POPULARITY
Categories
A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Join Host Miko Lee as she introduces Dr. Robynn Rodriquez's show “Spitting Fire.” Dr. Robynn speaks about Filipinx and colorism with Dr. Joanne Rondilla. LINKS Dr. Robynn, The People's Professor SHOW TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] Opening: Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express. [00:00:35] Miko Lee: Welcome to Apex Express. I'm your host, Miko Lee, and tonight we get to hear the podcast from Dr. Robin Rodriguez called Spitting Fire, and I'm so excited for you to listen to it. Check it out, and if you wanna hear more, we're gonna link in the show notes an earlier interview I did with Dr. Robin Rodriguez. So please listen to Spitting Fire with Dr. Robin [00:01:01] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: I can't actually remember a specific episode when my parents or my Lola, who helped raise me, explicitly said, “Don't stay out in the sun.” But I always knew growing up that staying out in the sun was something I shouldn't do because being dark was something to be avoided. I remember being embarrassed by my mom who would bust out an umbrella on a bright and shiny day. “Mom, it's not even raining outside,” I remember complaining. I hated the big hats she would wear or insist I wear, or the comments of, “You're getting darker,” also in a disapproving tone. I remember, too, the high praises anyone with lighter skin was heaped, even when I didn't think they were that particularly attractive. Or how if my relatives knew someone was going to be marrying an American, basically a white person, they would exclaim, “Oh, they're going to have beautiful children.” When I brought home a hapa, a dude who was Filipino and white, I was told that if we got married, I would be improving the race. I've always known, whether I can remember being told, “Don't stay out in the sun,” that if there was a skin hue to aspire to, it was to be light. [00:02:49] To be called mestiza was to receive one of the best compliments. To be a mestiza is always already to be beautiful. Of course, if anyone said I was mestiza, it was always qualified as mestizang morena. That is, someone who exhibits certain types of physical traits that are associated with a mestiza, like having a more pointed nose or being slightly taller than the average Pinay, but not the lighter skin of a genuine mestiza. So that's why I was sometimes called mestizang morena. Still meant as a compliment. After all, I could still enjoy the privilege of being associated with mestizaje, but only partially So many Filipinas in the diaspora, especially those of us who live in white settler colonial societies like what we now know as the United States as well as Canada, so many of us share experiences similar to the ones I've experienced. [00:03:58] My dear friend and colleague, a fellow sociologist, Dr. Connolly De Leon, who currently teaches at Ryerson University in Canada, made this shared experience a topic of study in her book chapter, “Mas Maputi Ako Sa'yo,” I'm Lighter Than You: The Spatial Politics of Intraracial Colorism Among Filipina-Filipino Youth in the Greater Toronto Area. It was a chapter that was part of the very historic anthology, Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility, edited by Roland Coloma, Bonnie McElvaney, Ellen Ethel Dongohan, John Paul Katungol, and Lisa M. Davidson, and it was published in 2012. Now, I've taught, uh, Dr. De Leon's chapter, Connolly's chapter, in my Filipino American experience courses in the past, and it's always, always deeply resonated with my Filipina students. In Dr. De Leon's chapter, she starts off with a quote that so many of us are familiar with in some way. She writes, quote, “You're so dark. Yuck.' My cousin would say to me in disgust as she would place her forearm beside mine to compare her light skin to my dark skin.” End quote. Dr. De Leon continues, quote, “As early as the age of four, as early as the age of four, I was taught to feel ashamed of my complexion. I did not understand what was so shameful about being the particular shade of brown that I was.” End quote. The shaming that Dr. De Leon and so many of us experience comes from colorism, which scholars define as the discriminatory treatment of individuals falling within the same racial group on the basis of skin color. [00:06:01] On this episode of Spitting Fire, Dr.- Doctora Robyn Speaks, you'll actually hear less from me and more from yet another friend and colleague, Dr. Joanne Rondilia, who I recently hosted as part of a lecture series jointly sponsored by the Bolosan Center for Filipinx Studies, of which I serve as the founding faculty director, and the School for Liberating Education, my platform for offering Filipinx or Filipinos and ethnic studies courses that are often only available to those who happen to be able to get accepted into the four-year, often elite institutions where they are taught. It's where I get to teach all of these amazing courses that I think all of us should have to the broader community. Dr. Rondilia has researched on colorism in the Philippines and the diaspora for over a decade. It was a topic of her 2012 dissertation, which was entitled Colonial Faces: Beauty and Skin Color Hierarchy in the Philippines and the United States. In her 2007 book, co-edited with Paul Spickard, entitled Is Lighter Better? Skin Tone Discrimination Among Asian Americans, she explores colorism as a phenomenon that no- not only plagues Filipinos, but Asian Americans actually more broadly. So now I'm gonna turn to Dr. Rondilia and her lecture entitled Don't Stay Out in the Sun: Understanding Filipinx and Colorism. Go ahead, Joanne. Take it away. So happy you're here. [00:07:44] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: All right. Thank you so much, Robyn. It's, uh… Do you mind if I call you Robyn? Shall I call you Dr. Robyn? [00:07:50] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: Oh my God. You only know me as Robyn. Okay. [00:07:56] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: I will call you Robyn, but everybody else, you, you are required to call her Dr. Robyn- … Queen Robyn. You know, that's, that's how. But it's, it's such a, a joy to be here. Um, you know, before we opened the doors, uh, Robyn and I were talking about, um, you know, what it is to be an academic and the type of language and, and spaces in which we share our research. And I think one of the things that's really hard, especially for the soul of a lot of, uh, academics, is that we… it's so rare for us to really share our research, uh, with the community, right? ‘Cause I don't think of myself as a researcher. I think of myself more as a, a storyteller Right? And I think that that's really, uh, when students- when I have students who refuse to, like, engage in research, I try to remind them, like, research is not… I don't think of research as, uh, sort of like the white person's, uh, uh, game. I think of research as something that is connected to us, um, and it's our birthright. It's our ancestral birthright, right? Because storytelling is our ancestral birthright, and that's the lens in which I come into, uh, to exploring this issue of colorism. [00:09:15] So show of hands, for those of you in the room, I'm curious to know how many of you were told, uh, were, were told this: “Don't stay out in the sun or you're- or, or else you'll get too dark.” How many of you were raised with that sort of mantra? Yes. Right. I, I almost feel like these words, uh, are so quintessential to the Filipino experience or the Filipinx experience. Like, “Don't stay out in the sun or else you'll get too dark.” And I'm someone who, I was born and raised on Guam, um, and so everybody on Guam is dark because we are always out in the sun, right? And my mother is very light-skinned. Uh, she came from a middle-class family from San Pablo City in the Philippines. My father's from Lucena, and he ca- he grew up poor, uh, and rai- was raised by a single mother. And so m- there was this definite class difference between my parents, uh, but there's also a, a skin tone difference between my parents. Like, my dad was someone who was very, very kuripot. He was very cheap, but he had this great love for my mother. Um, you know, and I think part of that was he saw her as like, you know, this, this wonderful, like, prize almost, you know. Because she came from a well-to-do family, and, you know, when they got married, her family did not want them to get married because, uh, he was not wealthy. But he was someone who, because he works on Guam as an engineer for the government of Guam, uh, and, and the US military, like that sort of… and, and he had, uh, I think in total like 13 deeds to his name. That's sort of what eased my, my mother's family into, you know, being supportive of their marriage. But there was… And, and on my mother's side of the family, this is a family, and mind you, I love them very much, but this is a family that, um, values beauty a lot, right? My mom and my aunties were all some form of provincial, uh, beauty queen And so this is why me and my brother and my sister were always told, “Don't stay out in the sun or you'll get too dark.” Because the idea was you had to preserve whatever, whatever it was our mother gave us, right? Even though, um, you know, like, uh, you know, even though, like, members of her family say didn't, didn't necessarily find us attractive , you know, the idea was, like, you know, as children of this, this woman or as chil- as, as, you know, members of this particular family, you had to, um, you had to sort of preserve yourself. [00:12:18] So as a young kid growing up on Guam, I always wanted to go swimming, uh, 'cause my, my neighbors across the street, actually one of them, uh, represented the island of Guam, uh, during the 1988 Olympics in, in Seoul, right? So I always wanted to go swimming. I wanted to learn swimming, but my mother wouldn't let me because I would get too dark And so that, you know, like, there, there was so much of our lives that were limited because of this need to preserve beauty. And this is how I entered the research, uh, the exploration of colorism. So very quickly, for those of you who do not know what colorism is, simply put, colorism is a looks-based or, you know, um, you know, physical look, a looks-based system of discrimination where light skin and Eurocentric features are favored over darker skin and non-Eurocentric features. [00:13:13] These discriminations typically occur within the same racial or ethnic community. Uh, the term colorism was coined by, um, the writer Alice Walker. And when she first started writing about colorism, she was talking about, she was talking about colorism in a very intimate way. She was talking about the way in which lighter-skinned Black women evoked pain, right, uh, onto darker-skinned Black women. And so this is where she comes up with this term called colorism. Colorism is intimate. It happens within the same racial or ethnic group, typically. And the reason why I say typically is because, um, in our society, we live in a very colorist society. So I'm sure some of you, and you can throw up reactions, some of you know people, may be related to people who say, “I'm not a racist. I don't have a racist bone in my body, in my body. I love Black people. I listen to Beyoncé. Halle Berry's my favorite actress.” Like, you know, they'll go on and on and on about how they're not racist. But when you look at the patterns of what they deem is attractive or, um, sort of civilized among, uh, the Black or African American community, they always resort to people who tend to be, like, lighter skinned, right? And that's also a way that, um, colorism manifests itself. It starts in the intimate space, but it manifests itself in a much larger, um, you know, in a much larger sphere. So for, um, the Filipinx community, when we look at popular culture, right? And, um, I don't know if any of you have heard of the show or are watching a show called, uh, The Cleaning Lady It's a new show that was, uh, it just premiered last week through Fox. And The Cleaning Lady, the reason why this is really big for, uh, the Filipinx community is because the… It, it's supposed… It originally was supposed to be a Filipino storyline, right? And it was a way to sort of introduce, uh, you know, Filipinx characters in the public sphere. But what happened was S- Shannon Sossamon, the actress Shannon Sossamon, uh, was originally slated to play the main character, who is an undocumented, uh, Filipina maid, right? But something happened during the initial table read, so they end up casting Elodie Yung, who's, uh, French Cambodian. So they changed the character a little bit, but when you look at the setting, it's set in Los Angeles. It's really a Filipino family. And my argument when I look at popular media and colorism is that oftentimes in popular media when they're trying to introduce Filipino, Filipinx characters, it's done through the mixed race body. It's done through a mixed race person, right? So for those of you who may be familiar with Shannon Sossamon, she's mixed race. She's a mixed race Filipina, but she's very white-passing, and it's usually mixed race white-passing or mixed race white-pleasing, what I call white-pleasing, uh, Filipinos that popular culture suddenly becomes interested in us, right? [00:16:45] And that's what we see in a show like The Cleaning Lady. In the next few months, I think Jo Koy, uh, is going to have a movie called, um, I think it's called Easter Sunday. And again, Jo Koy, very Filipino, right? It, it's ingrained in his comedy. But what makes, what allows his fame to happen in the United States is that he's very white-passing and white-pleasing, very different from someone like a Rex Navarette, whose career is much longer, right, than someone like a Jo Koy, right? So there's definitely colorism at play, right? But when we're looking at the intimate spaces, the way colorism plays out in the Filipinx community, it's the lighter skinned Filipino discriminating against the darker skinned Filipino. In the Asian American community, it's the Chinese person discriminating against the, the Cambodian person, right? So there, there's these different levels of, of colorism at play. Colorism, um… It's important to know that colorism is the discriminatory system that makes anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism exist. It actually maintains anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. And the reason why this is important is, one, when we look at anti-Black racism, and you, you're hearing this a lot, you know, um, either in academic circles or even in, uh, sort of, um, more popular conversations. I feel that it's important to talk about anti-Black racism in conjunction with anti-Indigenous racism because they happen hand in hand. And when we look at the founding of the United States, for example, the founding of this country happens through the genocide of Indigenous peoples as well as the enslavement of African peoples. So they're not separate. They come together. And so when we're looking at colorism, the system of colorism, right? Colorism is what, is what allows anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism to exist Um, what makes, um… And, and, and we see this through the different, uh, colonial periods of the Philippines. There's something very distinct about colorism in the Filipinx community, and it really has to do with our, um, our, our colonial history. [00:19:25] And so on the worksheet, there's just a very sort of like quick and dirty kind of list of like these three major periods of colonization in the Philippines. What I really wanna ta- uh, point to is the role of the Chinese throughout these historical periods in the Philippines. Because, um, typically when you talk about colorism, uh, colorism is most prevalent in, um, the African