Ontario from 1985 to 1990, said he had never even been to an NBA game when Bitove, who he described as a diehard basketball fan, approached him about putting in an ownership bid for the team.

“I went home to my three kids and told them about this guy who wants to go after an NBA franchise and they said, ‘Do it, it’s more fun than politics,’ so the next day, I called John to say I’m in,” said Peterson.

Asked to share how the team's logo came about, Bitove said the goal was to come up with a design that was different, bold and had a global feel. To the delight of the audience, many of whom were decked out in Raptors gear, O’Grady shared a few slides showing the logo's evolution.

The design of the Raptors' original logo aimed to be different, bold and project a global feel.

“The kids from the focus groups loved it,” said O’Grady.

The audience also learned that the Raptor almost ended up being lime green, but the owners decided to go with red to highlight the team's association with Canada.

Joseph Wong, U of T’s vice president, international, and host of Joe’s Basketball Diaries – the second season of which launches soon – led another panel discussion that featured Shireen Ahmed, a sports journalist and activist; Sam Ibrahim, president of Arrow Group of Companies, co-founder of the Scarborough Shooting Stars and U of T supporter; and Tamara Tatham, head coach of the U of T Varsity Blues women’s basketball team. They spoke about their introduction to the Raptors, how they became devoted fans and where they were when the Raptors won the NBA championship in 2019.

From left to right: Joseph Wong, Shireen Ahmed, Tamara Tatham and Sam Ibrahim.

While the pre-Raptors professional sports landscape in the GTA was dominated by hockey and baseball, the panel discussed how the accessibility of basketball and soccer carried more appeal to minority and immigrant communities.

“I lived in Scarborough and we knew the basketball court was a safe place,” said Ibrahim. “That’s the power of sport – to build relationships and communities.”

“We spent all our time in the gym,” added Tatham, who started playing basketball in community centres, also in Scarborough.

KPE Dean Gretchen Kerr addressed the audience in the Goldring Centre.

When the Raptors came to town, Ibrahim, Tatham and Ahmed said they saw themselves reflected on the big court – and in the stands.

“It’s one thing to talk about inclusivity, it’s another to do something about it,” said Ahmed, who noted the Raptors were the first NBA team to offer an athletic hijab for Muslim women. “The Raptors saw their communities and they were intentional about making them all feel included.”

Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of KPE, said all proceeds from the ticket sales from the event would go to the Indigenous and Black student-athlete bursary and described the evening as a “wonderful reminder and testament of the power of sport to bring people together, and foster access and inclusion.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 6: Women in Sports

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:21:16 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 6: Women in Sports Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/01/2023 - 16:21

Topic

Our Community

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Diversity and Inclusion

Equity

Joseph Wong

Sports

Undergraduate Students

Varsity Blues

Women

The pressure female athletes, coaches and journalists face in sport – and society at large – is explored in the season finale of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, hosted by Joseph Wong, the ��Ƶ’s vice-president, international.

Guests highlight the systemic and structural nature of sexism and racism in sports, and the importance of representation – particularly in leadership.

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Tamara Tatham, a two-time Olympian who is the head coach of U of T’s women’s Varsity Blues basketball team.

Women athletes, especially those who are racialized, face expectations of failure and their successes are treated as anomalies, adds Hannah Flores, a U of T undergraduate student.

Other topics discussed include sexist double standards in sports, scrutiny of women’s bodies and behaviour, and the many ways these inequities are compounded for racialized and LGBTQ+ athletes.

This episode features:

Hannah Flores, spoken word artist and U of T undergraduate student
Savanna Hamilton, sideline reporter, Toronto Raptors and Sportsnet
Amreen Kadwa, founder and executive director of Hijabi Ballers
Nicole Kaniki, U of T’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion in research and innovation
Tamara Tatham, two-time Olympian and head coach of the U of T women’s Varsity Blues basketball team

Watch Joe's BasketBall Diaries Ep. 6

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 5: Globalization and the power of sport

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:13:37 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 5: Globalization and the power of sport Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/18/2023 - 09:13

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

The power of sport – and who holds it – takes centre court in the latest episode of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, hosted by Joseph Wong, the ��Ƶ’s vice-president, international.

