BY PAUL JUNOR

The announcement that two alumni of George Brown College have made a big difference by building a home for a needy family in Jamaica is good news. The names of the alumni are Chris Campbell (who graduated from the Carpentry General Apprenticeship program and currently serves as President of the Toronto Carpenters’ Union Local 27 and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Representative, Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario), and Rokhaya ‘Rok’ Gueye who graduated from the Construction Engineering Technician program. They were responsible for obtaining their own funds to offset their personal expenses and through fundraising initiatives they accumulated an additional $20,000 which helped to defray the costs of building the home.

This humanitarian mission to build a home for Beulah and her family took place in the parish of St. James on the north coast of Jamaica. Chris (as a representative of the Toronto Carpenters’ Union Local 27) teamed up with a well-known local charity in Jamaica, Food for the Poor, to provide not just construction materials (as framing walls and installing roofs), but intangible things as well. This humanitarian initiative represents the true essence of breaking the cycle of generational poverty and demonstrates the power of skilled professionals giving back to communities in need.

Chris Campbell is the first African-Canadian President in the history of the 127-year-old Carpenters’ Union Local 27. He is also a member of the George Brown College Board of Directors. With respect to his first-hand experiences working with the team of volunteers Chris expressed positive feedback., “We came back feeling inspired with a renewed appreciation of the difference we can all make for those who are less fortunate.”

Gueye expressed positive reflections of her time in Jamaica working on the construction project. She notes, “It was a deeply fulfilling experience to participate in a humanitarian project in Jamaica. As a woman, providing a safe home to a less fortunate family means offering them a place to live that is secure, stable, and conducive to their well-being. Together, we transformed Beulah’s life and laid the foundation for a lasting legacy for her family and future generations.”

There were three aspects of the work of the humanitarian mission. They include:

• More than construction

They built hope for a family in need.

• A collective effort of compassion

The project was a testament to community spirit.

• Impact beyond borders

Their work does more than provide shelter, it breaks the cycle of generational poverty and demonstrates the power of skilled professionals giving back to communities in need. This humanitarian initiative represents the true essence of professional development-using skills to make a meaningful impact that extends far beyond professional boundaries

BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.

On Saturday, December 7^th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.

UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3^rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:

• United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
• The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
• Unite Here! Local 75
• Toronto & York Region Labour Council
• Canadian Labour Congress
• The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)

“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”

The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:

Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng

She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.

Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story

She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.

Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson

She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.

Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron

She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.

Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark

He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.

Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris

She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.

Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge

She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).

Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby

She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.

Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)

This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.

The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.

The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)

UARR is looking forward to its 50^th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:

• Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
• Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
• Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
• Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
• Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.

BY KAHA GEDI

As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.

First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.

First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.

Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”

Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.

Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.