American community and the Black diaspora. But there's something very distinct about Filipinx colorism, and it's that our notion of lightness is defined by Eurocentric standards of beauty, right? And this is because of Spanish colonization. But it's also defined by Chinese standards of beauty or East Asian standards of beauty, and this is because of the positioning of the Chinese throughout these colonial periods. Because the Chinese, um, historically were the, um, were the merchant class, they were often elevated above indigenous Filipinos, right? And so that's why today in the Philippines when you see people who are in power and you look at the mixed race or mestizo, you know, uh, the mixed race people who are in power in the Philippines, they're often, uh, mixed race Chinese, right? And that's because of the, the legacy and the presence of Chinese in the Philippines. And so it's, um, it's, it's the history of the Chinese in the Philippines, th- these notions of Chinese lightness that really make colorism in the Philippines and among Filipinx very distinct. Uh, it's a very distinct conversation. [00:21:14] Um, uh, I wanted to pause and say if you have any questions or if I'm going too quickly, feel free to, you know, put this in the chat, and I will try to address it, um, as I go along. Um, in– At the beginning of the talk, I asked how many of you were told, “Don't stay out in the sun.” And for those of you who said that you were told this, by show of hands, how many of you heard this in the context of family? How many of you were told this in the context of friends or any other intimate, uh, setting? ‘Cause oftentimes these messages are circulated among the family. And so When w- uh, and again, like colorism, you know, relative to racism, colorism has a very… There is this intimate aspect because oftentimes how we understand our own value and our own self-worth has to do with the messages that are articulated in the family, right? So, uh, one of the interviews that I had conducted, uh, was this, with this woman who when I conducted the interview, this was in the Philippines, and she worked in the entertainment industry in the Philippines. And she, um She, uh, had talked about how her lola would address her and her cousins. So the woman I interviewed, very light skin, light eyes, light hair, and that's why she's an entertainer in the Philippines. [00:22:47] She's a model, and at the time she was hosting a television show. And she said that growing up, her lola always called her Miss Universe, right? And it was because of the way that she looked. Her lola would call her cousin, who was, um, like Spanish mestiza, sh- so, uh, this person who I called Tyler, Tyler was Miss Universe. Her cousin was Miss Philippines 'cause she was mestiza, and then Tyler's sister was Miss Cebu. So here, you know, like… And this is very blatant, and I'm not saying that all families are like this, but here you have this very explicit example of, a lola articulating the differences between these three young girls. Queen of the universe, queen of the Philippines, queen of the province. And in her interview, Tyler had said, “Yeah, it was very clear that Lola had her favorites, and it was in the way that she designated you in this spectrum of, like, these sort of beauty queen titles,” right? In another interview that I had, uh, conducted there, and this was an interview here in, um, the United States, uh, I- in the research I called her Milen. Milen talked about how whenever there was a dance or prom or something like that, there was this whole process of, you know, her and her brothers having to go to Lola's house so that Lola could see, you know, what everyone was wearing and that there could be pictures. But what was very clear was, um, Milen's youngest brother was clear… [00:24:29] You know, her words were, “He was clearly not a favorite,” and this was largely because he was darker. He was often omitted from the photos. Um, Lola didn't really care about what he was wearing and things like that. She always put attention to Milen, who was very light-skinned, uh, and her two brothers who are also very light-skinned. So there's a very central role in which the family plays in how we understand, um, colorism and how we understand personal value And so as I was, uh, exploring this, uh, in sociology there's a term called the beauty cue, and the beauty cue is a system of classification. It's a societal system of classification that classifies women from lightest to dark to, you know, from most valuable to least valuable. And so what I did using this theory that Margaret Hunter had wr- uh, she wrote about, I added to this conversation by talking about the intimate beauty cue, because the beauty cue itself is about a societal, uh, a societal structure, but the intimate beauty cue is how we understand our value, how our notions of beauty are created in the most intimate spaces. [00:25:47] And the reason why this is important to look at is because I think each and every one of us can, um, we can look at the TV and we can look at societal messages and say, “Yes, that's how society understands beauty, but that's not me because I'm my own person.” But in the intimate space among family and friends, when you're getting the messages that you're not beautiful or you're not valuable and it's coming from an unconditional love space such as the family, therein lies the problem and why colorism is such an intimate issue, because these are messages that are articulated by people, usually by people that you love or by people that you're closest to. [00:26:35] There is a gendered aspect to colorism. Women in families are often seen as being more responsible for, um, you know, for beauty or engaging in beauty practices over men. However, men do… You know, like, there is some pressure for men Uh, when we look at colorism in popular media, again, in the US sphere, the few chances we get to see Filipinos or Filipinx in popular media, they are oftentimes light-skinned, mixed-race people, such as, and again, the example of, um, The Cleaning Lady. We have the example of Jo Koy and his future projects. It's not until we get into the independent sphere that we can see more variation. But when major institutions such as, uh, a Fox network or Netflix is trying to introduce a public to the Filipinx community, they're gonna go with what they feel is safe, and it's usually someone who's light-skinned, someone who is white passing, someone who's white pleasing, right? You know, there is something about, uh, the way in which popular media uses the mixed-race person or the mixed-race body. When you look at skin-lightening advertisements, oftentimes it's a mixed-race person that is being used to model such products. Uh, this is over t- I think it's over 10 years ago now. Um, there is a company in the Philippines called Glutamax, and when they launched their line, they used a mixed-race, um, Black Filipina model named Jinkee Oda. [00:28:27] And what they did was they showed the sort of before and after, and one of the taglines in the advertisement in Tagalog, it said, “You could be white like me,” because it showed this progression of her being dark-skinned and then being light-skinned. And again, like, here for this particular, um, product, you're seeing the usage of, um, you know, that, that progression. It harks to very old, uh, beauty advertisements that, um, sold products specifically to Black women, um, you know, especially skin-lightening products to Black women. So there's, there's a way in which the mixed-race person is often used to sell beauty, to sell product, to sell, to sell us our notions of, um, lightness Having said that, I'm not trying to demonize the mixed race person. I, you know, I, I don't think it's fair to, um, I do not think it's fair to, for example, um, boycott Jo- Jo Koy because he's so fair, right? [00:29:35] Or, um, yes, I love that comment, how we lift up Olivia Rodrigo, but our love for her or Saweetie is very, is, it's fairly limited. Exactly. You know, um, you know, like, I, I don't want to attack the person, but if you're light, you cannot… You, you have to recognize the amount of privilege that you have, right? Um, and then when we're looking at skin lightening products, again, like this is a global, um, this is a, you know, a multi-billion dollar global industry. Um, in 2018 it was valued at 8.3 billion. 2022, those numbers have gone, have gone up. Um, and as of late there has been a lot of talk about, uh, skin lightening products for various reasons. Globally it's because that market is so high, but here in the United States this has become an issue because skin lightening products and the usage and sale of skin lightening products has actually reached our policies. [00:30:41] So for example, uh, the CARES Act. Um, because of the work of… Excuse me Because of the work of Ilhan Omar in the CARES Act, what, um, what was able to happen was the enforcement of the usage of a particular ingredient called hydroquinone. So this ingredient, uh, it's a derivative of mercury, which is very harmful to the skin. Um, this is a very popular ingredient that is used by a lot of, uh, skincare professionals. Now there's an enforcement about how you can buy or have access to this particular, uh, ingredient. So skin-lightening products and the, the conversation about skin-lightening products has been a huge issue as of late. Um, I wanna end with two thoughts, and it's this. I want you to, to reflect, and I know this was a lot of me talking. I want you to reflect on the way in which we articulate ideas of colorism on a daily basis. I want you to think about, you know, just, uh, a few weeks ago, for those of you who may have gathered with family, what are the ways in which you've heard these, you know, certain ideas about colorism articulated? It's often, “Oh, this, uh, this person is so beautiful.” Sometimes there's a comparison of children. Sometimes when you're greeted by the people you love, there's comments about, oh, how dark or light you've gotten. Um, included in the conversations about colorism is body size, how much weight you have or have not lost. You know, um, the, this is all part of the c- colorism conversation. There's a daily… There's a way in which we articulate ideas of colorism on a daily basis. I want you to reflect on, um, the beauty practices that we engage in, you know? If we… You know, like, if I dye my hair blonde or if I wear, you know, green contacts, what is my reason behind it? [00:32:50] Is it because I want to engage in a sense of play? Or is it because I'm trying to escape a part of my identity, right? These are, these are important questions for us to ask because these are the daily, everyday ways that we, um, sort of, we contribute to these ideas of colorism. Um, and that, um, I believe is connected to the everyday practice of anti-racism, right? Um, you know, it's important to understand that, like, there's no end because, you know, with respect to colorism, this is a systemic issue. And so what we have to do is tackle it piece by piece. Sometimes it's about the practices that we engage in, uh, individually, but it's also about the way in which we engage with the people around us. With respect to colorism, because it's so intimate, right, it's about having the hard conversations, um, with the people that we love the most, right? Our friends and family [00:33:55] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Dr. Randilia. You know, I actually have a, a question. I'm wondering, Jo-Ann, do you feel, especially with increasingly more, um, kind of mixed race, uh, especially kind of Black and Filipinx, um, figures, um, you know, uh, in popular culture, is your sense that there is a shifting around colorism, um, or not? [00:34:28] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: I think that there's small shifts, right? So I think of, uh, for… And I'm looking at the com- the comment, the Magandang Morenx, and then also, you know, we, we do have like, um, you know, the, the Black and Filipinx sort of mixed race entertainers like her and Saweetie. Um, also, uh, there's some no- notable athletes that are Black and, um, Filipinx. Like, I think of, I think of their popularity as moments as opposed to actual, like, movements, right? And the reason being is because white supremacy is so prevalent, it's going to take so much to dismantle that system, right? The magnitude of, of white supremacy is, is beyond anything that we can, you know, like, we can quantify, right? And so, um, I, you know, like, so I, I think of, uh, I, I think of something like the Magandang Morenx movement, I think that they're important. I, I think of them more as moments because… And it's not because, uh, they're not powerful. It's because white supremacy is just so prevalent, right? Um, and so, and I, I don't mean to be the pessimist in, in that, you know. [00:35:50] Um, I think the way that we, the way we move forward is to do the heart and soul work, right? To do the anti-racist work, to recognize the ways in which, um, we contribute to anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, but to make the conscious decision that this is gonna, like, I, I'm going to work towards eradicating it e- while knowing that eradication may not happen in your lifetime. And I'd hate to be the pessimist. It's not gonna happen in our lifetimes. But our jobs right now is to plant the seeds towards that vision, right? It's to plant the seeds to make these moments the actual movement, to make it so overwhelming to white supremist systems that white supremist systems have no choice but to go away. But it takes so much, um, so much seed planting. Um- [00:36:49] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: So Joanna, it looks like there's two questions that are sort of interrelated, and both, I think you probably saw them, um, kind of connect with concretely, you know, some ideas around or strategies around addressing, um, both colorism and anti-Blackness in the intimate space of the family or among friends, et cetera. [00:37:10] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Okay. Think that is an excellent, uh, question and something that I have grappled with and, you know, is very close to my heart. The first thing I'll say is there's no easy way to bring this up with family and friends, right? Especially, you know, um, in our families, especially in our respective families. Um, how… I mean, you know your moms and dads, you know your lolas. You, you know them, and you know they're hella stubborn, right? Like… And so the advice that I have is this: It's impossible to change someone's mind. What you can do is model certain behavior, right? What you can do is model certain language, right? And that alone will speak volumes- Yeah because you are not gonna change, you know, maybe you're not gonna change, like, your lolo or lola's mind. But the people around you are listening. And so here, here's an example, right? Um- W- uh, for me, e- especially in, like, having these conversations with my mom, because she's very much the driving force, uh, for a lot of the research that I do, you know, um, I know my mom, and I know that if I make her feel like crap, like if I make her feel stupid or if I make her feel like, um, what she's saying is old and antiquated, I, I know that I'm not gonna get through to her. [00:38:36] So what I had to do with my mom was event- was create a love language of understanding, right? Because by creating a love language of understanding the ways in which, like, some of her comments have hurt me, when I started to actually honestly articulate my pain, it's not that my mom let go of some of these ideas, but she started to create an understanding of the impact of her words. And what that did was it changed the way she would… Like, she wouldn't say the things she would say. She wouldn't tell me how dark I was. She wouldn't make comments about, like, me