Regent Park Focus

On November 27th the youth from council fire finished production in their first episode of LANND TV with the topic on Residential Schools. Throughout the production of this episode it was very clear that the youth were deeply invested with the creation of the video. Even though the youth have very little experience in front and behind the camera, they gave it their all and pulled through. There were times of laughter, excitement, anxiousness due to changes in scripts, cancellation  of guest lecturers and even general silliness as well while working inside a room that can be an oven part time. However in the end we had a great opportunity to  have a guest lecturer on our show to talk about her experiences and stories of residential schooling and her opinions on the future affects of it on the youth. All in all, it was a great time the youth shared with each other in the creation of the show.

Today’s session was very touching. We started off talking about shows we were going to produce in the future. When Dan was telling us about what we’ll be doing for the how, there was special excitement in the room. I for one have never done a talk show before and that’s why I’m really looking forward to this project. Next, we go active and played a game called, “Race of Privilege.” In the game we closed our eyes and listened to Ashley’s question. Whenever a question applied to us, we would either take a step forward or backward. There was candy waiting for us at the finish line so we were all eager to reach the end. When the game was over we discussed what the real purpose of the game. The ones who were closest to the front, you can say had it “easy in life. Very few factors, including their race interfered with their progress. Even though some of us were farther than others, in the end I think it doesn’t matter. Difficulties experienced because of one’s race don’t have to de...

Regent Park Focus, since 2013, has joined forces with HiveToronto Hive Toronto which is a network of non-for profit organizations within the Toronto area. HiveToronto is supported by Mozilla (The developers of Firefox) and acts as a way to bring organizations together to collaborate and participate in Maker Party events. A Maker Party is an event led by any of the containing organizations within the Hive network. A place to give participants the opportunity to quite simply... make something. For Regent Park Focus we have been very lucky to be featured in the 2014 MozFest that took place in London, England last week. All the Hive networks from around the world met up for the very first time. Was a great opportunity to connect, share knowledge, collaborate ideas and discuss challenges and solutions pertaining to each organizations' needs and potential growth. Additionally to the Hive track program I was fortunate enough to also meet the other track programs that Mozilla support...

During this session the youth had the opportunity to start researching the themes they were interested in. The four themes (history, politics, spirituality and arts and culture) were broken down to topics such as drumming, lacrosse, residential schools etc. However, due to the nature of these topics the students had to break them down further and form sub topics. These included, the type of drums, the equipment used for lacrosse and the apology for the residential schools respectively. For the social justice activity we analyzed photos and discussed what they portrayed and how we felt while looking at them. We then received the annotation that was attached to the photo and compared and contrasted our thoughts to the ideas depicted by the person taking the photo. The goal of the activity was to show the ideas and the emotions we may have while glancing at the photo without any texts associated with it. By: Tanbir Haque

My first interview on an Interfaith Dialogue was of Jasper Bendici. He is part of the Shallow Seas (a current rock band), as well as being an active member of a Greek Orthodox Church. For the first time ever, I was actually doing what I've always wanted to do: host a tv show ! I had so much support from everyone. I received simple advice about studio interviewing technique , which greatly improved the interview. Because of my experience in front of the camera, I now feel so much more confident in speaking out. This experience of people depending on me to deliver, caused me to grow in areas I didn't even expect.    The program of Interfaith Dialogue is so important to me, because it encourages people to see above themselves and to explore the big questions every human faces. I believe our culture has suppressed these thoughts and questions. A public show that discusses different faiths, groups, and movements toward peace and understanding is immensely i...

Mαєαѕнαн Hαqυє Dινα Gιяℓѕ~ Wєєк Tωσ “I know every day is a gift, but where's the receipt for Mondays? I want to exchange it for another Friday”- Unknown. It’s no doubt that everyone looks forward to Fridays. Why? Simply, because Fridays are everyone’s chilling day, where you can let go of school and just relax with the upcoming weekend. But for me, that’s not the only thing I look forward to on Fridays. Recently I had joined a group called “Diva Girls”. “Diva Girls” is a place where you can just be yourself, a group about us. We talk about several important things going on, whether it’s in the society, media or globally. We feel comfortable enough to share with each other about things, like hard or rough times and things that are happening all around us. Our very first week was truly amazing. We all just had this great vibe that made the session absolutely remarkable. Lots of ideas were being thrown around; all of us reflecting on what we were talking about and connecting with ...

