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Congress panel explores pathways to equitable and sustainable world

tablet united nations sustainability goals unsdgs

From the climate crisis to the next pandemic, how can individuals work together to solve complex global problems while ensuring the promotion of an equitable and sustainable world? Zeynep Güler Tuck, a producer, journalist, social entrepreneur and York alum will unpack these issues during Congress 2023.

The President’s Office at York University sat down with Güler Tuck to delve into what to expect at this engaging and thought-provoking session on June 1.

President’s Office: At Congress, you will moderate a panel discussion that aims to understand and address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) through the lens of decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI). Why is this topic so timely and important right now?

Title Zeynep Guler Tuck - headshot
Zeynep Güler Tuck

Güler Tuck: For those who have been working toward these goals with organizations, NGOs, and institutions since the SDGs were introduced by world leaders in January 2016, these goals have either become second nature or have gone through a number of interpretations and iterations over the years. The same goes for DEDI. Especially for those who have been directly impacted by inequitable, colonial practices, policies and systems, this work has been ongoing for quite some time. However, the last decade has brought many more of us face-to-face with the kinds of disasters, pandemics, injustices and crises we might have only seen on CNN. For some, it took a crisis or emergency to happen right in their own backyards to realize the importance of centering our communities and their needs. Taking an intersectional approach to the SDGs with a DEDI lens is top of mind as a result of the social and environmental reckoning of recent years. The intersectional DEDI lens is long overdue, which has put the development goals at risk. It has never been more timely and important to address and take action toward prioritizing DEDI in the advancement of SDGs.

President’s Office: How are you advancing the SDGs in your personal and professional life? What are you hoping to learn from the panel?

Güler Tuck: Professionally, I’ve supported the SDGs through my work in the media and non-profit spaces. With Microsoft News, I collaborated with global news outlets to curate ethical story packages that raised awareness and over $1 million in funds for causes like COVID-19 relief, disaster recovery, racial justice, poverty, climate action, LGBTQ+ representation, and STEM education for girls. When Microsoft laid off MSN’s digital producers in the height of the pandemic due to automation and AI systems, I was one of them. I adapted to the change by starting my own social impact business to support organizations working in the gender equity space.

With non-profits, I have supported the economic advancement of equity-deserving entrepreneurs who run impact-driven startups in North America’s tech and innovation sector.

Personally, when it comes to SDGs and humanitarian aid, I sprung into action when the devastating earthquakes hit Turkiye and Syria in February 2023. While the Turkish community across the world was mourning, we knew we needed to act fast. I mobilized community organizations, private-sector partners, allies, neighbours and the Turkish Consulate in support of relief and recovery efforts. We continue to rely on this support as we fundraise and implement long-term projects that help earthquake survivors, including refugee families to Canada and child amputees.

For this panel, I’m eager to learn from each of the illustrious speakers about the ways organizations, institutions, and individuals have started to reframe the SDGs in the context of DEDI, and perhaps dive deeper into why it has taken this long to bring this intersectional approach to these global issues. 

President’s Office: How has your experience as a York U student and now an alum prepared you to take on these challenges in your own way?

Güler Tuck: I didn’t realize until after I graduated that my experience at York had given me more than a higher education. While York taught me about the media landscape in North America, it also taught me a lesson in adapting to changes in the industry. I experienced these changes first-hand when the decline of print media met the mercurial rise of digital media, requiring me to transition from a role as the editor-in-chief of a magazine to the digital producer of an online content platform.

Though, my “a-ha” moment occurred when I realized that my BA in communications and sociology could lead me into purpose-driven work for social good. It was a revelation and came later in my career than I had expected. So, I hope more students in comms and humanities can make the connection sooner because we need all hands on deck.

The transition wasn’t overnight. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller, so I began building narratives in the sales pits of PR firms then devising content strategies in the boardrooms of the private sector. However, it wasn’t until I came head-to-head with challenges and barriers as a woman in tech – and saw many other women facing those same obstacles – that I recognized how storytelling and narrative-building could lead to change in the world. I began mentoring and championing other women in the field, speaking at conferences and volunteering with women in STEM organizations to help amplify their work. One of the highlights of my career was releasing the Gender Equity Roadmap with Women in Tech World in 2018. As the most extensive qualitative data set on the experiences of Canadian women in tech, it was based on research collected from 1,600-plus voices in 30-plus tech communities across Canada with the collaboration of 100-plus community and national partners. In regions like the Yukon, New Brunswick and northern Ontario, partnerships allowed us to cater action plans to advance the women and gender-diverse folks working in these areas.