being fat or whatever, right? Because she understood, she understood the impact of that. And as I started to, to realize, like, okay, we may not come to an agreement, but there's a love language that we can speak to, that's how I started seeing changes in, in the way that we interact, right? [00:39:33] Um, and so you can't change someone's ideas, but what you can do is plant seeds and sort of, and really stand your ground in terms of how you feel about certain ideas, right? But you have to do that in a love language 'cause Filipinos, the language we speak is love, right? So that, I, I think that's, that's what's important. It- You have to understand that you may not change someone's mind, but you're also making it so that the people around are listening. ‘Cause I see the way that, like, my niece, you know, my nieces and nephews, they had just… They have such a better way of dealing with my mom when she would say terrible racist things, right? They had a better way of communicating with her and articulating their, their frustration and their anger, and it would change. It may not have always changed my mother's ideas, but it definitely changed her behavior, and it changed her consciousness, and I think that that's all we can really do, um, is develop that love language. [00:40:39] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: And if I may, if, uh, if I can just also add, you know, I, I, I think what you said is absolutely spot on and really resonates, um, Joanne. And, and I would add also, I think that there's something, um, really important about how these broader social movements can also- [00:40:55] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Mm-hmm … [00:40:56] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: become so important. I mean, so just in my own family, you know, my eldest was, uh, biracial, Black Filipino. And, um, of course, having a biracial, uh, grandson didn't necessarily mean that my mother could also grapple with her own deep anti-Blackness. Um, and it was always a struggle. And, and I agree with Joanne. Sometimes, you know, it is really understanding the particularities of the, of your own dynamic with, with specific intimates in your circle and understanding that certain kinds of lo-lov-love languages open up possibilities for conversation whi- whereas other approaches close off. But I do have to say, you know My mother, you know, is going to be 79. It really took, it took all the movements that happened- Mm-hmm … in response to the George Floyd murder, it took all of the movements around anti-Asian hate for my mother for the very first time, and this is some- You know, I'm her daughter. I've been teaching around race and talking about race. I, you know, I, I produced a biracial grandson for her, right? Um, and it– we could never have real frank conversations about white supremacy, could not really touch it, you know? There was a way that my mother didn't want to, to name white supremacy as something that actually shaped her life. And, you know, those are really com- there may be complicated reasons for that, but being able to name that was always really, really hard. Talking about anti-Blackness was hard. But all of those movements did something for her, and it shifted things in ways that I thought w-were going to be impossible at, by the time- Yeah you know, in her period of life. And not only did she– was she able to have some real kind of honest conversations, but she actually became a kind of advocate, and then used her own platforms to start conversations about white supremacy, um, and kind of race in our community. So I guess that's to say that it's not entirely hopeless, you know? [00:42:57] I think- Yeah … it is true change can be slow. It can be incremental. It comes in these gentle kinds of ways, um, over time that require a lot of love and patience. And couple that with, I think, also kind of these movements that are also equally invi- uh, important to grow, um, that together that you can see change is, is really absolutely possible. Um, so, you know, just to kind of share that. But it, it is. You know, it's so hard 'cause even within a family where there are biracial, uh, family members, right? It– that isn't itself even going to necessarily change even when they have, right, a loved one, um, that ought to be- Yeah … challenging that for them. [00:43:44] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Yeah, absolutely. And I think, too, um, you know, another thing that helped me, especially, you know, like with my mom… So when I did the research, I did spend some time in the Philippines, and my mom came with me, right? So seeing my mom's very light-skinned, um, you know, uh, Filipina navigate the Philippines. And so I just wanna say for the record, I know I look really light, and it's because we're in COVID, and your girl has not had some sun, okay? Like just, just so that… ‘Cause I'm looking at them like, “God, yeah,” like I know I look light. I swear, you know, I'll show you pictures. But, you know, um, I, I didn't– At the time when my mom came with me to the Philippines, I did not realize how important it was for me to observe her in the Philippines because I was able to get these glimpses of my mom before she was a mom, right? And I was able to understand, like, okay, like… So one of the sort of things that I learned was, like, all these hurtful things that, like, my mom would say to me about the way that I look and what have you, I learned that part of the reason why she leaned in so hard to, with me is because when we would travel, you know, like go around to, like, malls or whatever in the Philippines, people would always tell her, “Oh my gosh,” like, “your daughter looks just like you.” [00:45:09] And, like, if my mom were sitting next to me, and you can see this in, like, uh, photos with the two of us, like she's very vanilla, and next to her I look like burnt caramel. And I think that there was something about the embodiment of my body size, 'cause I'm big, you know, and, and my, my darker skin tone. It's almost like I was the physical embodiment of everything that she had feared and everything that she was told you should not. And for her, it was confronting, like, I gave birth to this, to this person who's everything that I, you know, that I was told was wrong, right? And so I think I, I… You know, like just watching her navigate, I began to understand, like, the context in which she was raised. I, I started to understand the messaging that she, uh, was, was given. Because when I finished the dissertation, I, I felt like I finished the dissertation at a place where I could actually forgive my mother for all the things that she would say about me. I c- I could forgive her for, like, the comments that she would make because all those things that she imposed onto me was a product of her own pain, and I was able to have something that she did not have, which is a sense of healing. ‘Cause until her very last breath, she was so trapped by these notions of beauty. She was so trapped by needing to be beautiful because this was the constant messaging that she was given, right? And so What we can offer, you know, and the way that we, um, the way that we engage in our sense of healing, especially with the people that we love, really comes down to I know that when my mom left the world, I planted all the seeds that I needed to plant in her, right? I know… Sorry. I know that I have this healing, something that she could not have. I know that her grandchildren don't have to suffer the pain that she did. So I think understanding our family, right? Understanding, like, um, you know, uh, the people, our family and friends, understanding them in that respect, putting into context the reason why they do the painful things we do, choosing how w- choosing the way in which we heal from the things that they did to us, that's all we can really do, right? And all of this, I think, and I'd hate to sound so cheesy but all of this is encased in, like, this deep, profound sense of the love that we have for ourselves, the love that we have for each other. In the midst of confronting immense colonial legacies that time and time again tell us that we are not worth it, right? If we can find that light, and if we can find that value, and if we can share that value with the people around us, that's all we can really do. [00:48:20] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: Joanne. [00:48:25] Thank you. [00:48:26] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Sorry about that. [00:48:27] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: You don't have to apologize. I think that's one thing about this space, Bulosan's space, the School for Liberating Education, is we all do this out of deep, deep, deep love, right? That that's the whole purpose- Yeah … of being able to host, um, share s- to create space like this, to share space like this. Um, we all know, um, people like you, me, uh, those of us who chose this path into academia, we didn't do this because we wanted to produce knowledge for an institution that wasn't built for and by us. [00:49:00] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Mm-hmm. [00:49:00] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: But it was precisely to produce knowledge that could heal and liberate our people. Yeah. And so, you know, so appropriate for you to feel all of those feelings, and that's why it was so important to have you here, because this is such, uh, for so many of us, a deeply, deeply hurtful kind of… We s- we struggle with this, and I think what I- [00:49:25] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Mm-hmm … [00:49:26] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: What's so valuable, what you bring to the table is it's so much more complicated than the colorism. There are all of the ways in which colorism intersects with class, intersects with body. I, I mean, you know, even the whole notion of, like, the magandang morenx. I mean, you know, that there are even these fine distinctions that exist in the Philippines about the morena mestiza. You know? Like, that was, like, the, the way that I would get, like, weirdly, like, sideways complimented. Like, “Oh, she's a morena mestiza, though,” you know? Mm-hmm. What does that mean? But, you know, our bodies, um, are subject to such scrutiny within at least that context, and even in this context, right? We're constantly dealing with… We're actually dealing with multiple contexts, right? Contexts, Filipinx folks in the diaspora, where our bodies are subject to examination and evaluation- Mm-hmm … every single day, and we subjected ourselves also, our bodies to- Yeah … these valuations all the time. And, you know, um, and we do this work because we're trying to find, you know, a way out, right? [00:50:29] A way, um, to heal all those, um, bits of hurt and brokenness and, you know- I mean, thank you so much, uh, Joanne, for not just sharing your amazing research, but also your heart with us. And I think I can m- I can feel that, um, people came away with, uh, from today with just that much more, um, just healing. And, you know, that's the point. That is why we do what we do here. Yeah. Um, uh, that's why we created, uh, the Balosan Center and, um, why I launched the School for Liberating Education. Um, this is the whole, this is the reason why we do this. And so I, with that, I do wanna thank everybody for joining us, um, and, you know, really invite everyone to continue to follow, uh, the work, um, that we're doing at the Balosan Center, what we're doing at the School for Liberating Education. [00:51:27] The next major thing actually is next week. So my next book is coming out, um, on Asian American activism. Uh, it's actually really cool to talk about coming full circle, Jo-Ann, because basically this is a collab between our professor, our old professor, um, when we were undergrads at UC Santa Barbara, Diane Fujino and I, um, ended up collaborating on a couple things, and this is the latest collab, which is a anthology on Asian American activism. And one of the things I'm doing is launching a mini course, um, on Asian American activism, uh, that's based on the book, but also stuff I've done, um, on activism. So next week, I guess on Thursday, we're officially launching, um, the, the new, uh, the registration for the new course. And so we're launching it with this conversation I have with, um, Art Nagin Concordia, who is the godfather of ethnic studies in the K through 12 system, basically the ninong of ethnic studies in K through 12. Uh, was one of the key authors for the ethnic studies model curriculum and does m- uh, ethnic studies work at Santa Barbara, actually, also with Diane. So anyway, um, that's coming up next week. But do keep following, um, you know, the, the work that we're doing. This is, uh, you know, such important work, um, supporting our scholars and our artists, our community historians. And again, thank you so much, Jo-Ann. Yeah, no. I really think we have our real, real conversation. ‘Cause one of the projects I always wanted to do is, uh – [00:53:09] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Yes. [00:53:09] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: No, thank you … a podcast that gets real, real, like real, real. Yes. Like, let's really talk about- [00:53:13] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Just so you know, you're- … those [00:53:14] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: real stories … [00:53:15] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: you're looking at, like, 25 years- of friendship, so I know lots of, uh, Robyn's secrets. I have lots of pictures 'cause I- Yeah. Oh, my God … was very good at documenting these things. [00:53:24] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: You, you did that photo shoot of my… I think you did a before and after of my ja- my, my, my eyebrows. [00:53:30] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: I have a photo of you, like, in a, in a, like, a face mask. [00:53:34] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: Yes. Yes, yes. You can- So- If, if, if I look this good coming on 50- … it's because Joanne taught me about makeup and skincare regimens. [00:53:46] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Well, I'm gonna, I'm gonna launch a course on my skincare regimen. [00:53:51] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: Oh my God. [00:53:54] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Skincare after your 30s, right? [00:53:57] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: No, seriously, I'm about to launch, I'm not, I'm not even joking. I'm totally launching a whole, uh, journey to 50, so y'all can come because I, I'm, I'm, I'm going. I'm getting there. As of next, or the week after next, it's T minus 365 days to 50. So join in the fun. Anyway, Joanne, it's so great to see you. I wish I could give you a big hug. Uh, [00:54:21] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: well, we'll see each other soon hopefully. [00:54:23] Dr. Robyn Rodriguez: I can't wait to, like, really break bread with you because- Yes … you know, I always know I eat well when I'm with you. Like, I r- I will still- I still dream about the ice cream, that homemade ice cream you make. Like, nothing compares ever again to the ice cream that I consumed that you make. So thanks again. Thanks everyone. [00:54:43] Dr. Joanne Rondilla: Thank you so much everybody. Hope to see you. Thank you. [00:54:58] Miko Lee: Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about our show and our guests tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preti Mangala-Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show was produced by me Miko Lee, and edited by Ayame Keane-Lee. Have a great night. The post APEX Express – 8.27.26. Dr. Robynn's Spitting Fire on Colorism appeared first on KPFA.