Guests include Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who shares his insights into the role coaches and teachers play in fostering the growth of players and students both on and off the court.

“I start every season with either this mural, this pyramid or this coliseum of our thoughts, ideas and our vision for the season,” says Nurse. “One thing right at the top is being world leaders for cultural change.”

The conversation also touches on questions about leadership, women, economics and globalization in the sporting world – and the role of sports organizations, governments, athletes and fans when it comes to making a positive impact beyond stadiums and arenas.

“It’s incredibly unfair to ask athletes to solve problems that governments aren’t themselves prepared to solve or are unable to,” says David Shoemaker, chief executive officer and secretary general of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

“I get that, but athletes have extraordinary power as well,” Wong says, while Fitriya Mohamed, the co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League, notes that many athletes are aware of their power, but wary of getting too involved. “Once they tweet out something, they have to literally be the expert in that thing – so, in every press conference [they get asked about it],” she says.

This episode features:

Vivek Jacob, reporter at Raptors.com
Fitriya Mohamed, co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League
Nick Nurse, Raptors head coach and founder of the Nick Nurse Foundation
Ansh Sanyal, senior director of brand and marketing, Canadian Elite Basketball League
David Shoemaker, chief executive officer and secretary general, Canadian Olympic Committee

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries Ep. 5

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 4: Community

lanthierj — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 21:56:31 +0000

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 4: Community lanthierj Wed, 01/04/2023 - 16:56

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Equal access. Immigration. Connection. Public spaces. These themes are at the centre of the latest episode of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, hosted by Joseph Wong, the ��Ƶ’s vice-president, international.

In a wide-ranging conversation in the Hart House gym, athletes, authors, journalists and coaches join Wong to explore the intersection of sport and community, the challenges the city faces around infrastructure and society’s responsibility when it comes to access and resources. They also discuss the Toronto Raptors’ arrival in the NBA in 1995 and the lasting impact of Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute, the public high school and basketball player pipeline that closed in 2015 and is where many of Wong’s guests developed their love of the game.

“It’s Eastern for life, it’s a community and it goes far beyond basketball,” says Sami Hill, a Team Canada athlete. “It made me who I am a basketball player today, but also as a person.”

This episode features:

Kareem Griffin, executive director, Canletes Basketball
Sami Hill, Team Canada athlete and former Eastern Commerce Saints player
Perry King, journalist and author
Fitriya Mohamed, co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League
Alex Wong, author, podcast producer and co-host of The Raptors Show with Will Lou

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries Ep. 4

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority

lanthierj — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:42:40 +0000

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority lanthierj Wed, 12/14/2022 - 11:42

Topic

City & Culture

Anti-Asian Racism

Anti-Black Racism

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Sport

Anti-Asian and anti-Black racism. Tokenism, xenophobia and a lack of representation in sport. These are some of the topics host Joseph Wong, the ��Ƶ’s vice-president, international, explores in episode three of Joe’s Basketball Diaries.

“I was called Yao Ming my whole life growing up, and I just wanted to be Jeremy Lin,” says basketball star Jeremy Lin.

Wong, who has written about the personal impact of anti-Asian racism, is joined by athletes, scholars, actors, journalists and activists who share their experiences and insights and discuss their work to ensure sports are accessible to everyone – and why it’s important to have hope.

“For me for, you know, child of an immigrant family, I grew up feeling like I didn't quite belong as well… I'm very honoured to be playing a part in that conversation now,” says actor Simu Liu. “And hopefully, you know, also in a way that holds the door open for, for others.”

The episode features:

Wesley Cheng, content creator of On-Air, TSN (The Sports Network)
Clement Chu, president and founder of the Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association
Takashi Fujitani, director of the Dr. David Chu program in Asia-Pacific studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Janelle Joseph, assistant professor at U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, who focuses on critical studies of race & indigeneity;
Jeremy Lin, player for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association 
Simu Liu, Canadian actor

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries Ep. 3

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 2: Athletes and mental health

mattimar — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:01:13 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 2: Athletes and mental health mattimar Wed, 11/30/2022 - 14:01

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Elite athletes aren’t immune to mental health challenges – and they face unique pressures when forced to navigate anxiety, depression or burnout in the public eye.