Now, as I double down on my advocacy and DEDI work in line with the SDGs, I am grateful that I’ve been able to come back to York as a speaker, moderator and a stakeholder in the future of this great institution.

President’s Office: Congress will include thousands of scholars, students and experts in the social sciences and humanities. How will their perspectives, research and knowledge be critical to solving complex societal issues from pandemics and global health and climate change to political conflict and racism?

Güler Tuck: This is definitely a question that keeps me up at night. However, it starts with showing up. Whether virtually or in person, Congress facilitates a crucial opportunity for us to come together to spark dialogue, share stories, have difficult yet important conversations, and walk away with actionable ideas for the future. When we bring the right people together, the discourse can have a butterfly effect that can impact how we approach a number of critical environmental and social issues. I cannot speak directly to how Congress might help resolve political strife and conflict in our world, but I can speak to the importance of acting fast, as we speed toward 2030, to use opportunities like Congress 2023 to ideate community-first action plans at local, regional and global levels that can serve as roadmaps for governments, private sectors, civil societies and individuals to visualize their next steps.

President’s Office: What action do you hope students and scholars will take from the panel discussion, and from the experience of Congress?

Güler Tuck: Luckily, this is a question that gets me up in the morning. Understanding the full scope of the SDGs as a whole can be a lot for people to wrap their heads around in the context of their everyday lives. It’s not easy to find time to end poverty or fight injustice when you are rushing to get the kids off to school, running a small business, relocating to a new country, finishing your degree or living paycheck to paycheck. Distilling them down to the impact you and I can make in our local communities and neighbourhoods makes them more digestible. Then, once we see that change, we’ll be empowered to take on larger-scale projects. The head of World Wildlife Fund-Canada, Megan Leslie, had the perfect response when I asked her in an interview how we can reverse the damaging effects of the climate crisis. She suggested that simply planting a Black-Eyed Susan flower in your garden or on your balcony can trigger a chain of natural events that could lead to the creation of a micro-habitat for the animals in your neighbourhood. You can also support businesses owned by underrepresented founders, get involved with a neighbourhood fundraiser, or join one of your company’s ERGs. There are many ways to advance these development goals at the local level. It just takes showing up. By attending Congress, either virtually or in person, students and scholars will have taken a crucial first step toward these goals. All they have to do is keep up that momentum.

President’s Ofice: Anything else you wish to add?

Güler Tuck: I’m incredibly privileged to get to host this panel at Congress and want to thank all the incredible people who made it possible. It’s always been an honour to be an active part of the York U community. It all started with the Mid-Career Conversations Series, organized by the amazing team at the York U Alumni Engagement Office.

Finally, as a takeaway for Congress attendees, I encourage you to choose one or two of the development goals to focus your efforts on at the local level this year. We all need to get involved to reach these goals. It’s better if we do it together.

The panel “Understanding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) through the lens of Decolonization, equity, diversity & Inclusion (DEDI) is taking place on Thursday, June 1, 10 to 11 a.m. and features panelists and experts: President & Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton;  Founder and Co-Director of Future Ancestors Larissa Crawford; Deputy Minister & Commissioner of Emergency Management Bernie Derible and York Associate Professor of Biology Sapna Sharma.

Former dean appointed to Ontario appellate court continues Osgoode legacy

Close-up photo of judge's gavel on a desk with unseen figure writing on paper in the background

Justice Patrick Monahan has become the third former dean of Osgoode Hall Law School to be appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario, joining Justice Lorne Sossin and Supernumerary Justice James MacPherson.

Patrick Monahan close-up portrait
Patrick Monahan

Federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti announced the appointment May 15. Monahan replaces Justice I.V.B. Nordheimer, who became a supernumerary judge effective Sep. 1, 2022.

An Osgoode graduate and, later, a faculty member for more than two decades, Monahan served as dean of the law school from 2003 to 2009. He went on to become provost and vice-president academic of York University from 2009 to 2012 and deputy attorney general for Ontario from 2012 to 2017. He was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in 2017.

