By MIMI LILIEFELDT The traditional three-bedroom semi sits on a quiet street in the Upper Beach. I am welcomed inside by Jessica Pitanwanakwat, the single mother of three who resides in this home. Jessica is an Indigenous woman who was born in Sarnia, Ontario and has led a life full of personal and generational trauma. […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT During the pandemic the thing many of us missed most was travel. Ordinarily, people will go great distances for work, adventure, and reuniting with loved ones, but unfortunately for countless others the reason is: survival. We have watched this horrible truth unfold over the past several months as millions of Ukrainians have […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT As the country wrapped up another Canada Day, I found myself conflicted. It used to be an unfettered celebration of red and white, an excuse to plaster the maple leaf everywhere and possibly, to be plastered oneself. But the last few years have revealed that we can’t suppress our past anymore. So, […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT May 25, 2022 marked the two-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Anniversaries are often a time to reflect and take stock of how far we’ve come. Having said that, George Floyd’s legacy has shown us that progress can look like the tides. Outrage and impassioned pleas for justice rushed in after his […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT Ignorance is not bliss. At this stage in history, our ignorance surrounding the experiences of Indigenous people in Canada is unacceptable. Casting shame is never the point of this column. However, it was my own feelings of embarrassing inadequacy that emphasized how little I know about the people who have cared for […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT Music has so much power; it can lift our spirts, elicit strong emotions, bring people together, and inspire. It adds texture and vibrancy to our lives. A world without music is a world without dimension and light. Andrew Afework is a gifted piano teacher who lives and breathes music. “I don’t know […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT Most of us think we know how lucky we are. Aside from a few curveballs our lives have turned out pretty much as we’d expected. A smaller but growing number, however, are living lives they never could’ve dreamt were possible. Muna Shrestha, owner of Glitter Spa on Kingston Road near Lawlor Avenue, […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT How many of us are lucky enough to have found our calling? The strong inner pull towards a career, craft or act of service is elusive for most, but a few fortunate souls know who they are and what they are supposed to do from an early age. In elementary school Jamar […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT Art has always brought beauty and joy into our lives. It has also been used as a way to communicate and tell stories. It is widely accepted that art is a form of expression and a tool for bringing people together. Even when opinions differ, it doesn’t matter as much as the […]
By MIMI LILIEFELDT Last month we met Ingrid Palmer, a truly inspirational member of our community. If you haven’t read the first part of her story, we covered how Ingrid, a Black woman, grew up visually impaired (later diagnosed legally blind), a survivor of sexual abuse and went from foster care to living in a […]
