REFLECTION & REASON

Are we as a Black Toronto/Canadian population giving The Weeknd proper accolades, respect, and credit for how fucking amazing he is? Do we realize that [yet another] one of our homegrown musicians is one of the greatest entertainers in the world right now? Not Drake. Not Bieber. We have The Weeknd: this legend, as well. I am still on my high from Saturday night's concert at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where I travelled from Toronto to join approximately 60,000 other music lovers for what would be a spectacular musical experience. The After Hours Til Dawn Tour was supposed to kick off in Toronto on July 8, but thanks to the Rogers outage, had to be postponed until September 22 (the last date of the 19-date North American tour).  He tried to pay homage to his beloved Toronto early, but circumstances wouldn't allow that moment to happen.  But it happened for me in Florida, this past weekend. I couldn't have possibly been any further from the stages, but I ...

I was born in Scarborough, and returned to live in the eastern part of Toronto about ten years ago. I chose to live here because I love it here and therefore I definitely wouldn't miss the opportunity to read a novel exclusively dedicated to the community I walk and drive through every day. Written by Catherine Hernandez--also a Scarborough resident--a theatre practitioner and writer of Filipino, Spanish, Chinese, and Indian heritage. She has carefully captured the voices of a community of characters who also represent a range of nationalities, in addition to various ages, experiences, and stages in development. Our little town doesn't always get a good rap. In fact, residents of any other part of the Greater Toronto Area from Brampton straight through to Oshawa most likely have a different perception of this part of the city than the actual residents do. I won't even repeat any of the stereotypes circulating for years about Scarborough (because it's safe to say t...

@MarkStoddart68 Familiarity feels good, particularly when it is coupled with success and social movement. When the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championships this past summer, thousands of Torontonians eagerly left their homes to parade and revel downtown and show their pride and appreciation for the hometown basketball team. When tennis professional Bianca Andreescu recently defeated superstar Serena Williams at the U.S. Open, Canadians from coast to coast expressed their joy, despite rallying behind Serena’s career for decades. From sports to music, film, politics, or science, whenever one of our own excels on a public stage, we all hold our heads a little higher. It’s only natural. There is something pure and relatable about working hard and then eventually seeing the results. We are inspired when we see efforts rewarded, because it reminds us of our own abilities and that every goal and dream once started as a mere thought, idea, or humble hope. We enjoy watching the f...