Similarly, MacPherson was Osgoode dean from 1988 to 1993, while Sossin’s term stretched from 2010 to 2018.

The three former deans share the Court of Appeal bench with 10 other Osgoode graduates, including Chief Justice of Ontario Michael Tulloch (LLB ’89). Other graduates include Justice David Brown (LLM ’05), Justice Steve Coroza (LLM ‘03), Justice C. William Hourigan (LLB ’90), Justice Alexandra Hoy (’78), Justice Peter Lauwers (LLM ’83), Justice Sarah Pepall (LLM ’83), Justice Gary Trotter (LLM ’90) and Justice Benjamin Zarnett (’75).

Osgoode graduates have served at every level of court across Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada, where three graduates are current sitting judges: Justice Malcolm Rowe (LLB ’78), Justice Andromache Karakatsanis (LLB ’80) and Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin (LLM ‘14), the apex court’s first Indigenous justice.

Book highlights the importance of supports for university students

Campus walk spring students

By Elaine Smith

“Education will get you to the station, but can you get on the train and will you know where to get off?” says Professor Carl James, York University Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, building on a quote by a Ghanaian refugee, Kofi, that refers to the experiences of first-generation students attending university. In other words, being admitted to university is only the first step; the next is navigating the terrain. 

Book cover for First-Generation Student Experiences in Higher Education: Counterstories (Routledge: 2022)

A book written by James and Leanne Taylor, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, profiles York alumni who participated in a 2002 pilot project, or, as Taylor calls it, “an intervention,” as incoming undergraduates. The project was designed to support first-generation university students during their undergraduate years, recognizing that they didn’t have parents who could offer them insights into the world of post-secondary education. 

“The barriers that they face in accessing higher education don’t go away once they’re on campus,” Taylor says.

First-Generation Student Experiences in Higher Education: Counterstories (Routledge: 2022) catches up with a selection of these students 20 years later and profiles their experiences prior to university, during university and in the years afterward. It is subtitled Counterstories “as a way of pushing back on ideas of the ideal student,” Taylor said. The book highlights the students’ successes and challenges and offers insights into the types of supports that first-generation students find most useful. 

The participating students faced barriers due to race, community, class, gender and/or sexual orientation. 

“We wanted to see how we could assist them when they got to university,” James says. “We as professors don’t necessarily realize that they have no idea how to negotiate university or the campus.” 

The “intervention” 

The pilot project required each participant to take part in an entrance life history interview and follow-up interviews and to keep journals of their experiences. They interviewed family members to learn more about their perceptions and expectation and also had work placements. In addition, Taylor ran a weekly group session, referred to as the ”common hour,” where students could discuss their experiences, goals and aspirations. 

“We worked with two cohorts of students over three years and there was a weekly group meeting, a common hour, where we discussed their experiences, goals and aspirations,” says Taylor, who served as the research assistant for the project while working toward her PhD at York. Combining those sessions with all the other information, “We had a rich, rounded idea of what they needed.”  

During the course of their weekly sessions, Taylor became friends with many of the students, who weren’t much younger than she was. These strong ties made it easy to reconnect with them after many years and arrange further interviews. 

“It was something special to go back and see where their lives have shifted,” she says. 

Many of the students said the weekly common hour was pivotal in their success in navigating the subtleties of university culture and in helping them balance peer and parental expectations with their actual university experiences. They were able to identify the existing conflicts and the areas where there was a lack of support – a gap that parents didn’t always know how to fill. 

“The students also challenged the idea that people from marginalized backgrounds are always behind,” Taylor adds. “They drew on other types of capital, such as community, to help them succeed. They also framed themselves as belonging, but were aware that others saw them as students who were admitted as part of an access program.” 

Taylor says the book challenges the idea that all first-generation students are similar; they are complex and “understood the intersectional pieces of their lives.” She believes universities and schools need to understand from where students draw support and how to help support and mentor them. 

“We also see the counterstories as telling us how students resisted and challenged the university structure and pushed back on the dominant narrative,” she says. “We have to realize that there are inequities in the institution itself.” 

Practical applications 

These discoveries should help inform the ways universities and individual faculty members work with first-generation students and how they address the students’ needs. 

“The book is a useful teaching tool,” James says. “I have used it with teachers and assigned various teachers a student in the book so they could compare their own stories, and participants identified with different stories. Many of them talked of having similar students in their classes.” 

