QUICK LINKS: INTERVIEWS I YOUNG ARTISTS

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Quebec has some amazing young people, from innovative entrepreneurs, to eclectic artists, to dedicated volunteers. Read profiles of English-speakers and see examples of their work here. To submit a profile, contact us.

INSPIRATION: Profiles of young English-speakers Profiles of young English-speakers

A Return To One’s Roots: 

Interview with Montreal Youth Yinka Ibukun
Yinka Ibukun has set the groundwork for her own legacy of change. With the help of her team she has created a publication, Baobab Magazine, which presents the Black Diaspora in Quebec with intelligence and honesty. I spoke to her recently about the magazine and her return to Nigeria.

Jason: How did Baobab Magazine come about?

Yinka: In February of 2006, I participated in Black History Month activities for the first time. My friend Shahany and I attended this conference titled “Black in Positive Light” put on by the Black Student Network at McGill. It was hosted by Latoya Morgan and Sabrina Jafralie was one of the speakers. We had been listening intently to people’s experiences when a student from Trinidad said that he was tired of talk and he wanted action. I was too shy to respond right away but at the end of the conference, I stood up and I shared my idea of a magazine called Baobab that would be a voice for Africa’s Black community which my friends and I wanted to start. People smiled as I spoke with my little build and soft voice but the idea definitely caught on and Shahany and I got the motivational boost we needed.

J: What is your vision of Baobab Magazine?

Y: The vision of Baobab is to promote oneness amongst people of African Descent and to give a voice to Black communities in Montreal so that they can take their image into their own hands; to empower black youth with information so that they can build a positive self-image.

J: What is your conception of being an African, and how has it changed?

Y: Anyone who comes from the African continent is African. Born to a Ugandan mother and Nigerian father, I have always been proud of my “trans-African” heritage, and that has not changed. But in Canada, I acquired black consciousness which added a sense of responsibility to my definition of being African.  It is that sense of responsibility that pushed me to start Baobab and it was that sense of responsibility that led me home. 

J: What is the future of Baobab Magazine?

Y: I see a bright future for Baobab. I left Montreal at the end of May and in my absence, the Baobab sisters have done an amazing job of keeping things running. While I was in Cuba, they organized a launch party for the third issue of Baobab themed Found in Translation. Now that I am in Nigeria, I am in touch and following up on connections I made to start a Baobab West Africa edition. At the same time, Mamé, one of our former editors who moved to Germany over a year ago, has expressed interest in starting Baobab there as well. To make all of this possible we need to revamp our website www.baobabmagazine.com.

J: How has your return to Nigeria been?

Y: My formative years were spent away from home so I knew that coming back would be a challenge. I’m learning to be grateful for things that I have long taken for granted like electricity or free movement (the traffic is so bad that we call it go-slow). I live in Africa’s most populous city so there’s a strange mix of millionaires and poor people, modernization and “traditional” values. For instance, even though, lots of young women work here, I am learning to deal with sexism and ageism on a regular basis and my respectful assertion skills are definitely being put to the test.

I’ve been here for a month and although I have down moments, I am happy to be here because with time the sense of disconnect would only have gotten stronger. My family has been supportive even though they don’t always understand the way I see things. I was also blessed with so many meaningful relationships while I was away that even distance has not been able to weaken them. Random things remind me of this person and that person and I smile in the street about the transatlantic connections I’m making in my head. By God’s divine grace, I feel like I’ve been able to go around the world and back and I feel I have to do something with it.

-         Jason Selman, Montreal

Jason Selman is an Animator at the Black Community Resource Centre, which uses a multi-intervention (holistic) approach to help young, Black, English-speaking individuals 0-25 years old residing in the greater Montreal area fully participate in mainstream society.  For more information, visit their website at www.blackyouthproject.org.

Aaron Salomon- guitarist/singer
Aaron Saloman is a rare find in independent music - a young artist with a unique, immediately identifiable “sound”. It seems very easy to describe most new music we hear today, whether independent or mainstream, by simply mentioning the name of another band.  While Aaron makes no secret of his influences, they combine to make a sonic signature all his own.  