With the Summer Program to a close, the Fall Program has begun! Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre opens up for a new season of programming. Including: TV Production, Radio Production and a New Media Program which will be starting on Saturdays in October. We will be conducting TV production every weekday Monday to Friday. Newcomers are very much welcomed to come take part in the pre-production, production and post-production stages of the shows. Today with the new RPTV crew we introduced them to the fundamentals of film-making. Learning about camera angles, shot framing and how to operate the TV broadcast equipment. Following the camera workshops we sat down to talk about future possible TV show ideas that relate to community news and social justice. Many topics were bounced around; some included a TV series focusing on the city's young entrepreneurs and another series on exploring the city of Toronto; checking out cool pockets of the city, focusing on establishments an...

The first gathering of divas was nothing short of brilliance. It was quiet inspiring to be with a group of young women who had so much to say about the world around them. It was great to see them stand firm in their beliefs, an anchor I know will be the steering rudder of the group. Many ideas for future goals and aspirations were rooted in what meant most of them. Through one of the activities we did it was interesting to see how many of the girls were struggling through similar things and all of them had a vision to positively impact their community. This certainly will be topic of discussion in future weeks. This week we’ll be creating art pieces from proverbs each of the girls chose and interpreted; these will be wise words to refer back to throughout the  year. By: Ashley Pileggi

My grade eleven year was largely highlighted by my experience in the TDSB and Facing History and Ourselves “Genocide and Crimes Against Humanities”course. Through it my class and I were able to explore topics that sometimes rendered us speechless and often produced new inspiration in our minds. Everyday in class we would learn about atrocious events of the past or present, at home or abroad. We would try to step into the shoes of the victims and the perpetrators, and understand the atmosphere around such events. However, throughout the course we always knew that what we were studying was too far removed from our lives for us to be helpful. If they were current issues, we struggled to find a way that we, Torontonian high school students, could tackle such issues. It was often very distressing to delve into difficult questions when none of us could really provide an answer. When Facing History & Ourselves and Regent Park Focus teamed up for the “Radiozilla” project, it seemed th...

Our newest episode of Interfaith Dialogues features our host Shantel Smith who interviews pastor David Donker from All Nations Full Gospel Church. The church was founded in 1986 by David's father and is a very diverse organization. It has members from a variety of nations including 7 different countries, 86 churches and 10,000 members. There are currently 25 ranches in Canada, Africa, Liberia, South Sudan and Jamaica. The church also runs it's own NGO which focuses on development. They depend on a strong team that gives their time and energy in many capacities.

Last month for Regent Park TV News, we went over to The Centre for Social innovation to find out more information about this community organization. Our host Josh Robinson had the opportunity to interview Lissette Rosado Ferrari who works with CSI and was kind enough to explain how the organization functions and how the community can get involved. Lisesette explained that CSI is just over a year old and it is already home to over 60 organizations that benefit the local and broader community. One of their larger initiatives is DECA (Desk Exchange Community Animator) that allows people to volunteer one day a week at one of the locations in exchange for full membership at CSI including their own workspace. I addition to the DECA program the community can also get involved by being an online community member or The Agents of Change Program which pics a winner who receives free space for their initiative within CSI.

Regent Park Focus recently completed a collaborative project with RadioZilla along with Facing History and students from the Toronto District School Board to create insightful, intelligent and meaningful radio documentaries. Facing History and Ourselves' mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds to examine the contemporary perspective of youth on race, prejudice, and antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more informed and humane society. They use the power that teachers have in the classroom to connect young people to Canada's multicultural identity and how to be an active citizen in a democracy. The student groups examined a wide range of topics in their radio documentaries including: religion, upstanders vs. bystanders and life as a refugee. Religious freedom and expression can be a contentious subject within school environments and is often an issue that youth face as they mature and develop into young adulthood. The group from Radiozilla d...