He has also used the book with graduate students when teaching Education in the Urban Context. 

“They liked the book and were able to identify with some of the experiences, and they pointed out that some of the students didn’t always see their own privileges.” 

The book also dovetails nicely with York’s academic priority, from access to success, as set forth in the University Academic Plan. 

Astronomers in Residence program returns for second year

The Orion Nebula - Allan I. Carswell Observatory
The Orion Nebula – Allan I. Carswell Observatory

The Astronomers in Residence (AIR) program, an initiative by the Allan I. Carswell Observatory, partners with the Killarney Provincial Park to enable astronomers to lead presentations and shows using the park’s observatory. It runs this year from May 1 to Oct. 15.

Launched in 2022, the program calls on qualified astronomers to apply to run in-person tours two to five times a week, create observatory shows, YouTube livestreams and recorded video sessions, as well as author a blog. AIRs are offered free parking and lodging, as well as a $400 per week stipend, for their one-to-three-week residency.

The first 2023 AIR is Bruce Waters, who has been teaching astronomy within the provincial park system since 1985. He is the co-founder of “Stars over Killarney,” an annual astronomy program featuring topics related to the park, and the author of Campers Guide to the Universe.

Among other confirmed AIRs are:

  • Conor Hayes, a York graduate with a master’s of science in physics and astronomy;
  • Quinton Weyrich, a York graduate who is now an Outreach Coordinator for the David Dunlap Observatory, and was an AIR in Killarney Provincial Park last summer;
  • Mary-Helen Armour, an associate professor in the Department of Science, Technology and Society at York; and
  • Julie Tome, a York graduate, lead educator at the Royal Ontario Museum and a returning AIR from last summer.

The full summer schedule can be found here.

Those interested in an AIR application for one of the remaining spots this summer and fall can do so here.

Throughout the duration of the program, those passionate about stargazing can follow along through the Astronomer in Residence Blog and livestreams on the Allan I. Carswell Observatory YouTube page.

York alum named new imagineNATIVE festival director

empty theatre

Kahstarohkwanoron Lindsay Monture, who graduated York with a bachelor of arts in film and media studies, has been named the new festival director of the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the world’s largest showcase for film, video, audio, digital and interactive media made by Indigenous creators.

In her new role, Monture, who is Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk), Turtle Clan from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, will select and oversee the festival’s programming team, as well as choose curators and jury members.

Lindsay Monture
Kahstarohkwanoron Lindsay Monture

The position isn’t Monture’s first with imagineNATIVE. Over the course of her 15-year career in media, she has been a programming and industry co-ordinator for the festival. She has also worked on behalf of Indigenous communities elsewhere too, including non-profit organizations such as the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts, Maoriland Film Festival, Revolutions Per Minute, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Woodland Cultural Centre and Indigenous Climate Action.

imagineNATIVE launched in 2000 to dedicate itself to presenting the work of Indigenous artists and advocating for Indigenous narrative sovereignty and representation on screen – in Canada and abroad. Last year’s festival screened 19 feature films and more than 100 short films, and was attended by thousands of people. This year’s festival – its 24th iteration and Monture’s first as director – will take place from Oct. 17 to 19.

Be part of history – join ceremony to mark installation of York’s first female chancellor

Vari hall

Kathleen Taylor will be officially installed as York’s 14th chancellor on May 10 at 3 p.m. at the Tribute Communities Recital Hall in Accolade East Building.

Kathleen Taylor
Kathleen Taylor

The entire York community – students, faculty and staff – is invited to join in the celebration of this historic event. Taylor’s appointment, which was announced in October 2022, marks the first time a woman will serve as chancellor.

The chancellor is the top ceremonial position at York and serves as an inspiring leader and respected member of the community, as well as connector between the University and the community-at-large. Among the chancellor’s core responsibilities is presiding over the conferring of degrees on thousands of new graduates at convocation ceremonies every fall and spring.

York’s 2023 spring convocation will mark the first convocation for Taylor. She is a valued York alumna who holds a juris doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and a master of business administration from the Schulich School of Business.

The chancellor’s installation offers a rare opportunity to witness an important institutional ceremony. It is the official moment where the chancellor is formally endowed with the powers and responsibilities of the office. It also provides an opportunity for the incoming chancellor to make a commitment to the people York serves and to share their vision for the University during their term of office. It’s a public declaration of the chancellor’s intention to uphold the responsibilities of this position.

