Amaka.
To be mother is to be needed—to be 100 things to 100 people.To be the thread tying lives together. To pass down recipes, pass down stories, to carry generations, and carry yourself. But I often look at my mother and wonder — who were you before you were so needed, and how can I help you remember? It was my mom’s birthday recently and she had been saying she wanted to do a photoshoot, so I capture her in a photoshoot as I see her while I tell you a bit about who she is to me. My mom
Abby Albino
I was the “probably never going to get married” girl, the “career first” girl, the “it’s okay, I’m happy by myself” girl. I was the “I don’t know what I want to do I guess I’ll go back to school at 30” girl, the “stay out all night and not think about tomorrow” girl, the “shoot, that’s a bad credit score” girl. Well, my name is Abby Albino, it’s nice to meet you and here’s who that girl became: If you had told my younger self that one day I’d be standing in front of a camera
BCWM
What moment changed our life? To start, two moments changed our lives: The first moment that changed our lives? Where it all started…attending Latto’s Toronto concert on November 7, 2024 together. The three of us, Jahlyssa, Jennifer and Shaneka, were able to enjoy the show and rap along to our favourite anthems. We knew the moment we shared was special, because the very next day several women from the Canadian music industry inquired about our next outing and wanted to be involved. We knew from then we had something special going on, that would change our lives. After
CTRL+ALT+BEAT
We are turning into goldfish. Everyone reading this, even us writing this, we are all guilty of it. It’s scary how quickly our priorities have shifted during this new age of digital media and engagement. Conversations are something that are chronically avoided, everything is turned into an email or a text message, eye contact is frightening more than it is desired and we pride ourselves in being homebodies, not realizing that we are missing out on moments in the world that can never be replicated. In the age of DIY, we took it upon ourselves to create
Serena Nguyen
I was always a creative kid. I used art to cope with feelings I had trouble putting into words. Art and creation housed the emotions I had trouble understanding. I often turned inwards as a means to self-soothe. Feelings and emotions are often dismissed in immigrant households, and so, I learned emotional regulation from an early age. My parents fled their war-torn country on a crammed jaggedy boat in hopes to seek refuge and a fresh start. They only knew a life of insecurity, and hoped their children didn’t have to face the same hardships. It was
Tatiana Chisolm
The day I got my first solo apartment changed everything. I grew up in the Bronx—aka NYC—which was always loud, colorful, and full of life. But behind that energy, my own childhood was filled with heavy experiences: surviving cancer, facing periods of homelessness, and carrying emotional weight far too big for my small frame. For years, I never had the chance to let my nervous system slow down, breathe, and process any of it. I was always surviving—never just being. That all shifted the day I moved into my own apartment. It was small, barely decorated, and not
ISIE YANG
I’ve always appreciated visual culture from a young age. I loved going to the library to look at picture books, staring at pretty storefront displays, and watching animated movies. My favourite hobby was always drawing, and I filled my household to the brim with art supplies. I never really gave much thought to my future until I heardother people around me lifting me up and encouraging my work. Ever since I could hold a pen to paper, I have been drawing. I guess that it paid off, because I received my very first A+ in Visual
LEINA COMEAU
From rock bottom to resilient: how fitness gave me my life back WHO AM I My name is Leina, and I’m a personal trainer with a background in psychology, blending my passion for women’s mental and physical health. I grew up active—any sport, you name it! My family made sure of it, not just with sports but with endless “functional training” disguised as yard work or sparring with my brothers in and out of karate class. I was always kept on my toes—literally. They toughened me up in ways I didn’t realize I’d need. THE PHYSICAL STRUGGLE At 16,
MARION KANG
Claiming Ownership through Community and Creation Dance is perceived as a creative outlet, a form of expression, and for many, a fun hobby. We look at dancers who are established in their craft and feel inspiredto move as they do - at least, that’s why I was first drawn to it. Dance was a way to be confident in myself and feel capable, especially as someone who grew up in a household that only anticipated high academic and career expectations. One of these expectations included pursuing further education at the University of Toronto, which meant I would move
Devika Johnson
Which Moment Changed Your Life? When I reflect on the question, “Which moment changed your life?” I realize it’s not just one moment but a series of defining moments that have shaped my journey. Each one has altered the course of my life, setting me on a path I couldn’t have predicted. However, the most recent moments that truly changed the trajectory of my future happened within these past two years. It started with a year full of doctor’s appointments, tests, and uncertainty. I had been struggling with an unknown illness, a sense that something wasn’t quite