Hosted by Joseph Wong, the University of Toronto’s vice-president, international, episode two of Joe’s Basketball Diaries explores how athletes such as former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and professional tennis player Naomi Osaka are speaking out about a once-taboo subject.

What expectations do athletes face? Are Black and racialized women athletes more likely to face scrutiny if they open up about mental health? And are organizations changing to destigmatize mental illness?

The episode features: Sabrina Razack, who completed her PhD at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education with a collaborative specialization in women and gender studies; Jhanelle Peters, mental health clinician with the Toronto Raptors; Madhav Trivedi, interim head coach of the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team; and Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries Ep. 2

If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to mental health experts in your community. Here are the resources available at U of T:

Students:

U of T My Student Support Program (My SSP) can be accessed 24-7 by phone or via the My SSP app.

Other mental health resources, programs and supports are available at mentalhealth.utoronto.ca.

Staff and faculty:

Employee and Family Assistance Program (1-800-663-1142)

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: U of T video series focuses on the bigger stories behind our favourite sports

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 22:49:15 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: U of T video series focuses on the bigger stories behind our favourite sports Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/16/2022 - 17:49

Cutline

From left to right: Shireen Ahmed, Simon Darnell, Joseph Wong, Miranda Ayim and Bruce Kidd (image by Lisa Lightbourn)

Paul Fraumeni

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Bruce Kidd

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

From the moment you start watching Joe’s Basketball Diaries, you realize this is not your typical sports show.

After a brief intro featuring the spoken word poetry of ��Ƶ student Hannah Flores, host Professor Joseph Wong kicks off the first episode with a question to his four guests: What they were doing when the Raptors won the NBA championship on June 13, 2019?

Within seconds, the discussion is no longer simply about that moment, or even basketball per se, but about us, our city and society more broadly – all through the lens of sport.

“I don’t do my sports without politics,” says Shireen Ahmed, a CBC sports journalist. “For racialized folks and people on the margins, that’s what the experience is.”

“I think we connect more in our struggles than we ever do in our strengths,” says Miranda Ayim, a three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that sports are popular, but that popularity doesn’t equal inclusion – that popularity doesn’t equal equality,” says Simon Darnell, an associate professor of sport for development and peace in U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

“The overarching narrative of the history of modern sports has been that of exclusion and the struggle for inclusion,” says Bruce Kidd, an Olympic runner, professor emeritus of sport and public policy at KPE and U of T’s ombudsperson.

The provocative commentary is exactly what Wong, a big basketball fan, was looking for. He says sports provide an ideal vehicle to host frank discussions on race, inclusivity, leadership and global citizenship – discussions U of T is uniquely positioned to facilitate as a top public university where scholars are bringing forward bold, new ideas and tackling complex global problems.

“This series brings difficult issues to the fore and people who have intelligent, actionable things to say about them,” says Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, a professor of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

“That's really one of the aims of the show. Through this conversation, we're not coming up with a lifesaving technology, but we are talking about the value of different lives and about how lives are lived in different ways in different communities.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries officially launches Nov. 16 as a six-episode series, airing biweekly on U of T’s YouTube channel. Each 30-minute episode [see the episode guide below] features guests from inside and outside the university who weigh in on topical subjects such as racism and mental health to women in sport and globalization.

“This series really shows how interwoven U of T is with the city, its culture, and all the communities it represents – and Joe is so right for this series,” says Lisa Lightbourn, a creative producer at U of T Communications who worked with Wong and fellow co-producer Anna Weigt-Bienzle to create the series. “He’s a highly respected scholar in areas like democracy and international development, and he relates to everyone.

“This is not an interview, but a conversation like you’d have around a table at a dinner party – a conversation you wouldn’t want to miss.”

It’s already generating a buzz, with one of the show’s early guests giving the series a shoutout on the popular podcast The Raptors Show with Will Lou.

Janelle Joseph, a guest on the “Model Minority” episode, says Joe’s Basketball Diaries makes scholars’ work and insights on sports and society available to a much broader audience.