Today the youth split off into their groups as usual, some of which were editing while the others recorded in the studio.  The group “TBD” (To be determined) went out to do film a new cast at the Christian Resource Centre (CRC) at 40 Oak Street. In the afternoon “NLLB” (Next Level Lego Bricks) recorded their Nerd to Nerd TV Show, a show based around tech/game review, and Sci-fi debates. By: Tresvonne Rose-Wilson

Today the youth pretty much did more editing on their radio interviews, which flowed into the afternoon. Later in the day the youth split into the regular groups, some of which recorded their radio shows in the two recording studios. It was a busy day, mainly comprised of audio editing. By: Tresvonne Rose-Wilson

Today started off with a recap of yesterdays video workshop. Afterwards the youth got their first hands on experience with the television studio. We recorded our first studio show of the summer program that starred 2 guest film producers Matt and Luca, for an episode of Interfaith Dialogue. They spoke about their documentary on a priest that is also a rock-star. Afterwards we were visited by a radio alumni representative, Onik, who shared with us his experience with Focus and the opportunities it presents to young people. He gave an inspiring speech on how the skills he attained here helped him with his speaking skills and added something very unique to his resume. We ended the day with a workshop on brainstorming radio topics and a tour of the radio booth where the youth will begin recording shortly. By: Tresvonne Rose-Wilson

Today marked the start of the Regent Park Focus 2014 summer program. The centre was filled with new, young faces all eager to learn about the media arts. Once everyone learned names and got settled in, the youth were toured around radio and T.V. studios.   At noon Emanuel held a video equipment workshop teaching everybody the basics of how to use a video camera, and how to set up a tripod. After that he covered the basic core camera angles which lead into the first field test: a video scavenger hunt. Lastly the youth were showed an animated short on street interviewing techniques which covered getting over the anxiety of talking to strangers. They also learned the appropriate way to approach a person with questions and to be aware of ones body language when interviewing people.

We were please to have one of the co-founders and president of the El-Tawhid Juma Circle or also known as The Toronto Unity Mosque, Troy Jackson in our studios to discuss progressive Muslim faith and looking at the religion from a gender equal, human positive perspective. From the beginning of the interview Troy made it clear that the mosque began with the understanding that women and men are equal in all aspects of ritual practice, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender orientation or various other categorical signifiers. Together with his partners El-Farouk Khaki and Dr. Laury Silvers they have created a welcoming space for people of all faiths who would like to become more informed about Islam. They usually have between 20-50 people for Friday prayer sessions. Their is a growing movement of Muslims who would like to find a place where they feel comfortable practicing their religion. Too often people think that they must leave a part of themselves at the door of the mosqu...

As part of our continued series on faith and spirituality, we had a member of The Regent Park Community Ministry come in and discuss what they do and what they hope to accomplish with their organization. Kevin Moore, who is connected to the United Church of Canada sat down with our host Omar and had an informative discussion about faith and Christianity. The Regent Park Community Minisitry is located at 40 Oak St., which is home to the CRC (Christian Resource Centre) and hosts a community hub that provides shared spaces to community service organizations that offer a range of support such as language instruction, job training, after-school programs and drop-in groups. The ministry hosts various discussion groups, such as their coffee discussion group which brings together people of various faiths such as: Hindu, Christian and Muslim. This group in particular talks about each person's faith journey and the obstacles and joys they have faced. During nice weather the mini...

The Divas have been really productive the last few weeks in producing and creating all kinds of media including photos and audio recordings. Last week the girls had a chance to edit their photos from the architectural photography workshop we did. We discussed ways on improving our photos and how to make them more interesting. To give the photographs an extra layer of meaning, we discussed our feelings surrounding the current revitalization project and how people come to understand it in many different ways. We have yet to discuss how or if we are going to present these in a more public matter. Below you will find some of the highlights from our excursion. The Divas also worked on Public Service announcements for a local Kingston radio station. The topics they chose to speak about were the pressures associated with school and parental pressure as well as the detrimental effects of bullying and teens. We will have them up and edited for you enjoyment soon. Stay tuned for more ...