It's ev.news Briefly for Wednesday 26 August 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the ev.news Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnewsRENAULT 5 GAINS RANGE AND LFP ENTRY VERSIONRenault has updated the electric Renault 5, lifting the 40 kWh Urban Range to 315 km (196 miles) and the 52 kWh Comfort Range to 430 km (267 miles) from 410 km, crediting a lower ride height, redesigned mirrors and optimised battery electronics. In markets including France, the 70 kW/40 kWh version is replaced by an entry model pairing an 80 kW "Gen 2 Evo" motor from the Twingo E-Tech with a 36.5 kWh cell-to-pack LFP battery for up to 305 km (190 miles), 6.6 kW AC and 80 kW DC charging, with Google's Gemini assistant arriving over the air and the range shown at the Paris Motor Show from 12 to 18 October 2026.CHINESE AUTOMAKERS PLAN 1.5 MILLION EUROPEAN OUTPUT BY 2035Mobility Global forecasts Chinese brands will build about 90,000 vehicles in Europe this year, rising to 1 million by 2030 and 1.5 million by 2035, with roughly half of the 2030 output coming from Spain as BYD starts Hungarian production this autumn, Chery assembles Jaecoo and Omoda in Barcelona, Leapmotor uses Stellantis' Zaragoza plant, MG plans a Galicia plant for 2028 and Geely forms a Ford joint venture in Valencia (66% Ford, 34% Geely) operating from the first half of 2027. The push comes ahead of the EU's proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, which would attach "Made in EU" tests to public procurement, state support and CO₂ super-credits rather than impose a general local-content rule, while economists warn Europe risks becoming a final-assembly site without winning higher-value manufacturing and supply-chain jobs.FIAT 500E LEADS OWNERSHIP COST STUDYSelf, Inc. compared annual running costs for 50 new cars, excluding purchase price, finance and depreciation and assuming 15,000 miles a year, finding an average of $6,913 and placing the Fiat 500e first at $3,557, ahead of the Honda Civic Hybrid at $4,833. Hybrids averaged $5,734 a year against $6,189 for battery-electric and $7,025 for combustion cars, with the Dodge Charger Daytona the second-cheapest EV at $5,298 and the Lucid Air the priciest at $10,049, though the 500e's win has not translated into demand as Stellantis reported just 150 US sales in the first half of 2026, down 81% year on year.ICAUR V25 CONFIRMED FOR AUSTRALIA IN EARLY 2027Chery has confirmed the iCaur V25 will launch in Australia in early 2027 alongside the brand's arrival, with the larger V27 also expected in the initial line-up, and the 4636mm-long five-seater offering a 2820mm wheelbase, 197mm of ground clearance, a 200kg roof-load rating, fixed aluminium side steps, removable D-pillar panels and a side-hinged rear door with a 22.7-litre external storage box. It uses a range-extender drivetrain with a Chery 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 33.67kWh LFP battery giving up to 150km (93.2 miles) of electric range on WLTC, and rides on a unibody with MacPherson struts and rear five-link suspension rather than a ladder frame.KEMPOWER LINKS PLUG COUNT TO CHARGER USEKempower's analysis of North American public charging sites on its ChargEye software found plug count correlated with utilisation at 0.63 versus just 0.228 for total installed power, that distributed-charging sites averaged 83% higher utilisation than fixed-power dispensers, and that about 100 kW of available power per plug is the sweet spot when all connectors are in use. The paper does not disclose sample size, observation period, how utilisation was calculated or whether it controlled for location, traffic, age, pricing or reliability, it shows correlation rather than causation, it promotes an architecture Kempower already sells as its MORE Plugs system, and its 100 kW benchmark falls short of the NEVI rule requiring each port on an Alternative Fuel Corridor to deliver up to 150 kW simultaneously.US EV RENTERS FACE CHARGING COST PENALTYUS EV drivers in rented or multifamily homes can pay up to six times more to charge than those on standard residential electricity, a "renter's penalty" worsened because utility assistance programmes typically tie benefits to a household meter. A playbook from GRID Alternatives and the Smart Electric Power Alliance proposes driver-focused measures such as account-linked discounts or prepaid charging cards for income-qualified owners, combined with location-focused steps like reduced-price charging at utility-owned public stations and multifamily sites in priority communities.BYD ADDS CANADA 'COMING SOON' PAGEBYD has put a "Coming Soon" message on its Canadian website and listed eleven management vacancies, eight of them posted by BYD North America and based in Toronto or the wider Greater Toronto Area, covering head of sales, marketing, network development, infrastructure business development, operations planning, legal counsel and HR, with one sales role tasked with leading market entry, nationwide sales and a dealer network for passenger vehicles. No models, prices, dealers, ordering function or launch date have been published, and while Canada reopened to Chinese-made EVs on 1 March 2026 by replacing the 100% surtax with a 49,000-vehicle annual quota at a 6.1% tariff, shipment-specific permits and Transport Canada compliance still apply.GERMAN SUPPLIERS LOOK BEYOND CARS AS ELECTRIC VEHICLES RESHAPE INDUSTRYElectrification is redrawing the network of parts, skills and factories behind the car, illustrated by Nuremberg-area family firm Sembach, whose output of small automotive parts has fallen from about 600 million to 400 million a year and which set a 2023 target of cutting automotive revenue from 80 to 40 per cent by 2033. The VDA says around 100,000 German automotive jobs have gone since 2019 and another 125,000 could follow by 2035, with many replacement roles created abroad, while Bosch, on €91 billion of revenue last year, is pivoting to sensors, robotics, software-defined mobility and electrification even as it plans to cut more than 20,000 German automotive jobs by 2030.SOLENT ELECTRIC BOAT CHARGING NETWORK EXPANDSThe Electric Seaway, a £3.2m project backed by the Department for Transport's UK SHORE programme, has since 2023 built a chain of CCS DC fast-charging points along the south coast using 400V-class technology similar to car rapid chargers, though Aqua superPower COO Karen Gill says uptake has come mainly from commercial workboats rather than leisure yachts. Range remains the constraint for weekenders, with Grand Soleil's 33ft Blue claiming 30 nautical miles at 5 knots from its 6kW ePropulsion pod and 8kWh battery, or 60 with a second battery and a diesel option still offered, while Yamaha's 2024 acquisition of Torqeedo signals that the largest outboard manufacturer is taking electric marine propulsion seriously.
Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: [Cisco Canada]: The company this morning launched its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio, making Canada the first market outside EMEA to receive the offering. The company says the configurable portfolio spans core networking, security, compute, collaboration, and Splunk analytics, with air-gapped deployment options where required. According to Cisco Canada, the offering is aligned with ITSG-33 and most of the on-premises portfolio is IPv6-ready, FIPS 140-2/3 certified, and Common Criteria certified. Bell is the lead quoted partner. Read more on Cisco [ScanSource]: The distributor announced last week it will acquire value-added reseller and managed service provider MicroAge in a $220.5 million all-cash transaction expected to close on Sept. 30. The deal adds more than 2,400 U.S. customers and over 200 employees, and brings MicroAge’s hardware, professional services, and consulting expertise to ScanSource’s partners. Read more on Channel Dive [ESET Canada]: The company yesterday announced the winners of its 2026 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, naming Arthure Gélinas, Tsidkenu Tomori, and Sulaksa Jeevakumar as the three Canadian recipients. The program has awarded more than $50,000 to 14 women in Canada since expanding north in 2021. Read more on Business Insider [CrowdStrike]: The company is expanding Project QuiltWorks to midmarket companies through partners including Arrow Electronics, Pax8, and TD Synnex. CrowdStrike says the initiative integrates its AI-driven vulnerability discovery with partner services to deliver enterprise-grade protection to SMBs. Read more on Channel Dive [Palo Alto Networks]: The company and NTT Data say they have signed a three-year strategic pact targeting $1 billion in joint cybersecurity revenue, with NTT Data bringing more than 2,000 certified professionals and 20 cyber defense centers to the alliance. Read more on Channel Dive [Auvik]: The Canadian IT management platform provider says it promoted channel veteran Daniel Ochoa to chief revenue officer, with a mandate to expand the partner network and focus on AI-powered capabilities across North America, Latin America, and EMEA. Read more on Channel Dive [ChannelPro]: The publication unveiled its Top 20 MSPs for 2026, recognizing providers driving innovation, leadership, and impact in the channel. Read more on ChannelE2E Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Cisco Canada this morning launched its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio, making Canada the first market outside EMEA to receive the offering. The company says the configurable portfolio spans core networking, security, compute, collaboration, and Splunk analytics, with air-gapped deployment options where required and control over access to systems and data sitting with the customer. According to Cisco Canada, the offering is aligned with ITSG-33, the foundation for Authority to Operate on mission-critical services, and most of the on-premises portfolio is IPv6-ready, FIPS 140-2/3 certified, and Common Criteria certified. The launch comes as Canadian organizations in critical sectors face increasing pressure to maintain control over their data and digital infrastructure amid rising sovereignty concerns. For channel partners, the move creates opportunities around assessment, deployment, and ongoing management of sovereign environments, particularly for regulated and government customers that need to demonstrate compliance with strict data residency and control standards. IT distributor ScanSource announced last week it will acquire value-added reseller and managed service provider MicroAge in a $220.5 million all-cash transaction expected to close on Sept. 30. The deal adds more than 2,400 U.S. customers and over 200 employees to ScanSource, and brings MicroAge’s hardware resale, professional services, and consulting expertise under the distributor’s umbrella. ScanSource Chairman and CEO Mike Baur told Channel Dive the acquisition is aimed at augmenting channel partners that lack their own customer service and support organizations, with plans to effectively rent MicroAge’s resources to partners who only pay if something closes. The deal reflects ScanSource’s broader strategy to cross-pollinate its technology advisor base with the MSP and VAR capabilities needed to deliver integration, implementation, and ongoing management services. Baur also noted that MicroAge’s Octum.ai consulting business could help technology advisors fill the AI expertise gap they currently face. For Canadian partners, the convergence of distribution and managed services is a signal that the traditional boundaries between partner types are eroding faster than many expected, and that distributors are increasingly willing to touch the end customer directly. ESET Canada yesterday announced the winners of its 2026 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, naming Arthure Gélinas, Tsidkenu Tomori, and Sulaksa Jeevakumar as the three Canadian recipients. According to ESET, the program has awarded more than $50,000 to 14 women in Canada since expanding north in 2021, with this year’s awards totaling $15,000 across three scholarships. Bob Bonneau, country manager at ESET Canada, said the recipients demonstrated an impressive combination of skill, leadership, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the industry. The winners will be recognized at a celebration at ESET’s Markham headquarters on Thursday, continuing a commitment that ESET says is one of the earliest initiatives of its kind in the cybersecurity industry. The three recipients come from the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, and Ottawa, reflecting a geographic spread that ESET says mirrors the growth of cybersecurity hubs across the country. For the Canadian channel, the scholarship underscores the ongoing need to build a more diverse cybersecurity talent pipeline as demand continues to outpace supply, and it highlights a concrete way vendors can contribute to that pipeline beyond short-term hiring initiatives. In Brief – CrowdStrike expands Project QuiltWorks to midmarket companies through partners including Arrow Electronics, Pax8, and TD Synnex. Palo Alto Networks and NTT Data say they have signed a three-year strategic pact targeting $1 billion in joint cybersecurity revenue. Auvik promoted channel veteran Daniel Ochoa to chief revenue officer, with a mandate to expand the partner network and AI-powered capabilities. ChannelPro unveiled its Top 20 MSPs for 2026, recognizing providers driving innovation, leadership, and impact. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. Later today on In The Channel, my conversation with Raj Juneja, President of Cisco Canada, on the company’s new sovereign critical infrastructure portfolio for Canada. And if you haven’t heard it yet, check out my conversation with Tony Anscombe from ESET on why breached SMBs feel more confident, and where MSPs fit in the insurance collision. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.
Send us Fan MailThe journey through the 52-week love letter to Winnipeg continues as Dave and Candace Rae count down to their upcoming departure from the city.Following up on Dave's arrival in 2003, this episode turns the spotlight on Candace Rae's own path leading up to their fateful connection. In 2002, Candace packed her bags and left Winnipeg behind, embarking on a transformative multi-year journey across the globe. From the hustle of the Greater Toronto Area to the shores of Bermuda, through travels across Asia, and down to Australia, this episode traces the adventures, lessons, and miles traveled that shaped her life before their paths finally crossed in 2009.Tune in for personal reflections, wanderlust stories, and an honest look at how two very different journeys eventually led right back to Winnipeg.CONNECT & WORK WITH US:
At a time when polarization, hatred and violence threaten to divide our communities, some people are choosing a different path—not one of silence or anger, but of courage, friendship and light. Today, I am honored to welcome the extraordinary team behind Pomegranate Fest, an inspiring celebration of the friendship between the Jewish and Iranian communities. My guests are the remarkable Jian Magen, Lynda Kraar and Sarah Fard. Pomegranate Fest grew out of a deeply moving story of solidarity between Toronto's Iranian and Jewish communities. Earlier this year, Jewish Canadians stood alongside Iranian Canadians following the tragic and systematic killing of courageous Iranians who took to the streets in pursuit of freedom and a better future for their country. Later, Iranian Canadians stood alongside the Jewish community at the Walk with Israel. Through these acts of mutual support, the two communities discovered something powerful: an alliance rooted in shared values, mutual respect, human dignity and a determination to stand against hatred and extremism. That spark of friendship grew even brighter when the producers of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish invited 40 members of the Iranian community to attend a performance. What began as a beautiful gesture of solidarity soon became something much greater—a movement. That movement is now Pomegranate Fest, taking place on August 23 at Earl Bales Park in Toronto. Together, the Iranian and Jewish communities represent more than 200,000 people across the Greater Toronto Area. Imagine the impact they can have when their voices are united. The festival's goals are both ambitious and urgent: to strengthen relationships between the two communities; promote education, awareness and civic engagement; welcome sponsors and community partners; and affirm the right of Jewish, Iranian and allied communities to live safely and proudly in Toronto. It is also a call for our leaders and authorities to confront antisemitism, anti-Iranian hatred, intimidation and extremism—and to help lower the temperature in an increasingly hostile climate. Today, we will hear the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of how this team came together, how they transformed shared pain into purposeful action, and how they are working to replace fear with friendship and darkness with light. Please welcome the remarkable team bringing Pomegranate Fest to life ——
At a time when polarization, hatred and violence threaten to divide our communities, some people are choosing a different path—not one of silence or anger, but of courage, friendship and light. Today, I am honored to welcome the extraordinary team behind Pomegranate Fest, an inspiring celebration of the friendship between the Jewish and Iranian communities. My guests are the remarkable Jian Magen, Lynda Kraar and Saei Fard. Pomegranate Fest grew out of a deeply moving story of solidarity between Toronto's Iranian and Jewish communities. Earlier this year, Jewish Canadians stood alongside Iranian Canadians following the tragic and systematic killing of courageous Iranians who took to the streets in pursuit of freedom and a better future for their country. Later, Iranian Canadians stood alongside the Jewish community at the Walk with Israel. Through these acts of mutual support, the two communities discovered something powerful: an alliance rooted in shared values, mutual respect, human dignity and a determination to stand against hatred and extremism. That spark of friendship grew even brighter when the producers of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish invited 40 members of the Iranian community to attend a performance. What began as a beautiful gesture of solidarity soon became something much greater—a movement. That movement is now Pomegranate Fest, taking place on August 23 at Earl Bales Park in Toronto. Together, the Iranian and Jewish communities represent more than 200,000 people across the Greater Toronto Area. Imagine the impact they can have when their voices are united. The festival's goals are both ambitious and urgent: to strengthen relationships between the two communities; promote education, awareness and civic engagement; welcome sponsors and community partners; and affirm the right of Jewish, Iranian and allied communities to live safely and proudly in Toronto. It is also a call for our leaders and authorities to confront antisemitism, anti-Iranian hatred, intimidation and extremism—and to help lower the temperature in an increasingly hostile climate. Today, we will hear the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of how this team came together, how they transformed shared pain into purposeful action, and how they are working to replace fear with friendship and darkness with light. Please welcome the remarkable team bringing Pomegranate Fest to life ——
EPISODE 388 - Clark hosts a short Friday episode giving a heads up on a few things he's working on or been involved with. One of them is being a guest on Jeremy Lee's popular Sports Card Live YouTube channel.He happened to be a past guest on the pod as well.Locally, Clark will also be setting up at ARC Homecoming event in the Greater Toronto Area where he plans to hvae hobby discussions with guests as well as some buying and selling of cards.And he teases another fun regular Tuesday episode coming up with Will and Roy. --------------------------CONNECT WITH US!Instagram: @cardstothemoon | @fivecardguys (Clark) | @yntegritysportscards (Hyung) | @tradeyouatrecess (John)Website: https://fivecardguys.com/podcastDaily Auctions (w/ affiliate links): https://fivecardguys.com/dailyauctionsIf you have any questions about the hobby that you would like addressed, email us at hello@fivecardguys.com or DM us on Instagram at @cardstothemoon or @fivecardguys.