All community members are encouraged to attend and bear witness to this important moment. Register here by May 8. A post-ceremony reception, with refreshments, will be held in the CIBC lobby.

Join us for the historic installation of Kathleen Taylor as York’s 14th chancellor

Vari hall

Dear York community,

I am pleased to invite you to the Chancellor’s Installation Ceremony on Wednesday, May 10.

The ceremony will celebrate the installation of York’s 14th chancellor, Kathleen Taylor – who makes history as the first woman to hold the position at York University. The chancellor is the titular head of the University, a member of the Board of Governors and Senate, and plays a vital role both representing the University and conferring degrees during convocation, celebrating our students during one of the most important moments of their education.

An esteemed York alumna, Taylor holds a juris doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and a master of business administration from the Schulich School of Business (SSB). She also serves as a member of the SSB Dean’s Advisory Council.

As faculty, staff and instructors, I hope you will join the University community in celebrating the important role of the chancellor at our institution.

Faculty are also invited to join in the procession and can indicate their robe requirements through the RSVP form below.

Registration is required and limited due to capacity. A reception with light refreshments will follow.

Ceremony location:
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building
Keele Campus

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Time: 3 to 4 p.m.

Reception:
CIBC Lobby
Accolade East Building

RSVP by Monday, May 8:
http://go.yorku.ca/ceremony

Please email advevent@yorku.ca if you have any questions about this event.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Joignez-vous à nous pour l’investiture historique de Kathleen Taylor en tant que 14e chancelière de York.

Chers membres de la communauté de York,

J’ai le plaisir de vous inviter à la cérémonie d’investiture de la chancelière le mercredi 10 mai.

La cérémonie célébrera l’investiture de la 14e chancelière de l’Université York, Kathleen Taylor, qui entrera dans l’histoire en devenant la première femme à occuper ce poste à York. La chancelière est la chef en titre de l’Université, membre du conseil d’administration et du Sénat. Elle joue un rôle essentiel en représentant l’Université et en conférant des diplômes lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes, qui représente l’un des moments les plus importants du parcours de nos étudiantes et étudiants.

Diplômée de York, Mme Taylor détient un doctorat en jurisprudence de l’École de droit Osgoode Hall et une maîtrise en administration des affaires de l’École Schulich des hautes études commerciales (SSB). Elle siège également au conseil consultatif du doyen de la SSB.

En tant que membres des corps professoral et enseignant et du personnel, j’espère que vous vous joindrez à la communauté universitaire pour célébrer le rôle important de la chancelière au sein de notre établissement.

Les membres du corps professoral sont également invités à se joindre à la procession et peuvent indiquer leurs besoins en matière de robes en remplissant le formulaire ci-dessous.

L’inscription est obligatoire et limitée en raison de la capacité d’accueil. Une réception où seront servis des rafraîchissements légers suivra.

Lieu de la cérémonie :
Salle de concert Tribute Communities, édifice Accolade Est
Campus Keele

Date : Mercredi 10 mai 2023

Heure : 15 h à 16 h

Réception :
Aire CIBC
Édifice Accolade Est

RSVP avant le lundi 8 mai :
http : //go.yorku.ca/ceremony

Veuillez envoyer un courriel à advevent@yorku.ca si vous avez des questions sur cet événement.

J’ai hâte de vous y voir.

Sincères salutations,

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

Consultation first step in creating EUC Black Mentorship Program 

Black female students women alumni

By Elaine Smith

When Brandon Hay began working toward his master of environmental studies (MES) degree at York University in 2014, he was the only Black male in many of his classes. 

“I consistently asked myself if I belonged here,” he said. “I questioned how much of myself to bring to class, wondering whether my fellow students would understand me.”

Brandon Hay
Brandon Hay

Hay discovered a sense of community as a graduate assistant to the Transitional Year Program, but he hopes that current plans to implement a pilot Black Mentorship Program at the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) this fall will offer incoming students support from the start of their university careers. 

The Faculty is launching this Black student-to-alumni mentorship program in accordance with EUC’s Black Inclusion Plan to enhance learning opportunities and support for Black EUC students. 