It was time to get out and explore together as a group during the last Diva Girls session. The sun was shining and the skies were blue. So we packed up Focus' digital cameras and headed outside. The urban landscape of Regent Park is continuously changing around us as the demolition and revitalization process continues. As our radio dramas from the last week are being edited, I thought it would be a good time to have a brief class on outdoor architectural photography. Before heading out, we discussed 5 ways on how to improve shots of buildings and architectural forms. 1. Know Your Camera- Become familiar with the major settings on your camera and how to use them. If you see an interesting photo you want to take, try a variety of settings. It better to have more options than fewer ones. Keep in mind you are also going to edit these photos using software to make adjustments. 2. Think About Reflections- Many of the new condos have very shiny surfaces because they usual...

Last week's Divas Girls sessions marked the second installment of the series on emotional and mental health by our intern Erika from the University of Toronto. Since the girls started writing their radio dramas last week on peer pressure, this week's focus was on recording them!  With help from the radio co-coordinator Tyrone, the girls were able to use the latest recording software. They discussed the importance of using their voice to emphasize the characters that they created and other nuances that could make the dramas more successful. The girls worked in groups of three or four and developed tag lines, slogans and introductions.  The girls learned many things about radio production, including the time and patience it takes to successfully record a drama. They needed to work together and support one another in order to have a successful recording. All these groups were able to record their dramas and now it is time for the editing process. Stay tuned for...

Last Friday, May 9th marked the first class of a three week unit on social and emotional health lead by our new intern Erika Hughes, from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Last week's class was about peer pressure, social expectation and ways to combat and deflect peer pressure. Erika started the class with warms-ups that stimulated conversation, and sought out any assumptions or beliefs the girls had on peer pressure. First, they defined the terminology; what is a peer and what forms can peer pressure take? Next they discussed and learned that peer pressure is often negative, but it can also have some positive aspects as well. The discussion concluded on the note that it is important to surround yourself with people with like minded views and beliefs, so that they can support your decisions and encourage you to pursue your goals and aspirations. After the discussion, Erika started the "Skills to Combat Peer Pressure" activity, where she han...

Tonight the students from Radiozilla came in to learn how to properly conduct interviews using handheld recorders and mics, how far you should be from your interviewee and how you should go about asking your questions to get quality answers. As part of the interview training the students conducted mock interviews using the remote recording equipment provided by Regent Park Focus.This process is to gear them up for when they are ready to interview people on the streets of Toronto for their audio documentaries. They did an awesome job! Funding for this project was provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Mozilla Hive Toronto.

Regent Park filmed an episode of Interfaith Dialogue. This episode of interfaith dialogue was about the Muslim religion. The guest was a student who is currently taking the Chaplin program at the University of Toronto. During the interview, the topics that were touched on were: What does Chaplaincy mean to you? How do you see yourself as a Muslim? How do you practice your religion? The production team consisted of the Director (Horace) The Host (Kamal), Switcher (Joanne) and Camera (Omar, Isaac, Tyrone). dialogue

Inspired by HiveNYC's Radio Rookies, Regent Park Focus and Facing History are collaborating to produce youth-led internet radio series, school curriculum guide, audiovisual slideshows using web-maker tools, and a project documentary. Working with 5 different TDSB high schools the project will be contributed by 20 students in the first phase. Today marks the first day of the RadioZilla Project.We spent most of the day doing introductions and tours of the Regent Park Focus space, TV studio and radio studios. We also presented some examples of radio documentaries produced by HiveNYC's Radio Rookies to give them a better idea of the project and how to incorporate visual theme with their audio. Funding for this project was provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Mozilla Hive Toronto.

As part of my involvement in the RDYL “Common Grounds Media Project” at Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre (RPF) I worked on producing an interview. The theme of the interview was pluralism, and I was given much freedom in deciding on which issue I would specifically focus on. RPF offered several options, however, the one I found especially interesting was the issue of violence against Muslim women. I choose this topic because I felt it would have the benefit of touching on not only themes of religious diversity, but would also speak to a very serious social issue. I was fortunate enough to be able to conduct an interview with Sahar Zaidi. The following is some background information on her. Sahar holds a Masters in Public Administration from the Schulich School of Business (2012), a Masters in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah (2010), and a BS in Accounting from Purdue University (2004). She has had over 4 years of experience in leadersh...