Perhaps this sonic maturity is a result of his experience.  Whether performing for 20 000 people during the Canada Day concert in Kanata, ON, two sold out nights for the acoustic Jeff Buckley birthday tribute in Chicago, IL, or a rock show at Harper’s Ferry in Boston, MA, one thing ties together Aaron’s hundreds of performances together, they leave people abuzz with the thrill of hearing something new. 

Equally comfortable alone with an acoustic guitar or backed up by some of the most in-demand rhythm sections in North America, Aaron has shared bills with popular acts such as Anet, Kim Mitchell, Terry Tufts, The Watchmen, Sass Jordan, See Spot Run, The Headstones, Tyler Kealey, and others.  Aaron has also performed on the nationally televised talk show Jonovision, has been featured in numerous print, television, and radio media, and was voted "Best Male Vocalist" from more than 10 000 songs at www.garageband.com.

Aaron has released two EP’s with his rock trio, and one solo acoustic album. "Muse's Whip", his first solo effort, was produced by Jay Ruston (Brian Wilson, Morrissey, The Donnas, Polyphonic Spree, Ari Hest, Artificial Joy Club, Wilson Philips, etc.).  "No Reason", was produced by San Diego-based Kyle Lassegard (Signature Sound Studios).  “Live & Acoustic” was an entirely self-produced effort, recorded live at a friend’s house!

A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Aaron is also constantly in demand as a session player, audio technician, and producer.  He has performed as a sideman for Michaela Foster Marsh, James Blondeau (Ottawa), Rachel Black, Stephanie Jones (Boston), Eleanore Altman (New York), and many others.  Aaron currently resides in Montreal, Canada, where he is active performing, recording, and producing.

Take a listen to Aaron’s music you may just find a new favourite song!

- Chris Bateman, Ottawa

This article was provided by the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), devoted to connecting Quebec's English speaking artists with one another, their francophone colleagues, and their audiences

Paul Neudorf – up and coming film producer/director/editor
Paul Neudorf has several years experience directing, producing, shooting and editing video. His most recent film Refractions - an experimental dance film - was funded by Bravo!FACT and will eventually be broadcast on Bravo!Canada.

 

Last fall he co-directed a music trailer for Montreal singer Amanda Mabro, entitled What’s Your Pleasure?and directed photography and editing for her music video, Superwoman in the Making. This clip now plays on rotation on Baromètre, a show on Montreal’s TV station Canal Vox that features independent music.

In 2005 he completed a graduate degree from Concordia University specializing in broadcast journalism. In his final semester, he took a course with Barry Lazar in film and video. This led him to direct his first documentary Room 6, about a homeless Montreal artist, which made its premiere at the Winnipeg Global Justice Film Festival in late 2005. After his studies he began to direct and co-direct personal and collaborative projects from documentary, fiction to animation.

As of January 2008 Paul Neudorf has been teaching video to teens in an innovative new video and media education program for youth at the Segal Centre’s Academy for Performing Arts. On the side he studies French and is the technical director for Queercorps, a weekly radio show on Montreal's campus/community radio station CKUT 90.3fm.

Paul’s upcoming projects include a documentary about families with LGBT children, created in collaboration with the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests, and an experimental anime film.

To learn more about Paul’s projects and film screenings, visit his website: http://www.paulneudorf.com/.

This article was provided by the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), devoted to connecting Quebec's English speaking artists with one another, their francophone colleagues, and their audiences

Katrina Deane-Riggio: Volunteer and Adventurer

My name is Katrina and in the past five years, I have had the opportunity to participate in two major volunteer programs; Katimavik and more recently, Canada World Youth. By participating in both programs I have not only gained knowledge and experience, but a true appreciation and understanding of volunteerism. 

The time and energy that I have given to my experiences as a volunteer have come back to enrich me in so many ways. I have gained and developed several new skills and I now know first hand that the most challenging of experiences are often times the most rewarding ones.

Through volunteering I have accomplished some pretty exceptional things; from organizing a skateboard competition in Smithers, B.C, to putting together a video for injecting drug users in Delhi, India. Each program has given me the opportunity to work in fields that I would probably never think of belonging to, and the chance to connect with many inspirational young people.