This week on Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with architect, industrial designer, and artist Hamid Mohammadi, founder of Good Place Design, for an inspiring conversation about the intersection of architecture, creativity, and human experience. Drawing on his unique background across industrial design, architecture, and contemporary art, Hamid shares why great design isn't confined to a single discipline—and how spaces, objects, and art all have the power to elevate mood, strengthen community, and deepen our connection to the natural world.The discussion explores everything from the influence of natural daylight, materials, and spatial clarity on human wellbeing to biophilic design, belonging, community, adaptive reuse, rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and the creative process itself. Hamid also explains why architecture should inspire rather than simply function, how optimism has become a central theme in both his artwork and design philosophy, the importance of designing authentic spaces with honest materials, and why buildings should create meaningful connections—not only between people and nature, but between individuals and the communities around them.It's a thoughtful conversation about designing places that genuinely enrich people's lives—and a reminder that the most memorable buildings aren't defined by their size, budget, or complexity. They're the ones that foster belonging, spark optimism, encourage human connection, and quietly improve the way we experience the world every single day.More About Hamid MohammadiHamid is an architect with over ten years of experience in Toronto, Ontario. He is an expert in the design and construction of residential and commercial buildings, having worked for several highly respected architectural firms and a developer in Toronto, Hamid has gained valuable experience in all project phases. He brings a deep understanding of the requirements and approval processes required for creating meaningful architectural projects in the Greater Toronto Area and in different parts of Canada. From Rezoning, ZBA, OLT settlements, Construction Documents, Tender Drawing packages, project management and the construction phases of projects, Hamid brings valuable experience to all different project phases with a keen sense of integration of client requirements. Hamid is an effective listener and communicator with a strong passion for good design and the positive impacts it can have on peoples lives. CONTACT:https://www.goodplacedesign.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hamidxvi/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamid-mohammadi-2b10a2140/Where To Find Us:https://bbfhpod.advancedglazings.com/www.advancedglazings.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/better-buildings-for-humans-podcastwww.linkedin.com/in/advanced-glazings-ltd-848b4625https://twitter.com/bbfhpodhttps://twitter.com/Solera_Daylighthttps://www.instagram.com/bbfhpod/https://www.instagram.com/advancedglazingsltdhttps://www.facebook.com/AdvancedGlazingsltd
Everything you need to know about the new direction Games Workshop is taking with Kislev and the glaring absence of the Chaos Gods in the core rulebook. Have the Ruinous Powers been retconned? What does this mean for the forces of Order up north? Plus, we've got huge community updates! We cover the latest design progress on the Renegade Legacy Pack ruleset for Vampire Counts, show off our brand-new 3D printable wargaming terrain STLs, and drop all the venue details for the upcoming Square Based Open tournament hitting the Greater Toronto Area this autumn on October 24th and 25th. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Catching Up 01:29 - Square Based Open Toronto 2026 Announcement 04:30 - Renegade Legacy Pack: Vampire Counts Update 14:45 - Weekend Tournament Recap & Live Stream Highlights 20:47 - Discussion: Ward Saves for Chaos Warriors & Points Balancing 34:21 - New 3D Printable Terrain STLs Available! 36:14 - Addressing the Battle March Box Controversy 44:45 - FAQ: How Regeneration Actually Works 54:25 - FAQ: Wheeling Mechanics Explained 55:38 - FAQ: Cannonballs vs. The Crunch Rule 01:03:00 - The Role of TOs and Respecting Event Rulings 01:08:16 - Lore Changes: What is Going on with Kislev? 01:17:00 - Speculation on Kislev's Real-World Influences 01:31:31 - The Missing Chaos Gods: Where Are the Ruinous Powers? 01:39:00 - Are the Chaos Gods Being Retconned? 01:42:00 - Final Thoughts & Outro ► *Rob's Rulings RE: the FAQ for the TSN Arena* https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XUSGB09PHluYPvc6JXVvJpfASst_Rty_EUJ3Z8vM0Yc/edit?usp=sharing ► *Val's Dissertation on the Regeneration FAQ* https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YiI1iMkIPkxs-qT3yDH4zwsWTQUIiN6jLzGPmGJKnYM/edit?usp=sharing MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO: ► *Links to all current Renegade Drafts* https://docs.google.com/document/d/16kAE-p_CWbsH0XatDPuRao6TngSw-KSweUnJa81kOXE/edit?usp=sharing ► *Rob's Old World EVENTS in Nottingham!* https://tsnarena.com/events/category/the-old-world/ ► *Check out Rob's Event Recaps here!* https://thehonestwargamer.com/ ► Support us on *PATREON* and join us on Discord: https://www.patreon.com/Squarebased *OLD WORLD RESOURCES* ► *Square Based Comp AND Tournament Packs* https://thehonestwargamer.com/warhammer-the-old-world/square-based-comp/ ► *The Square Based FAQ:* https://www.squarebased.com/faqs ► *The Renegade Legacy Pack:* https://www.squarebased.com/ ► *Our 500pt Foray Pack:* https://thehonestwargamer.com/warhammer-the-old-world-500-point-foray/ ► *Old World Army Builder:* https://old-world-builder.com/ ► *Old World Rules Wiki:* https://tow.whfb.app/ ► *Old World Rankings (Past and Upcoming Old World Events:* https://oldworldrankings.com/ *MERCH* https://thehonestwargamer.com/product-category/square-based/ Youtube Music Playlist for Audio Only: https://tinyurl.com/SB-YouTube-Music-Playlist Podcast on all other Platforms: https://squarebasedpodcast.podbean.com/ #squarebased #warhammertheoldworld #warhammerfantasy
Canada has spent decades trying to curb urban sprawl through policies like greenbelts, urban growth boundaries, and higher development charges, but what if those policies are having the opposite effect?In this episode, Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux examine the rise of "leapfrog development," where families priced out of cities move beyond growth boundaries into neighbouring communities, leading to longer commutes, higher infrastructure costs, and even more sprawl. They explore real-world examples from Ottawa, London, and the Greater Toronto Area, discuss the research behind these trends, and ask whether it's time to rethink how Canadian cities grow.Topics covered:Why urban growth boundaries were createdWhat leapfrog development is and why it mattersHow greenbelts and development charges affect housing affordabilityWhy more families are moving outside city limitsThe Ottawa and Carleton Place case studyStatistics Canada's commuting data and metro boundariesThe relationship between housing costs, commuting, and emissionsWhy regional planning may work better than local planningCan cities reduce sprawl without pricing families out?Subscribe for more conversations on housing, affordability, economics, and public policy in Canada.#Housing #Canada #UrbanPlanning #HousingCrisis #RealEstate #Affordability #Greenbelt #UrbanSprawl #PublicPolicy #MissingMiddleChapters:00:00 Is the Greenbelt Actually Causing More Sprawl?01:33 The "Strange Pattern" of Ontario's Development 03:11 How StatsCan Defines Metro Boundaries 05:07 The Rise of the "Commuter Village" 07:59 What is "Leapfrog Development" & Why Boundaries Fail 11:02 Why the Environmental Movement Refuses to Change Its Mind 12:51 Anti-Sprawl Politics: Virtue Signaling vs. Real Outcomes Research:Did Development Charges Cause Metro Ottawa to Grow by Over 1000km in Size?https://www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/did-development-charges-cause-metro Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/
A string of shootings across the Greater Toronto Area are being tied to gun-for-hire networks targeted by vulnerable youth through encrypted messaging apps. Toronto Police say they have no idea who's hiring teenagers to commit the crimes. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Adam Ellis, assistant professor at the University of Waterloo about how youth get involved in street gangs and organized crime, and what realistic steps Ottawa could take to tackle the crisis. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky
On The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Professor Murtaza Haider of the Alberta School of Business for a wide-ranging conversation about housing affordability, urban planning, and the future of Canadian cities.The discussion explores one of Canada's most pressing policy questions: should cities be building upward through densification, or outward through suburban expansion? Haider challenges the idea that this is a binary choice, arguing instead that effective housing policy must reflect the diverse needs of Canadians—families, seniors, and young professionals alike.Together, they examine why suburban communities continue to attract families seeking space, schools, and livable neighbourhoods, while higher-density housing remains essential for those who prioritize proximity to transit and employment. The conversation highlights how demographic shifts, land economics, approval delays, and rising construction costs have all contributed to Canada's housing affordability crisis.The second half of the episode turns to transportation and infrastructure. Haider emphasizes that housing and transit are inseparable, and that Canada's challenge is not choosing between roads and public transit, but building both effectively. The discussion touches on the role of expanded GO Transit service in unlocking housing across the Greater Toronto Area, the potential impact of major highways such as the 413, and the need for faster, more transparent infrastructure delivery.In closing, Brian reflects on the broader implications of housing policy—not just as a technical or economic issue, but as a question of how Canadians live. Where families grow, how workers commute, and whether young people can afford to put down roots all depend on the choices made today.A timely and practical conversation about how to build cities that actually work for the people who live in them.
The condo boom in Toronto and Vancouver has gone bust and thousands are sitting on the market -- in the midst of a housing affordability crisis. So what can be done? We hear from Michael Fedychshyn of Building Ontario Fund about its deal to bulk buy thousands of units in the Greater Toronto Area, Condo developer Pouyan Safapour, about how to stop the boom and bust cycle and build units people actually want to live in Carolyn Whitzman, author Home Truths: How to Fix Canada's Housing Crisis.
“I didn't know there was a need.” Two years ago, Dr. Irv Siegel, a past president of Beit Rayim Synagogue in Vaughan, Ont., heard about growing food insecurity in York Region, one of Canada's wealthiest suburbs, where one in five families faces food insecurity. He was surprised to learn that hundreds of public school kids in Thornhill and Richmond Hill often come to school without lunch. So for the past two years, volunteers from the synagogue have shown up every Thursday morning with fresh produce and bagels to feed students they will never met. Siegel's successful Feed the Children School Lunch program hit a milestone last week: it's now provided 7,000 nutritious lunches to students in four York Region public schools. They don't write a cheque: instead they bring all the food, wash and assemble all the lunch bags on site, and deliver the meals to the school office before the bell rings. School staff say these meals are sorely needed. The program doesn't operate anonymously. For organizer Irv Siegel, the Star of David on every lunch bag is intentional. He wanted students, families and educators in York Region's diverse public schools to know that a Jewish community was reaching beyond its own walls to help its neighbours. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner takes you inside this noteworthy response to childhood hunger. And full disclosure: she volunteers there, too. Related links Learn more about Beit Rayim synagogue's Feed the Children School Lunch program and how to donate or volunteer. Read how memorial and yahrzeit plaques have now moved into the digital sphere with a portable kiosk at Beit Rayim, in The CJN from 2023 . Discover how rising cost of groceries was impacting Jewish families in the Greater Toronto Area at Passover, in The CJN. **** Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer), Michael Fraiman (Director of Digital Content), Alicia Richler (Editorial Director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)
Toronto police announced this week that nearly 30 recent shootings across the Greater Toronto Area are linked by a multi-layered gun-for-hire network. They say teens have been recruited through encrypted messaging apps to carry out attacks, from targets linked to local tow truck and waste management disputes, to synagogues, Jewish schools and even the US consulate. In almost all the cases, they filmed the acts for proof of payment. Now police say they want to know who's hiring them and how far this network spans.Abby O'Brien is a reporter at the Toronto Star who has been following Toronto organized crime networks and the recent news. She walked us through what we know so far.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
The Current celebrates Canadian soccer in all its diversity in a special show from CBC's Toronto HQ. Matt Galloway welcomes: - Team Canada legends Diana Matheson and Craig Forrest to break down Canada's chances - Toronto hip hop ambassador and FIFA fan fest coordinator Kardinal Offishall - Inspiring coaches who are turning the Greater Toronto Area into a soccer powerhouse and force for community connection - Fans from across the GTA who are turning the city into an international party - Plus music by two-time Polaris Prize winner Shad
My Guest today is AWFC member Corey Tazmaniahttps://coreytazmania.weebly.com/Corey is a New York based artist whose work intersects movement, performance, pedagogy, and artist Rx strategies. As an educator, Corey has taught intimacy, text, movement, and clown at various Universities throughout the Greater Toronto Area, and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.As an actor, she has worked off-broadway, regionally, Toronto, and her work for conceptual artists has been exhibited internationally.As an intimacy and movement artist, Corey has collaborated with creatives in academic and professional theatre in Alberta, Ontario, and New York. Her choreography received an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award nomination.Corey is passionate about creating performance work that focuses on emotional community building which fosters a creative culture of mutual support, including her ongoing project, The Clown Grievances which connects ritual catharsis with the art of complaint using clown play, laughter yoga and somatic tools for adults and families. We mainly discussed her passion for her clown grievances project and the themes of play and agency for both young people and elders. And our inherent uniqueness that was once a burden in our younger years but is now a blessing.
