COMMENT 💬 Greetings, Some stories take a little longer to get right due to their sensitivity. This is one of them. In this issue, we explore childhood sexual abuse survivorship through the lens of Toronto-based filmmaker Sana Jafri, whose debut short film Permanent Guest premiered at TIFF in 2025. We speak with Jafri, Maria Barcelos of The Gatehouse, and Hirra Farooqi of the Muslim International…
COMMENT 💬 In this issue, we explore the “Second Shift,” coined by Dr. Arlie Hochschild in her 1989 book , through the lives of immigrant and racialized women in Toronto . We speak with York University researcher Dr. Farah Ahmad , wellness founder and academic Dr. Chenielle Delahaye , and Scarborough‑based actor and new mom Myuri Jeyabalachandran , who share what it really looks like to carry paid…
COMMENT 💬 Hey there, In this issue, we explore the relationship Black men have with water through film director and writer, Tyler McKenzie Evans' newest short film, Sea Star. The film was inspired by a conversation with his dad. His dad put his sons into swimming lessons but never learned how to swim himself. Black adolescents are seven times more likely to drown in public pools than their white…
COMMENT 💬 Hey there, Canada is heating up the slopes at Milano Cortina 2026 . Today at the Winter Olympics, Team Canada claimed silver in mixed relay short-track speed skating, bringing its medal count to 3 total (0 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze). Norway leads the overall standings with 11 medals, followed by Germany with 6 as Canada prepares for a women's hockey showdown against the United States…
COMMENT 💬 Hey there, Amid the deep freeze, Heated Rivalry Canadian star Hudson Williams and Prime Minister Mark Carney met on the red carpet. Carney said Canada is "a creative, curious, compassionate, diverse, and ambitious nation" and that "a fundamental Canadian value is that people should be able to be whoever they want to be, to love whoever they want to love." Heated Rivalry, a Canadian…
COMMENT 💬 Hey there, When the world feels off balance, as it does now, it helps to prioritize your mental health and check in with your community. We previously covered M. Gessen here , where they suggest changing from asking “How are you?” to something more human and specific like “How are you, personally?” It helps because collective trauma is different. As sociologist Neil Gross wrote in 2016…
COMMENT 💬 You're probably reflecting on the past year and the one ahead. About half of Canadians will make resolutions , mainly related to health and finances. A similar number will feel guilty because they won't spend enough time with close friends and family, even though they want to. And yet another group, especially young people, will be stressed and anxious, comparing themselves to others…
COMMENT 💬 Greetings, Winter has arrived in Toronto. According to Harvard Health , getting your flu shot can save lives by reducing serious complications like pneumonia, heart attack, and stroke—especially for older adults. Growing up in Toronto, and sandwiched between European and South Asian cultures, I often heard the question, “What will people say?” Around our kitchen table, my parents—like…
COMMENT 💬 Greetings, Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Canadians wear orange to honor children who never returned from residential schools, survivors, their families, and communities, and to acknowledge ongoing impacts. “Every Child Matters.” Learn more on the Government of Canada website here . Some local events marking the National Day for Truth and…
COMMENT 💬 Greetings, As we approach the end of an unusually hot summer, I've taken some time away from our newsletter to engage with creators and organizations throughout the Toronto region. My goal was to listen, learn, and understand the community’s information needs, fears, and goals, as well as to identify the resources required. Spinning Forward is a trusted local media company dedicated to…