I decided to participate in the programs because I wanted a change from my daily routine and throughout my experiences, I was also given both the time and space to think about what I really wanted from life. Throughout each experience, I've been able to stretch my limits and adapt to a variety of situation- all while learning so much about new cultures as well as exploring my own.

These two programs have undoubtedly enriched my life and have sparked so many new fires within me. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to explore such a privilege. Volunteering has opened many new doors for me and I often encourage others to take on the challenge for themselves.

- Provided courtesy of Katrina Deane-Riggio and Katimavik. 

To know more about Katimavik, go to www.katimavik.org. Apply now! There is still some space available for the October departures.  To know more about Canada World Youth: www.canadaworldyouth.org      

YOUNG ARTISTS:  See their new creations
Saleema Nawaz, Writer
By Mélanie Grondin
Photo by Claudio Calligaris

The path to publication followed by emerging writer Saleema Nawaz is one that many aspiring writers would like to take. However, Saleema hardly mentions talent or hard work; she simply says she was very lucky.

Born in 1979 in Ottawa, Saleema always knew she wanted to be a writer. “I’ve been writing since I was little,” she says, “though there were times during my undergraduate degree, when, even though I knew I wanted to be a writer, I barely wrote at all.” She regrets those idle years, saying that aspiring writers should write as much as they can and be ambitious.

Although her undergraduate degree was also focused on Philosophy and she didn’t take as many Literature courses as she

believes she should have, Saleema was accepted by the University of Manitoba to do an MA in English. Her first two submissions to literary journals during her graduate degree were accepted: “I found out about both stories within days of each other, and just a few days before my 26th birthday.  It was an amazing week.” She’s quick to add, however, that she’s received her fair share of rejection letters since then. Her final thesis, a novella called “The White Dress,” won the inaugural Robert Kroetsch Award for Best Creative Thesis and second prize in the Malahat Review’s novella contest.

Saleema gets her initial inspiration from an image, an idea or a sentence. Once she knows what she wants to write about, she goes out on the streets to hunt for details: a voice inflection, a personality trait, a setting. Compassion is also an important part of her writing; wondering how someone would feel in a particular situation often triggers stories. “I’m also influenced by great books,” Saleema says, adding that she mostly reads CanLit these days. “When I’m reading something that I love, that’s when I’m the most inspired.”

Forever interested in perfecting her art and interacting with other writers, Saleema is an alumnus of the Writing Studio at the Banff Centre for the Arts and of the Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Mentorship Program, where she had the opportunity to work on her upcoming novel with Montreal writer Ian McGillis. The support she received and the contacts she made during those experiences are priceless. Saleema believes that meeting other writers and exchanging stories with peers is a great opportunity to grow as an artist and improve. “If you write,” she says, “don’t keep your stories in a drawer. Show them to people, send them out.”

Saleema Nawaz’s first book of short stories, Mother Superior, will be published on September 10 by Freehand Books. Her fiction has appeared in Prairie Fire, Grain, The New Quarterly and PRISM international.

Mélanie Grondin is a freelance writer and translator living in the suburbs of Montreal. She is currently ghostwriting a memoir and working on the English version of a children’s book by Quebec writer Sofia Benyahia.

The following is an excerpt from "Look, But Don't Touch" by Nawaz from Mother Superior. 

"Look, but don't touch," I say.

My mouth is dry and my words are charged with the buzz of constant instruction. I hold Brian's hand, stand between him and the sombre gallery guard, whose age-stricken face might activate my brother's potent sense of terror. He is still tense from the scene at the coat-check counter where they forced him to turn in his new disposable camera. Whispering soft in his ear, I rub the small of his back, affixing the shiny orange visitor's tag to the top of his shirt pocket. He fingers it, rubbing its smooth metal surface with his left thumb, his throat gurgling in a tuneless hum.

           

I let go of his hand, linking my elbow around his right arm and steering him toward the entrance to the European Gallery. I like to walk this way with my younger brother, dwarfed by his solid mass, yet gently, almost indiscernibly, in control.