“Black students need spaces where they can talk about things that affect them, whether it’s anti-Black violence happening in the United States or their own experiences,” said Hay, founder of the Black Daddies Club. “If this program is centralized [within York or the Faculty], they won’t have to seek out support.” 

Hay was a speaker at EUC’s first consultation about how to create a meaningful program to address the needs of EUC’s Black community, held on March 22. EUC staff members Rosanna Chowdhury, experiential education coordinator, and Joanne Huy, alumni engagement and events officer, co-led this hybrid event with Senior DEDI Advisor, Education and Communication, Melissa Theodore. The event was attended by about 30 faculty, staff, students and alumni. Attendees who were Black and/or members of equity-deserving groups of the York community were willing to share their experiences and offer suggestions for the type of supports that would be useful.  

EUC Dean Alice Hovorka opened the session by welcoming those assembled in person and attending virtually, followed by Hay’s talk. Participants then took part in a knowledge building circle, discussing how EUC could support Black students and Black futures through community engagement, representation and education. Afterward, there were breakout sessions focused on each of these topics individually. The organizers will use the information provided by participants to consider how to shape the pilot program. 

Chowdhury led the community engagement breakout sessions with Huy and Theodore and found that the discussion centred around building and sustaining community. Participants touched on having recurring events and meetings in a space where individuals can participate. They also mentioned the importance of finding ways to be inclusive of all their intersecting identities. 

“The conversation flowed,” Chowdhury said. “This was a good first step. The goal is to prepare a report on the information we gathered and share it with the attendees and the community as it will inform the best practices for the mentorship program. We will also host a second event or a survey to gather additional input. Once we get feedback, we’ll design a pilot program for September 2023 launch. 

“We’re not sure yet what that program will look like. It could become a community mentorship program where a group of students is mentored by more than one person, or we might create a space for people to meet and find their own mentors. It could be a mix of models.”

Lord-Emmanuel Achidago
Lord-Emmanuel Achidago

Lord-Emmanuel Achidago, a second-year master’s degree student in geography from Ghana, expressed particular interest in career mentorship. 

“I’d like insights on opportunities that exist and networking to help meet other people in the field,” he said. “Talking to people with more experience can be enlightening. They can advise you on the other skills you need to develop to get a competitive edge. 

“When you meet people who share your identity, it’s easier to connect.” 

Chowdhury is confident the program will reap rewards for the participants. “There are many people with a common interest in making it succeed,” she said.  

“Not only will the pilot program assist our Black students, but it will help inform future EUC mentorship programs focused on supporting all students from marginalized groups.”  

York alumni win big at Canadian Screen Awards

Theatre

During Canadian Screen Week (April 11 to 16), The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television handed out more than two dozens Canadian Screen Awards to York alumni – from the School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies – recognizing their achievements in film, television and the digital sector.

Victoria Lean (Credit: George Pimentel Photography)
Victoria Lean (Credit: George Pimentel Photography)

Throughout the week, the Canadian Screen Awards recognized a range of categories, including sports programming, news, documentaries, children’s programming, animation, reality, lifestyle and more. The week culminated in a final ceremony, honouring work in the comedic and dramatic arts.

Going into Canadian Screen Week, more than 45 alumni were nominated across more than 30 different categories. Among the nominees, several York alumni earned multiple awards, including Victoria Lean, who won the Barbara Sears Awards for Best Editorial Research, Best Direction Factual and Best Factual Series for the documentary series We’re All Going to Die (Even Jay Baruchel) which explores the global crises that threaten the Earth’s sustainability, and the solutions that can right the future. Alum Gordon Henderson was also among the Best Factual Series recipients for the series.

Marsha Green
Marsha Green (Credit: George Pimentel Photography)

Marsha Green was another multi-winner, earning an award for Best Writing, Drama Series and Best Drama series for The Porter, a series based on the true story of the creation of the first Black-led labour union after the First World War. Alumna Annmarie Morais was also among The Porter‘s Best Drama recipients.

Tracy Galvin earned two awards for separate projects: Best Live Entertainment Special for The Junos 2022 and Best Performing Arts Program for Buffy Sainte-Marie: Starwalker.

The documentary series BLK: An Origin Story, which looks at the untold stories of Black Canadians, earned several awards for York alumni, including Avril Jacobson for Best Picture Editing, Documentary and Jennifer Holness for Best Direction, Documentary Series.