“So many researchers and people who are really interested in exploring the sociology of sport typically share our work through books and academic articles,” says Joseph, an assistant professor of critical studies of race and Indigeneity at KPE.

“But there are so many people who are really interested in sport, and they are not reading the academic literature. So, I think the real value of this series is that it’s a direct link to topics that people are really passionate about and creating conversations that are, in an accessible way, focusing on equity, diversity and anti-racism issues.”

Wesley Cheng, an online content creator at TSN and another guest on the episode, agrees.

“At that Raptors parade in 2019, there were a million people on the streets,” Cheng says. “What type of event could do something like that in Toronto? Sport is what brings us all together, and that's probably what I care the most about with this series.

“It's just to remind people that there's a way for a sport to bring all of us together and to remind us that, regardless of race, gender, social differences, we're not that different as people.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries episode guide:

Episode one: Does sport transcend borders and politics?

Shireen Ahmed, sports journalist; Bruce Kidd, professor emeritus, sport and public policy at KPE; Simon Darnell, associate professor, sport for development and peace at KPE; Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.
The inaugural episode explores the question of whether sport does transcend borders and politics. We examine the role of organizations like the IOC in supporting and advocating for peace and development, as well as the ways countries use sport and even athletes to build prestige. We also consider the role of media and political activism in sport and whether the industry can be a force for good moving forward.

Episode two: mental health

Sabrina Razack, educator and a former KPE PhD student; Jhanelle Peters, mental health clinician, Toronto Raptors; Madhav Trivedi, interim head coach men’s basketball, U of T; Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.
This episode dives into sports and mental health, including the unique challenges that can come with being an athlete. We touch on the pressures athletes face around public scrutiny, expectations, body image and more – and how they mirror what we, as non-athletes and students, go through in daily life. We also discuss what’s being done right and where society still needs to improve.

Episode three: model minority

Takashi Fujitani, director, Dr. David Chu Program in Asia-Pacific Studies; Clement Chu, president and founder, Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association; Wesley Cheng, content creator, TSN; Janelle Joseph, assistant professor, critical studies of race and Indigeneity at KPE.
In this episode we explore racism, xenophobia, and the lack of Asian and Indigenous representation in sport. We talk about the rise of anti-Asian racism since the start of the pandemic and how organizations like the Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association and Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League are making a difference in the lives of athletes of all levels, students and community members.

Episode four: community

Alex Wong, NBA features writer and producer/co-host of the Raptors Show with Will Lou; Sami Hill, Team Canada Basketball; Kareem Griffin, co-founder Canletes Sports; Perry King, author and communications officer at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
The words “community” and “sport” are forever intertwined. In this episode we will bring together members of the sports community to discuss how things have changed in the way we grow and support athletes at a community, grassroot level. We will discuss the challenges around infrastructure in our city and what our collective responsibility is in both our local and international communities.

Episode five: globalization and sport. Who holds the power?

• David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee; Fitriya Mohamed, co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League; Ansh Sanyal, senior director of brand and marketing at Canadian Elite Basketball League; Vivek Jacob, Raptors staff writer and U of T alumnus.
In this episode we go deep into the power of sport and who holds it – from the organizations and athletes to the government bodies and fans. We will touch on the cultural impact of sport and the importance of leadership and visibility, while also looking at the darker side of the industry, which is the economic value of the team and its athletes, and the challenges that often presents.

Episode six: women in sport

Tamara Tatham, Varsity Blues women’s head basketball coach; Amreen Kadwa, founder of Hijabi Ballers; Hannah Flores, U of T second year undergraduate student and spoken word poet; Nicole Kaniki, U of T’s director of equity, diversity and inclusion in research and innovation; Savanna Hamilton, Raptors reporter, Sportsnet.
For our final episode of the series, we will discuss the challenges that come with being a woman in sport, whether that’s an athlete on the court, a journalist in the field or a coach on the sidelines. The scrutiny women face goes beyond the wage gap. Female identifying athletes face undue pressure when it comes to their bodies, how they handle themselves on and off the court and the expectations we see put on racialized and LGBTQ+ women based on societal standards.