           

Almost nothing in his face singles him out as different. There is a slight pucker in his pink lips and sometimes, behind the wire frames of his glasses, his eyes look searching and anxious. But really, whose don't? His dark hair is soft and straight and, if left to its own devices, falls forward over his face in a fringe that makes him look younger than his nineteen years. His tongue is larger than normal. He's double-jointed. And he has small ears, small and perfect like a china doll's. All this to say that he has an extra chromosome, but I don't really know what that means. When I was six years old and my parents brought him home from the hospital, I used to look for it. Peeling back the layers of soft flannel and examining every inch of his round, pink body.

Copyright Saleema Nawaz, Excerpt courtesy of Freehand Books.

Julia Ainsworth – A One Woman Show

Julia Ainsworth is an emerging actress, director, producer, and playwright on the Montreal theatre scene. With such an eclectic variety of skills and interests, Julia’s name is sure to be seen and heard around Quebec and Canada in the years to come.

Having completed her B.F.A. in Theatre at York University (2005) studying acting, directing and playwriting in the Creative Ensemble stream, Julia went on to earn a specialized B.Ed. degree in Arts and Education from Queens University (2006). Her extensive education in theatre arts prepared Julia for multiple roles in various productions both in Toronto and Montreal.

Julia played Jade in Vacancy - a collectively developed, site-specific work about the disappearances of over 60 missing sex workers from the streets of Lower-east Vancouver (currently being remounted in Autumn of 2008). She directed and produced an adaptation of Sam Shepard and Joseph Chaikin’s Savage/Love at the Alchemy Theatre in Toronto, and The Way at Theatre Passe Muraille/ SummerWorks Festival. The producers listed The Way in the Toronto Star as the #1 selection of the Festival and it later toured to high schools for Earth week.

Most recently, Julia took part in the Quebec Writers’ Federation Mentorship Program and received two public readings of her play, P4W: an Inquiry into Certain Events (in association with the Playwrights Guild of Canada Reading Series and the Quebec Writer’s Federation). In addition to working as a theatre artist, Julia works as Project Coordinator at the Quebec Drama Federation and contributes to the quarterly Theatre Calendar magazine.

Current and upcoming projects include writing for and performing in Reflexions Urbains (http://www.wix.com/Reflexionsurbaines/ScenesMemoiresCollectives), a multi-disciplinary happening about the history of the Lachine Canal, and assistant directing Tableau D’Hôte’s production of Lion in the Streets (http://www.tableaudhotetheatre.com/home.htm). Julia will also be working with Playwright’s Workshop Montreal as part of the playwrights’ unit to develop P4W:An Inquiry into Certain Events, her original play inspired by interviews with incarcerated women and correctional officers about the recently closed Kingston Penitentiary for Women.

This article was provided by the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), devoted to connecting Quebec's English speaking artists with one another, their francophone colleagues, and their audiences

Biography of emerging actor, Raphael Grosz-Harvey

Raphael Grosz-Harvey was destined to become a performer. His first exposure to theatre started at 6 days old when his Father, a light and sound technician, brought him to work at Theatre St-Sauveur. From then on, Raphael was immersed in all the arts from theatre to dance, music, and visual arts. His Mother worked as a promoter and manager of several musicians, mainly from Cuba, who stayed in the back room studio while in-between tours. Many long nights of Afro-Cuban jazz music and storytelling influenced Raphael’s childhood.

Raphael attended F.A.C.E (Fine Arts Core Education) where he developed his talents as a classically trained trumpeter, an eclectic artist, and an emerging actor. He performed the role of Prospector in The Madwoman of Chaillot directed by Jim Stiller. In his graduating year he played the role of Harry Brewer in Our Country’s Good directed by Jesse Todd, for which he received special recognition.

He is currently attending DOME – Dawson College Theatre program, reputed for developing talented young actors, where he has played the key role of Septimus Hodge in Arcadia, that of Bud Stamper in Splendor in the Grass, and a compelling performance as King Edward IV in King Richard III directed by Winston Sutton, for which he was awarded - Best Actor Award 2007 (Dawson College Professional Theatre).

You can see him perform at DOME in the upcoming performances of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare in November 2008 and Tom Stoppards’ Rock n Roll in January 2009.

This article was provided by the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), devoted to connecting Quebec's English speaking artists with one another, their francophone colleagues, and their audiences

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