Institutional capital has stepped in at a time when retail investors have largely disappeared from the market. A newly announced $1.3 billion acquisition fund backed in part by the Ontario government's Building Ontario Fund plans to purchase large inventories of newly completed but vacant condominium units across the Greater Toronto Area. The strategy is straightforward. Buy unsold condo inventory from stressed developers and convert those units into long-term rental housing.This is not a small pilot project.This is a large-scale institutional intervention into one of North America's most overheated residential real estate markets.And in my view, it may eventually be remembered as the moment Toronto transitioned from a speculative condo market into an institutional rental housing market.-----------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1) iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613) Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com) LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce) YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso) Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com) **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital) Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)
EPISODE 365 - This podcast episode is dedicated to all the pod listeners especially to those who dropped by the Sport Card Expo where Clark set up a booth for the very first time. He was able to do some fun segments with some of the listeners who dropped by (some as far as from the U.S. and the Dominican Republic as well as those closer to home in the Greater Toronto Area.)And of course, big thanks to all the friends of the podcast (including co-hosts) who also shared their thoughts at the Expo.--------------------------CONNECT WITH US!Instagram: @cardstothemoon | @fivecardguys (Clark) | @yntegritysportscards (Hyung) | @tradeyouatrecess (John)Website: https://fivecardguys.com/podcastDaily Auctions (w/ affiliate links): https://fivecardguys.com/dailyauctionsIf you have any questions about the hobby that you would like addressed, email us at hello@fivecardguys.com or DM us on Instagram at @cardstothemoon or @fivecardguys.
Do new appointees in Niagara and Simcoe threaten local democracy? Have stronger mayors even helped to build more housing, as promised? Who will foot the bill for proposed changes to the Greater Toronto Area commuter trains? And what does the scheduled transformation of Queen's Park North say about how we imagine urban parks and public spaces in downtown Toronto? Hosts Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath parse out these questions in this week's #onpoli. In "Your Column, My Column," the hosts break down what a Toronto planning dispute says about the housing crisis in Ontario, and discuss how Hamilton will be the best mayor's race in the province. Link: JMM mentioned the Toronto city report about consultations of the green space. Find it here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.EX29.3See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As extended families gather this week for their Passover seders, discussions are bound to get tense. That tension is taken to a whole other level in a new feature-length film by Toronto filmmaker and lawyer Joel Etienne, called Sisters of Fate. In the film, an Orthodox family gathers together for Passover, when long-buried allegations of abuse at the hands of an old rabbi teacher surface, forcing everyone to break years of uncomfortable silence. Etienne and many of his actors are themselves Orthodox. They worried about staging this controversial topic on the big screen, because of how reluctant their community has been to discuss the problem and deal with the predators. Joel Etienne and first-time actor Ahava Spillman, who plays Rebbetzin Rosen, join today's episode of North Star, just ahead of Passover. If you are in need of help Jewish Family & Child Service in the Greater Toronto Area runs a 24-hour phone hotline 1-800 404-1393. During business hours contact 416-638-7800 Related links Learn more about the film “Sisters of Fate” and the cast, and how to book screenings. Read The CJN's coverage of the Rabbi Mund tria l in Montreal in 2025. The elderly teacher was acquitted of two sex crime charges, after being arrested on Passover 2022. Why do sexual abuse cases go unpunished in the Orthodox community, in The CJN from 2022. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director), Yael Sher (graphic designer) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)
You know the drill, you know the score. Turn us up as we give you the best dance music anthems from the past & future. If you're in the Greater Toronto Area check out our next live event DESTINATION DANCEFLOOR inside Revival on April 25, 2026. Tickets at http://destinationdancefloor.com
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1302: BYD sprints into Canada with big retail plans amid tight EV quotas, Sony and Honda hit pause on Afeela as EV reality sets in, and FedEx jumps into the same-day delivery fight as Amazon raises the bar yet again.They're here!!! Just months after Canada dramatically lowered tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, global EV giant BYD is targeting 20 branded dealerships in year one.BYD has hired Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions to help secure branded Canadian dealerships, with 3 potential sites identified in the Greater Toronto Area.After Toronto, BYD plans to expand into Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary, building a coast-to-coast footprint in Canada's biggest metro markets.The move only became possible after Canada cut tariffs on Chinese-built EVs from 100% to 6.1%, though imports are capped at 49,000 units in year one.That cap could make things tricky. With multiple Chery also working to build a dealer network and total supply limited, 20 rooftops may be a lot of retail for a tightly rationed pipeline.BYD is aiming to win the race. As consultant Farid Ahmad put it: “They've asked us to help them find as many of the 20 that they possibly can, but they're out there doing that themselves, as well.”Sony and Honda's Afeela EV project has hit a wall. The partners are scrapping their first two North American models and reassessing the joint venture—another sign that shifting EV demand is forcing even bold bets back to the drawing board.Sony Honda Mobility is canceling both the Afeela 1 sedan and its planned crossover follow-up, despite production of the sedan already beginning in Ohio.The cancellations tie back to a broader Honda pullback, driven by U.S. tariffs, slowing EV demand, weak traction in Asia, and up to $15.8 billion in expected charges.Honda didn't mince words, saying the partnership's business assumptions were “fundamentally altered,” forcing both companies to rethink what comes next.The delivery wars are heating up fast. FedEx is teaming up with last-mile tech company OneRail to launch same-day shipping—just days after Amazon doubled down on ultra-fast delivery, raising the stakes for retailers trying to keep up with rising consumer expectations.FedEx's new partnership with OneRail enables retailers to offer same-day delivery with options like two-hour windows and end-of-day service.OneRail brings massive scale to the table, covering 99% of the U.S. with a network of 1,000+ carriers and 12 million drivers.As OneRail CEO Bill Catania put it: “This is going to be priced extremely competitively… retailers [can] build a highly compelling value proposition to their customers.”Today's show is brought to you by HeyGreenlight. HeyGreenlight's Wingman gives your sales and BDC team live, real-time guidance so they consistently say the right things, at the right time, on every Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
Six suspects are facing a combined 30 charges after police say they busted a ‘violent’ criminal network targeting luxury vehicles across the Greater Toronto Area; MPPs returned to Queens Park for the first time since December, with the Ford government set to table it's budget on Thursday; and, a new survey finds the average household pays for nearly three streaming subscriptions each, but the costs are a growing concern.
Episode Summary: What if deconstruction isn't a crisis of faith, but a crisis of authority?This week, we sit down with apologist Tim Barnett from Stand to Reason, Red Pen Logic, and co-author of The Deconstruction of Christianity to unpack the ideas behind the faith deconstruction movement and learn how it's affected every one of us in more ways than we realize. We explore how postmodern thinking shifted authority from Scripture to the self, why that change reshapes conversations about truth, justice, and identity, and how social media is actively discipling millions. Make sure to listen to the whole conversation, as Tim also shares incredibly practical ways for Christians to respond with clarity, compassion, and confidence when friends or family begin questioning their faith.If you've watched someone you love drift or are wrestling with these questions yourself, this conversation offers helpful categories, practical tools, and real hope.Who is Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA)? Since 1997, DNA's mission has been to equip followers of Jesus around the globe with a biblical worldview, empowering them to build flourishing families, communities, and nations.
Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning open the week by reflecting on Canada's heartbreaking Olympic final loss to the United States of America. They debate what will be the lasting memory of the game and the impact of the 3-on-3 overtime format, before gauging how fans across the Greater Toronto Area are coping. Does the U.S. victory shift hockey's balance of power? They also examine Connor McDavid's record in high-stakes games, discussing criticism of his clutch reputation and the coaching staff's deployment decisions, while considering what the win means for Auston Matthews' legacy and whether it stands as the biggest victory of his career. The conversation closes by speculating how the game might have unfolded with Sidney Crosby in the lineup. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.
As hard as we tried, we just couldn't avoid talking about those foul-smelling fans in Oshawa. It was an own goal by the Gens, and it's going to take a while to wash off the smell. But if we move past that, Dan and Farwell "scents" some expansion possibilities right here in Ontario. Yes, even in the Greater Toronto Area, a market the league refuses to exit. Plus, baseball swings are making their way into our great game and after three strikes, we hope they're out. And your weekly Wraparound gives you a glimpse at every market in the league. The OHL Podcast is supported by Draft Kings Sportsbook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The GTA set records for snowfall!In light of the recent butt-whooping the Greater Toronto Area took in the recent, record setting, snowfall, Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland decided to use their Snowmageddon bullet on this week's episode of The Growing Season. In an annual fashion, the trio highlight the events of the storm and take the opportunity to dive into all things white and fluffy. 1999's version of a snowstorm kicks the show off. Matt correlates where he was then with where he is now. HINT: it's the same place. The amounts of snow, left by the ploughs, at the end of your driveway have been NUTS. Matt rants. Heavy metal accompanies said rant. Jack details ways that you can avoid the windrow at the end of your driveway. What is a "RAGING DULLARD?" Various sizes and shapes of snow shovels come into focus. What's the WORST winter-weather drive you've ever experienced? Matt details his. Where do you put all the snow that Mother Nature has donated to the City of Toronto? The Great Lakes aren't frozen. Does that have an effect on snowfalls? Snowblower questions abound. CC vs. Horsepower is explained. A Chevelle's engine block packed with snow turns into a trip down memory lane...Heated driveways - do they work? Insulation in your home and frigidly cold temperatures overlap with an Avro Arrow story. Snow is a fertilizer...we kid you not. Can there be 2 similar snowflakes or is it a myth?Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property? We'd love to help. CLICK HERE.What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast. CLICK HERE.
The skilled trades are undergoing a shift as experienced workers retire faster than new talent enters the field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for HVAC technicians is projected to grow 8% by 2034. That's much faster than average — and shows the urgency of attracting and keeping new talent. While technology continues to improve HVAC efficiency, the industry's real strength still lies with its people. To truly build a sustainable future, industry leaders emphasize a people-first approach that values mentorship, technical mastery, and human connection.So, how do leaders in the trades build strong teams in an era of change? And what does it take to mentor the next generation of technicians?This episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, hosted by Greg Crumpton, dives into that very question with Seamus Wharry, President of Art Blake Refrigeration in the Greater Toronto Area. Seamus shares his journey from apprentice to business owner, reflecting on how mentorship and compassion laid the foundation for his company's success. He also explores how technology can support — rather than replace — human connection in the trades.Key Takeaways from the Conversation…Leadership from the Ground Up: Seamus began his career as an apprentice at Art Blake Refrigeration before taking ownership. His story shows how hands-on experience and humility form the backbone of great leadership.The People Factor: Seamus underscores the importance of technical excellence and continuous learning, but both he and Greg agree that HVAC is ultimately a people business built on empathy, communication, and mentorship.Preparing for the Future: They also explore how small, values-driven companies can use innovations like remote monitoring and smarter service models to improve efficiency while maintaining a people-first focus.Seamus Wharry is the President of ABR, a commercial and industrial HVAC company serving the Greater Toronto Area. With more than 26 years in the industry, he began as an apprentice and became a licensed refrigeration mechanic before taking over the business. Seamus is deeply committed to mentorship, leadership development, and creating a people-first company culture grounded in integrity and care.