Here is a full list of York alumni winners:

Best Talk Program or Series – 1 Queen 5 Queers
Awardee: Aisha Fairclough

Best Sports Host – 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games
Awardee: Andi Petrillo

Best Sound, Documentary or Factual – Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On
Awardee: Elma Bello

Best Performing Arts Program – Buffy Sainte-Marie: Starwalker
Awardee: Tracy Galvin

Best Writing Web, Program or Series – Chateau Laurier: An Unfortunate Turn of Events
Awardee: Emily Weedon

Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series – Comedy Punks: Kids in the Hall
Awardee: Laura Michalchyshy

Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series – Detention Adventure
Awardee: Lauren Corber

Best Live Production, Social Media – ET Canada Live
Awardee: Jodie Davis

Best Web Program or Series Non-Fiction – ET Canada Pride
Awardee: Jodie Davis

Best Original Music, Animation – Let’s Go Luna! Dig it Daddy-O
Awardee: Ari Posner

Best Web Program or Series, Fiction – Revenge of the Black Best Friend
Awardee: Amanda Parris

Best Documentary Program – Sex with Sue
Awardee: Lisa Rideout

Best Documentary Program – Sex with Sue
Awardee: Sam Dunn

Best Guest Performance, Comedy – Sort Of: Sort of Amsterdam/Sort of I Love You
Awardee: Amanda Brugel

Best Original Music, Comedy – Sort Of: Sort of Who She Is
Awardee: Vivek Shraya

Best Writing, Factual – Still Standing: Oxford
Awardee: Graham Chittenden

Best TV Movie – Swindler Seduction
Awardee: Jonas Prupas

Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy – TallBoyz: Don’t wear in front of the song
Awardee: Franco Nguyen

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series – The Amazing Race Canada
Awardee: Michael Tersigni

Best Picture Editing, Reality/Competition – The Amazing Race Canada: Where is Gurmail
Awardee: Michael Tersigni

Best Writing, Children’s or Youth – The Hardy Boys: Captured!
Awardee: Ramona Barckert

Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (Individual or Ensemble) – This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Awardee: Stacey McGunnigle

Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary – To Kill a Tiger
Awardee: Cornelia Principe

York alumn Mark Miller talks legacy brands

Microphone

York alum Mark Miller (BBA ’95), best-selling author and chief strategy officer at the Los Angeles-based advertising agency Team One, joins Zeynep Güler Tuck, host of Mid-Career Conversations, via Zoom to discuss why more legacy brands are flickering out faster than ever on April 13 at noon.

Mid-Career Conversation, organized and hosted by the Division of Advancement, is a live webinar series designed with the intent of connecting York University alumni to each other for the sake of networking, sharing experiences and learning together.

Mark Miller portrait
Mark Miller

Each Mid-Career Conversation event features an alumni in the middle of their career who describes their professional and academic journeys since having graduated from York and highlights noteworthy moments in their careers.

Aside from his authorial accomplishments, Miller is also a frequent keynote speaker at industry conferences on cutting-edge innovation. With his broad influence and keen leadership sensibility, Miller has garnered many of North America’s most prestigious marketing and advertising awards, such as the ARF David Ogilvy Awards for research excellence, the Jay Chiat Awards for strategic excellence, and the Effie Awards for marketing effectiveness. Miller’s book, Legacy in the Making: Building a Long-Term Brand to Stand Out in a Short-Term World, is a Berry-AMA Book Prize winner for significant contributions to the field of marketing. For his upcoming Mid-Career Conversation visit, Miller will consider why the average lifespan of a company on the S&P 500 has shrunk from 67 to 15 years and share how he built his own successful personal brand.

Zeynep Güler Tuck close-up portrait
Zeynep Güler Tuck

Alumna Güler Tuck (BA ’02), a storyteller with 20 years of dedicated experience in public relations, telecommunications and travel sectors, leads the discussions. She has produced and written for an array of broadcast programs, authored editorial columns and contributed to web series for Microsoft News, Business Insider, Time Out, Lonely Planet, Corus Entertainment and Elevate, a non-profit in the innovation space. Her work is primarily concerned with building more reliable pathways for women in STEM fields and increasing and diversifying the representation of women and girls in contemporary media.

Click here to attend and register for this free event.