Are we diagnosing allergies all wrong? Join pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman as we debunk common myths in allergy management. We dive deep into why patient history matters more than testing, the danger of using Benadryl, and the life-changing impact of early food introduction. Dr. Abdurrahman also discusses the "diversity gap" in Canadian healthcare, explaining why cultural sensitivity and representation are vital for better patient outcomes. Whether you're a parent, a medical professional, or someone living with allergies, this episode offers a masterclass in modern immunology and health equity. In this episode, we cover: Early Food Introduction: How to reduce allergy risks in infants. Allergy vs. Intolerance: Clearing up the most common misconceptions. The Specialist Shortage: Why Canada needs more pediatric allergists. Cultural Sensitivity: Why representation in medicine saves lives. Learn how to advocate for better care and understand the critical role of social media in spreading accurate allergy awareness. More about Dr. Abdurrahman: Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, president of the Ontario Medical Association, is an allergist and clinical immunologist, advocating for health equity, medical innovation and inclusive leadership. She brings a strong background in biostatistics and a deep commitment to systemic change. Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman (she/her) is the president of the Ontario Medical Association and a practising allergist and clinical immunologist in the Greater Toronto Area. She serves as an assistant clinical professor of the School of Medicine at the Toronto Metropolitan University and an adjunct assistant clinical professor in pediatrics at McMaster University. Dr. Abdurrahman earned her doctorate of medicine from the University of Toronto. She completed her pediatrics residency and subspecialty training in allergy and clinical immunology at McMaster University. She also holds a master's degree in statistics, with a specialization in biostatistics. She is deeply committed to advancing health and has been a key contributor to the Black Scientists Taskforce on COVID-19 Vaccination Equity and the Black Health & Vaccine Initiative, in partnership with the Black Physicians' Association of Ontario. Beyond equity work, Dr. Abdurrahman is passionate about the intersection of technology and medicine. She is dedicated to leveraging innovation to enhance patient care and is a strong advocate for advancing the medical profession through inclusive leadership and systemic change. https://www.oma.org/expert-advice/request-a-physician-speaker/speakers-search/dr-zainab-abdurrahman/ https://www.qandaallergy.ca/post/dr-a-explains-the-concerns-about-older-sedating-antihistamines Keywords pediatric allergy, immunology, health equity, representation in medicine, food allergies, EpiPen, allergy diagnosis, cultural considerations, adult allergies, social media awareness * Listen on Apple Podcasts – : The Gritty Nurse Podcast on Apple Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-gritty-nurse/id1493290782 * Watch on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@thegrittynursepodcast Stay Connected: Website: grittynurse.com Instagram: @grittynursepod TikTok: @thegrittynursepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064212216482 X (Twitter): @GrittyNurse Collaborations & Inquiries: For sponsorship opportunities or to book Amie for speaking engagements, visit: grittynurse.com/contact Thank you to Hospital News for being a collaborative partner with the Gritty Nurse! www.hospitalnews.com
A bill granting citizenship to the foreign-born children of immigrants who became citizens is now law.Amid a public feud between members of OneBC, the province's newest right-of-centre party, one of the party's candidates has announced he will no longer run in the party, calling the dispute a “soap opera.” The Canada Border Security Agency reported that it seized 30 stolen vehicles from the Greater Toronto Area, bound for export, last month. Tune in to the Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Clayton DeMaine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we unpack the education experiences of students from the former Soviet Union who have migrated to Canada. My guests are Sarfaroz Niyozov, Stephen Bahry and Max Antony-Newman. For the past few years, they have been working on a research project that has explored the experiences of the high school children with post-Soviet backgrounds in the Greater Toronto Area. The research project strives to improve the education experiences of this under-researched, often misunderstood group of Canadian youth, their parents, and communities who come from the countries of the former Soviet Union. Sarfaroz Niyozov is an Associate Professor in Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, where Stephen Bahry is a sessional lecturer. Max Antony-Newman is a lecturer in education at the university of Glasgow. Various articles from their research project will soon published. You can follow the link to their project website to find them. -- freshedpodcast.com/niyozov-bahry-antony-newman/ -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com
For Afghans, listening to a traditional song can bring them back "home." In 2021, when the Taliban seized power again in Afghanistan, orchestras disbanded and musicians fled for their lives. They brought with them their distinctive and storied music, embedded with notes hailing from classical music from Iran and India. IDEAS takes a journey to Afghanistan with members of the Afghan diaspora, and asks how the idea of home is encapsulated in music and how conflict has played a role in reshaping Afghan music.*This is the final episode in a five-part series called The Idea of Home exploring the multiple and contested meanings of home. This episode originally aired on June 16, 2022.Guests in this episode:Mir Mahdavi is a poet, a writer, and a researcher in the area of art, literature and poetry, originally from Afghanistan. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario and holds a Ph.D. in cultural studies from Trent University and a MA of cultural studies from McMaster University. He was the publisher and the editor in chief of Atab, a weekly newspaper published during 2002-2003 in Kabul.Hangama is one of the most renowned female Afghan singers of her generation. Born in 1962 in Kabul, Hangama's stage name was chosen by her mother when she decided to pursue a career in music. She left Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation and now lives in the Greater Toronto Area.Sara Soroor is an Afghan-Canadian singer-songwriter and childhood educator in the Greater Toronto Area. She is Hangama's daughter and started singing and playing the piano at age four.Wares Fazelyar was born and raised in Toronto, and plays the rubab. He is an advisory board member for the Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative. He and his brother Haris perform Afghan folk music in the Greater Toronto Area.Wolayat Tabasum Niroo is a researcher and Fulbright scholar currently based in the United States. She has a PhD in Education from Old Dominion University and a MPhil in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford. She grew up in Afghanistan and has studied how Afghan women's folk music creates an alternative space for political expression, grief and imagining other possibilities.
SEO Marketing Toronto has published its latest report covering the importance of a GMB GBP 'Google My Business' optimization, aimed primarily at small business owners and managers in the Greater Toronto Area. The report is available for viewing at https://seomarketingtoronto.com/google-my-business-optimization-toronto-gmb-gbp-management/. Seo Marketing Toronto City: Toronto Address: Martin Ross Ave. Website: https://seomarketingtoronto.com Email: seomarketingtoronto1@gmail.com
dattrax: Welcome my Fellow Brothers and Sisters to where house music resides. How are you? Are you living the life that you envisioned?"Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There's not some trick involved with it. It's pure and it's real. It moves, it heals, it communicates and does all these incredible things."Tom PettyI hope that you are working to fulfill your goals and dreams. That you beat or ignore any voice, especially the one between your ears that seeks to be an obstacle or seeks to put you down._____________________Just wanted to say that to you before my house related rant or thoughts. House has endlessly fascinated me since I was 14. I met some friends from a high school downtown Toronto called Jarvis Collegiate through a mutual friend while I was going to one in North York called George S. Henry, which is just north of the "GTA" or the "Greater Toronto Area". They loved to listen, mix and dance to house music vinyl records. After a few records, I was hooked. This structure of four four beats with endless creative possibilities within. It was infectious. I got goosebumps. I felt something in my gut. I automatically smiled. _____________________Noel Nanton is a wonderful person who added to my musical education and fed my new love. He became a good friend and in a grade higher, grade 11..was a house fanatic, great DJ and a new producer. We used to go to his place after school and he'd played me his favourite records. He'd tell me stories that he heard about the records, the famous Chicago and NYC house DJs. The ones playing at illegal warehouse parties in downtown Toronto. _____________________A few years later, 'junk hunting' became a term we used to describe the records we were looking for. "Yeah man, hunting for any track that moves us. That instantly gives us goosebumps within seconds of the needle dropping on the record."Thank you for listening to this mix. I appreciate you.Sorry, this mix doesn't have a playlist. Cheersdattrax---------------You're on our main site with almost 200 mixes. Free mobile app or go to the Podomatic website:https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/dattrax---------------How do we describe the dattrax sound? Always Fun, Tech-Fused, Funky-Foot Stompin', Carved Deep and Woven & Laced with Sweet Smooth Hands in the Air Vocals... Strictly House Music- always dattrax.---------------DJ Bookings for Canada, the US, or Global: dattrax@gmail.comDonation ETransfers (CAD): dattrax@gmail.comConnect on IG: https://www.instagram.com/house_music_by_dattrax/Connect on FaceCrack: https://www.facebook.com/dat.so.940---------------As always - massive thanks to the fantastic vocalists, producers, DJs, and dancers (even in your homes, driving, in the gym or while walking about or walking your doggie) for their incredible advancement of this beautiful musical genre!! It makes us all feel young, vibrant, and extremely happy!!---------------"Toronto House DJ Mixes"Come and listen to the mixes of over 500 of the BEST House Music DJs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada:https://www.facebook.com/groups/TorontoHOUSEDJMixes
In Part 2 of The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast with John Karpov, founder and CEO of Action Home Services, Dwayne and John go even deeper into the mindset and systems behind Action Home Services(AHS), a leading landscaping and exterior construction company serving Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. From almost losing his residency to scaling an $8M business while facing deportation, John shares how he built structure, leadership, and culture around his immigrant grit. He opens up about redefining fulfillment, transitioning from survival mode to leadership, and how relentless personal growth became the cornerstone of his company's 50% year-over-year growth.John reveals his leadership playbook — from reading 2 books a month to building over 1,000 SOPs and investing $1.5M in professional development for his team — and how staying humble, hungry, and human is what keeps him grounded through every phase of growth.If Part 1 was about survival, this episode is about scaling — with purpose, structure, and soul.Listen to Part 1 HEREWatch Part 1 HERETimestamps[00:00:00] — Dwayne opens with: “You can only run a business so long by running the fastest.”[00:01:00] — John's incredible story of his wife's visa approval and their shared “never give up” destiny.[00:05:00] — The immigration battle: how they nearly lost everything waiting for permanent residency.[00:07:30] — The miracle timing that let them stay in Canada and the lessons learned living on the edge.[00:10:00] — Reinvesting every dollar into the business while facing uncertainty.[00:13:00] — Scaling to $10M+ before age 25 — and not feeling like it's an accomplishment.[00:17:00] — Dwayne and John explore scarcity versus hunger — and how the immigrant mindset fuels drive.[00:19:00] — John on never feeling “done” and why fulfillment comes from helping others succeed.[00:22:30] — The breakthrough realization: happiness is in the journey, not the destination.[00:26:00] — Daily fulfillment rituals: reading, training, and prioritizing sleep.[00:29:00] — Building structure and delegation into the company's DNA — leadership by design.[00:31:00] — Creating organizational charts, head of departments, and scaling through people.[00:35:30] — Learning to lead through education: 100+ conferences and a book club culture.[00:38:00] — Investing $1.5M in personal and professional development and $40K in books.[00:41:00] — Company reading list and rewards program: from “Unreasonable Hospitality” to “Good to Great.”[00:45:00] — John's transparent leadership: open-book finances, KPI education, and growth accountability.[00:49:00] — Over 1,000 SOPs: how structure scales culture.[00:53:00] — Turning every mistake into a process and every error into a lesson.[00:56:00] — The ROI of structure: new managers finally saying, “I love that it's organized.”[00:58:00] — Why immigrants often make exceptional employees — grit meets gratitude.[01:00:30] — Dwayne's reflection on the power of sacrifice and the immigrant spirit.[01:02:00] — John's final advice: “If you need my help with your business, I'll be there for you.”Key...
Join Josh in this week's vlog as he shares updates on his busy life balancing a family law practice and co-founding a tech company in the Greater Toronto Area. Josh discusses the ebb and flow of litigation work, details his tech firm's advancements in automated immigration forms, and highlights his thoughts on the importance of niche solutions in tech development. Additionally, he reviews the books 'Crushing It' by Gary Vaynerchuk and 'Mastery' by Robert Green, sharing insights and recommendations for readers interested in personal growth and mastery. Never miss an update by joining the substack here: https://joshschachnow.substack.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Weekly Update 01:04 Law Firm Insights and Court Preparations 04:30 Tech Company Developments and Niche Strategies 07:58 Community Building and AI in Legal Practice 08:38 Book Reviews and Recommendations 12:44 Conclusion and Thanksgiving Wishes
At just 17 years old, John Karpov immigrated alone from Kazakhstan to Canada, barely speaking English and with no safety net. When a scam wiped out his savings and left him contemplating suicide, one phone call saved his life, and set off a chain of events that would redefine what grit and perseverance look like.In this powerful conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with John to unpack how he went from a desperate student to the founder of Action Home Services, a multimillion-dollar landscape construction company. John shares how he learned English, mastered sales by necessity, and built a thriving business one door knock at a time.This is a masterclass in resilience, risk, and the immigrant mindset that fuels unstoppable entrepreneurs. Timestamps00:00 - John reflects on fear, scarcity, and the pain that still drives him 11 years later.01:00 - Dwayne introduces John Karpov, founder of Action Home Services.03:00 - John's early life in Kazakhstan and decision to immigrate to Canada at 17.05:00 - Struggling to understand North American English and adapting to culture shock.06:00 - Losing his financial support — and falling victim to a fraud that wiped out his savings.08:00 - A near-suicidal moment and the phone call that changed everything.10:00 - Finding a commission-only job selling driveway sealing — and having no clue what it was.15:00 - Knocking doors for 8 hours with no sales — until a breakthrough changes everything.17:30 - A confrontation, courage, and earning $400 in a day — more than a month's pay back home.19:00 - What kept him from giving up — the mindset shift from failure to relentless drive.23:00 - Outworking everyone and learning the power of necessity.25:00 - Starting his first business with no money, no truck, no driver's license — and no experience.31:00 - Working 60 hours a week while in college — the early years of survival.34:00 - Transition from driveway sealing to landscaping and scaling beyond himself.38:00 - Dwayne and John break down the principles of sales: activity, energy, and hunger.41:30 - The scarcity mindset that still lingers — and how fear drives discipline.47:00 - Risk, safety, and how to protect a growing business through systems and liquidity.53:00 - Building systems, crews, and leadership while finishing college.1:03:00 - Growing past chaos: when your living-room floor becomes your job-scheduling system.1:07:00 - Bringing his wife into the business — and the promise to be home by 5 p.m.1:13:00 - Her immigration story — and how persistence beat three rejections.1:14:00 - Dwayne's closing reflections: from scarcity to abundance — and what's coming in Part 2.Key TakeawaysNecessity builds resilience. When failure isn't an option, resourcefulness becomes instinct.Work ethic beats experience. John outworked everyone — before he even knew what he was selling.Systems are survival. Growth without process leads to chaos (and lost contracts under the carpet).Scarcity can ignite hunger — but abundance sustains growth. Learning when to move from survival mode to strategy is essential.Leadership evolves. From door-to-door hustler to CEO, John learned that empowering others fuels exponential scale.John is President of Action Home Services (AHS), a leading landscaping and exterior construction company serving Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Since founding AHS in 2015, John has grown the business from a small driveway sealing service into one of the GTA's premier full-service landscaping and outdoor design firms. Under his leadership, the...
Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.Welcome back to another episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show!This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Aamir Hussain, whose debut novel Under the Full and Crescent Moon is officially out in the world. This is no ordinary debut. It's a speculative historical novel that asks a bold and fascinating question: Could there be a Muslim matriarchy—and what would that world look like?The story follows Khadija, a young woman growing up in the imagined city of Madid al-Agham, where faith, politics, and the law intertwine. Over the course of 11 transformative months, Khadija becomes a mufti—a scholar and writer of fatwas. She's pulled into debates, courtroom-style conflicts, and life-changing choices, all while negotiating family ties, mentorship, and an intellectual rival who challenges her beliefs and authority.Aamir shares with us how this novel took root. Raised in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and later the Greater Toronto Area, he experienced different expressions of Islam firsthand. After 9/11, he saw the faith misrepresented online—flattened into stereotypes. That disconnect led him to years of research into Islamic history and law, and eventually into the story that became Under the Full and Crescent Moon.We talk about: ✨ The long road to this debut—from early prologue drafts in 2015 to a finished manuscript in 2022. ✨ Writing on Toronto's TTC and GO Train during his daily commute. ✨ Balancing heavy research with a compelling narrative (and how his editor, Julia Kim, helped cut 40,000 words!). ✨ The challenge of writing a female protagonist with honesty and respect—and how early readers gave him confidence in Khadija's voice. ✨ What it means to show, not tell, when weaving faith, politics, and history into fiction.What struck me most in this conversation is Aamir's hope for readers. For Muslim readers, he hopes Khadija's world reflects the richness and diversity within their own communities. For non-Muslim readers, he hopes the book challenges stereotypes and sparks curiosity about the depth of Islamic history and interpretation. More than anything, he wants readers to see that communities, like individuals, are varied, nuanced, and deeply human.On publication day, Aamir admits to feeling a little overwhelmed—but grateful. He didn't originally set out to be a writer, but the story insisted on being written. Now, he's embracing the identity of “novelist” and looking ahead with humility. Will there be another book? Inshallah—God willing.If you love novels that mix immersive worldbuilding with thought-provoking questions, you're going to love this conversation—and you're going to love Khadija.Grab your copy of Under the Full and Crescent Moon and join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how it came to be.
Heather McDonald recently stepped into her role as president and CEO of the United Way Greater Toronto, an organization focused on growth impact and operational transformation. In this conversation with Douglas Nelson, she shares how she balances their work as a solutions finder and her task of implementing new systems to integrate her values-based leadership. Heather also discusses her major takeaways as a second-time CEO, the importance of showing up consistently, and how she leads United Way in becoming a greater force for good in the Greater Toronto Area.
Join us for this conversation with Dr. Meenal Agarwal to explore how to protect and optimize your eye health in today's modern world. Dr. Agarwal breaks down the biggest contributors to declining vision, the hidden dangers of our technology use, and her practical 20-20-20 rule to help counter digital eye strain. We dive into the role nutrition plays in keeping your eyes strong, the truth about prescription glasses, and what you should know before considering procedures like LASIK or cataract surgery. She also shares insights on why poor night vision is becoming more common and what you can do about it. Tune in to learn how small daily habits can make a big difference for your long-term eye health.Dr. Meenal Agarwal is an award-winning, board-certified optometrist, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast Uncover Your Eyes: The Truth About Health & Wellness. She is passionate advocate for functional optometry, which takes a holistic approach to vision and eye health, focusing on the root causes of visual problems, and championing the connection between eye health, cognitive function, neurodegenerative disease prevention, and overall well-being. Dr. Agarwal graduated with distinction from the University of Waterloo, earning both an Honors Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Optometry degree. At just 24, she opened her first clinic and today owns three successful practices across the Greater Toronto Area. Her clinical expertise includes laser vision correction/Lasik, Rigid Gas Permeable and scleral contact lens fittings, dry eye management, and myopia control in children. She previously served as a clinical director at TLC Laser Eye Centers and is a proud member of the Ontario Association of Optometrists. Her insights have been featured in TIME, Forbes, and Fox News. As both a devoted mother and innovative entrepreneur, Dr. Agarwal Dr. Agarwal blends science, mindfulness, and compassion to raise the bar in modern optometry.SHOW NOTES:0:39 Welcome to the podcast!3:04 Dr. Meenal Agarwal's Bio3:49 Welcome her to the show!4:58 What are the biggest contributors to declining eye health?6:56 Vision for kids & teens8:59 The biggest problem with devices11:53 Blue-light computer glasses14:15 20-20-20 Rule16:32 Red light & sunglasses22:18 Cataracts24:26 Nutrition for eye health26:59 Why managing glucose is so important28:46 *TROSCRIPTIONS*29:50 Socializing for eye health30:33 Dry eyes & hormone changes38:32 How often to see the eye doctor42:45 Do Rx glasses make you reliant?45:02 Farsightedness47:01 Astigmatism50:44 Lasik procedure54:30 Poor night vision58:44 Correlations with cognitive decline1:02:45 Neurotoxins & Vision1:04:44 What to ask for at the doctor1:05:41 Her final piece of advice1:06:37 Where to find Dr. Meenal!1:06:51 Thanks for tuning in!RESOURCES:Website: www.drmeenal.comIG: @dr.meenagarwalPodcast: Uncover Your EyesTroscriptions - code: BIOHACKERBABES to save 10%Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/biohacker-babes-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Discovering the Best Version of Yourself After Divorce with Bee QuammieReady to meet the woman you become after divorce? This episode will change how you see yourself and your future.Bee Quammie, multimedia storyteller and author of The Book of Possibilities, joins host Sade Curry to share raw truths about rebuilding after divorce. Bee is a Jamaican-Canadian multimedia storyteller: a writer, podcast host, TV personality, and public speaker. She's written for publications like The Globe and Mail, Men's Health, Chatelaine, Refinery29, Essence, and more. Bee is a guest host and commentator on several Canadian television and radio shows, like CTV's The Social and CBC's The Next Chapter. She's also a highly sought-after public speaker with the National Speakers Bureau, offering keynotes across North America. She writes and speaks on topics like race and culture, parenting, mental health, and pop culture — and her debut book, an essay collection called The Book of Possibilities, was published by Penguin Canada in 2025. Bee lives in the Greater Toronto Area with her two daughters.Bee breaks down the difference between being married, going through divorce, and thriving as a single woman - and why she loves the version of herself she is now most of all.What You'll Discover:Why "know the version of you that you like best" changes everything about datingHow to tell the difference between loneliness and being alone (they're not the same thing)The surprising way to reconnect with pleasure through your five sensesWhy nice guys aren't always the answer - and what to look for insteadHow to set boundaries that men actually respectThe secret to celebrating small wins on your path to thrivingBee shares her honest journey from losing herself in marriage to discovering self-love that creates armor against outside noise. She talks about solo trips to Curacao, learning to laugh at her own jokes, and why she approaches dating as fun rather than a job interview.This conversation tackles the shame around divorce, the pressure women face to follow scripts that don't serve them, and why breaking those narratives leads to better relationships with yourself and others.If you're ready to stop waiting for someone else to validate who you are and start loving the woman you're becoming, this episode is your wake-up call.Connect with Bee Quammie:Website: beequammie.comSocial Media: @beequammie (all platforms)Book: The Book of Possibilities (Penguin Canada, 2025)Ready to create your own dating strategy that honors who you're becoming? Schedule your free dating consultation call with Sade and start building the love life you deserve - one that fits the incredible woman you are today.
Have you ever wondered if there's a smarter, more profitable way to rent your property—hidden in plain sight? In this episode, I sit down with Aisha Govani—a dynamic entrepreneur who turned financial rock bottom into a midterm rental success story. From living in her in-laws' basement with two young kids and zero income during COVID, Aisha and her husband rewrote their future through grit, resilience, and an entirely new approach to real estate. We dive into the world of midterm rentals, where Aisha reveals how this overlooked strategy can be your golden ticket—especially if you're battling short-term rental restrictions. She breaks down how she built a thriving platform connecting independent hosts with corporate clients, turning properties into profit through business-to-business bookings. You'll get actionable tips on everything from cold calling corporate contacts, networking with relocation agencies, to landing contracts with insurance companies. Aisha peels back the curtain on how to structure deals, vet hosts, and maximize bookings—all while building a sustainable, values-driven business. This isn't just a roadmap for better bookings—it's a blueprint for reinvention. Aisha's story will challenge you to rethink your strategy and show you what's possible when you bet on yourself. Get ready to turn resilience into revenue and learn why midterm rentals are the smart investor's next big move! HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS: [01:01] A short introduction about our guest Aisha Govani and her journey from nonprofit work to real estate entrepreneurship [06:07] Aisha recalls the tough COVID days living in her in-laws' basement, where grit triumphed over fear [09:56] The importance of commitment over hesitation, framing failure as an essential step toward mastery and fulfillment [13:30] How Aisha's own entrepreneurial evolution reshaped her view on education to empower her children with personalized, real-world education inspired by her entrepreneurial growth [17:18] Aisha talks about the intensive work behind securing B2B midterm rental bookings and how her platform simplifies access for independent hosts [22:45] Aisha explains why cold calling often triggers discomfort and shares the key to overcoming [25:38] Aisha breaks down how to identify decision-makers for B2B bookings and highlights the mindset and approach needed to succeed in cold calling [30:49] How Aisha's midterm rental platform connects hosts to both B2C and B2B bookings with a focus on ease and quality of guests [32:24] Aisha + details the streamlined vetting process for hosts on her platform and highlights high-demand areas, especially in the Greater Toronto Area [35:57] The lightning round Golden Nuggets: “Decide and ignore the noise.” “I always choose grit over fear.” “There are days I wake up and I'm like, should I be doing this? Is this the right choice? What have I decided to do? Can I even do this? Am I capable of doing what I think I can do? And when those questions come into your brain, you're really the only one that can quiet it. So I always try to choose, one foot, one foot, one foot. Don't worry about the rest of the race.” “We have to commit to what we want first before we do anything else.” “What I would say to anyone who's trying to cold call anything is, when you call that person, you speak to them like you're providing a solution for their problem.” “It's going to be harder than you think, but networking is going to be a large part of the answer.” “If you work on your mind and your body, all else will align. This episode is brought to you by Lodgify!
Tokyo Speirs is a multi-Platinum-certified Canadian record producer, audio engineer and songwriter from the Greater Toronto Area.He has worked with many charting artists via Walk Off The Earth, such as Lindsey Stirling, Lukas Graham, Phillip Phillips, Gabriela Bee, USS, and Luminati Suns. With certified gold singles such as “Fire in my Soul,” Platinum on their 2019 full-length album "Here We Go," which peaked as the #1 selling pop album in America (Nielsen's Pop Album Chart), #3 on Canada's Top Albums Chart, and debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard's Album Sales Chart, and Platinum on their latest Album “Stand By Me” which included the Platinum-certified smash hit “My Stupid Heart,” with the help of viral TikToks and creative live performances. He has co-written and co-produced the Pokémon Journeys theme song, Disney's Go Away Unicorn and Blade Runner Black Lotus. Using unconventional samples, creative lyrics and unique recording techniques, Tokyo pushes the boundaries while reigning in the weirder side of pop. Having also gained respect in songwriting and mastering, at the end of the day, he's just a friendly engineer (friendgineer?) who strives to draw intimate, captivating performances, whether that means invisibly recording or pushing talent as far as possible to get the take.He is currently working and performing with Walk Off the Earth, producing Luminati Suns, as well as dipping his toes into video production and live production.IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:Finding your niche in productionBeing strong-willed to push your skillsLetting experimentation inspire creativityWorking and writing with Walk Off The EarthTreating music as a jobThe inner workings of a successful bandSetting up roles for different members of a bandRecording unique instrumentsPrioritizing during the recording and mixing stagesKnowing when to spend time on something vs. moving onScheduling your life around musicHow he organizes his files, sessions, and ideasHow to make choruses that are hugeTo learn more about Tokyo Speirs, visit: https://www.instagram.com/friendgineer/Check out Walk Off The Earth on tour: https://tour.walkofftheearth.com/And check out their latest single: https://orcd.co/breakingmyheartLooking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join:https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/ Want additional help with your music productions?For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit: https://masteryourmix.com/ Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/ Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books:The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/ Check out our...
Today, we're looking at a warning from TD Bank's chief economist, who says Canada is heading for a recession and forecasted 100,000 jobs could be lost in the country. Plus, President Trump announced the U.S. would be developing a "golden dome" missile defence technology — and apparently Canada is interested in joining in what could be a modernizing of North America's air-defence systems. And finally, a crime wave is whipping through the Greater Toronto Area, but the city's top officials seem to be more concerned with other issues instead of residents' safety.
In this episode of Bottom Up Shorts, Norm is joined by Saeed Vahid, a Local Conversation leader from Richmond Hill, Ontario. They talk about how he started the Local Conversation, how the group is collaborating with city officials, and how the expansion of the Greater Toronto Area has affected Richmond Hill. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Strong Richmond Hill (site). Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!
Jon Thompson is the Senior Pastor of Sanctus Church, a multi-site church in the Greater Toronto Area and online where he has served for 25 years. He joins us to give us his unique perspective on deliverance, freedom, and what the Church is supposed to be doing. Learn more about Jon: https://jonthompsonresources.com/Widow's Might on Amazon: https://a.co/d/iaXVJV1Support There is More: https://neveralonewidows.kindful.com/?campaign=1284937Get 10% discount on Father's House Study with code: FH10Get the Father's House Study: https://www.fathershousestudy.com/Get the Spiritual Warfare Course: https://www.thereismoreforyou.org/Follow There is More Podcast on Instagram: @thereismorepodcast