It’s been way too long since I updated this blog!  So many things have been changing in my life lately.  For the past few years I have been working as the Coordinator of the TRIP! Project, a youth-led harm reduction initiative that serves Toronto’s diverse dance music communities. It has been such an amazing opportunity to [...]

TakingITMobile is a community-based research study conducted in partnership with the social network TakingITGlobal that examines how youth leaders across the globe use mobile communications to create social change within their local communities and internationally. As an e-PAR study, youth participants were encouraged to take the reigns as researchers through the online TakingITMobile Working Group, [...]

It is finally the last day of school!  Our last few classes of community arts were incredibly powerful and I feel so blessed to connect with such an extraordinary group. I started the Community Arts Practice Certificate in 2005 when I was attending York University as a visiting student.  I had never gone to traditional [...]

The TakingITMobile Survey is closed to new submissions. Thank you to everyone who contributed your information, as the results have been astounding. While the survey is closed that does not mean that our work is not done! There is lots of work ahead including data analysis, writing and consulting with both youth and experts from the field about the results.

Generation Sex, Y, Z is an event organized as a follow up to the launch of the Empower Manual.  Lead by a youth advisory committee, this event was 100% planned for youth by youth.  Surprisingly after putting a call out for participation we had an entirely new batch of youth volunteers.  [...]

Two burritos and many avocados later my time in San Francisco was inspiring to say the least. The Sex::Tech conference was very inspiring and I was able to attend many sessions around using new media technology for sexual health promotion, from feminism to working with LGBTQ youth, to mass media campaigns partnering with MTV.

Last week before I hit Sex::Tech I did a virtual seminar presenting my Latin American cohort data in Spanish for 50 Latin American youth mobile activists from across the Americas. It was a very intense session but I survived and my Spanish held up fairly well.

Two burritos and many avocados later my time in San Francisco is coming to a close. The Sex::Tech conference was very inspiring and I was able to attend many sessions around using new media technology for sexual health promotion, from feminism to working with LGBTQ youth, to mass media campaigns [...]

This weekend I am off on my way to San Francisco for the Sex::Tech Conference. I am going with my friend Amanda Sissons, who is a social entrepreneur and multi-media designer from Ryerson University. We are both in the final stages of our program and graduating this semester. This trip is kind [...]

This project is a working group for TakingITGlobal members who are interested in mobile communications. The aim of this working group is to share innovation in the field of youth mobile innovation, and to brainstorm projects and solutions for the TakingITGlobal platform.

I wanted to let you know about the Café Scientifique that I’m co-organizing! Everyone is welcome to come if you are in Toronto and we’re looking for volunteers to host workshops. Who wants to make virus dolls?! A few of my friends are going to organize HIV virus doll making (see graphic above) and [...]

I just found out that I was accepted as an OHTN Universities Without Walls Fellow!! You might be thinking, what does a research scholarship on HIV research have to do with Community Arts? I plan to use Community Arts and Media as a methodology to explore narratives around HIV and AIDS working in conjunction with [...]

ArtsBridge, UCLA – Changing Positions: Bridging the University and the City Through Arts Education (Los Angeles, California).
This blog was originally created as a part of my York International Internship Placement at UCLA ArtsBridge in the summer of 2006.  For my internship placement I collaborated as a peer researcher in the VIVA! Project [...]

Over the summer I had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with artists Che Kothari and Rodrigo Bascunan on a short video for the Organization of American States on the power of art as a tool for fostering non-violence.  For the project Che collected footage from across the Americas on community arts programs and arts policy [...]

For those of us living in Canada there are a number of options for mobile fundraising. Please encourage others to give by posting these as your status update or mass texting your contacts. Please spread the word and give back through your phone! Text HAITI to 90999 on your cell phone to make an immediate [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON — January 2009
Check it OUT:  “Empower: Youth, Arts and Activism: An HIV/AIDS Activism Manual for Youth by Youth�

Button-Making, Fashion, YouTube Projects, Film-Making, Safer Sex Organizing, and More!

The manual, Empower: Youth, Arts, and Activism, is designed for youth by youth, and features a diverse range of projects put forward by [...]

With the new year on the horizon and my Master of Environmental Studies wrapping up it#39;s time to set goals and to focus on laying down the foundation for my future. I feel like I#39;m at a crossroads in my career with interests flying in a million…

Bodies, nature, gaze, plunder. Dialogue. We, the incubators, bring together works of art in dialogue with each other and with ourselves to examine the ways in which bodies (specifically women’s bodies) are linked with and separated from “nature.� We are the incubators insofar as we hold these dialogues within and between our own bodies over [...]

As San Francisco braces itself to be the first major American city to not have a daily newspaper, the canary has sung as the death of print looks eminent. But what new frontiers do new media really offer? Can media democracy be maintained through new forms of citizen media that are more interactive featuring user-generated [...]

Recently I came across this ad for koodo mobile, a Canadian brand launched by Telus in 2008 around the time when Mobile Revolutions was born. koodo sports similar sans serif sexiness in it’s branding, targeting a gen y market craving a world free of contracts and unlimited text messaging packages (although the $5 one is [...]

Are you interested in mobile communications? Want to win an iPod Touch or Shuffle? The TakingITMobile survey is looking for your input! The aim of this research is to share innovation in the field of youth mobile communications and to brainstorm projects and solutions for the TakingITGlobal platform.

Through breakthroughs in Web 2.0 technology a new form of digital democracy has emerged where the divide between media producers and consumers dissolved and citizen media rules. While before citizens had to rally for mainstream media attention to catch the ears of politicians, now it is easier ever than before for citizens to launch awareness [...]

Tell The CRTC you want Internet Freedom!

In a corner of his wife’s office in the Centre for Social Innovation, in an old red pile on Spadina, Mark Surman is trying to find a spot quiet enough for a phone interview. “Tonya, can I sit here or will I drive you guys nuts?” he asks above clattering keyboards. “You’ll drive us nuts, [...]

In a corner of his wife’s office in the Centre for Social Innovation, in an old red pile on Spadina, Mark Surman is trying to find a spot quiet enough for a phone interview.

“Tonya, can I sit here or will I drive you guys nuts?” he asks above clatte…

When looking at new media communication, it is clear that across class, race, and gender, there are inequalities in terms of access, influence and control. The digital divide is still apparent, yet everyday youth are working to bridge these gaps by seizing the means of communication and creating alternative networks for social change. TakingITGlobal is [...]

This project is a working group for TakingITGlobal members who are interested in mobile communications. The aim of this working group is to share innovation in the field of youth mobile innovation, and to brainstorm projects and solutions for the Tak…

As a cultural worker I have worked in many community media projects where issues of copyright continuously emerge.  Those who are new to the practice of community media may be questioning exactly what it refers to.  Community Media is the practice of a group of non-media experts from a specific community create a collaborative media [...]

American cultural imperialism has a large effect on how youth construct their identities, creating hegemonic ideals of beauty, and most importantly defining cool for an entire generation of youth. Yet culture is not a one-way transaction, as much of …

Lately I’ve been writing a lot about youth, new media, and social change. As a youth who uses technology in all of my work, I’m constantly on my laptop, or toying about with my mobile phone on the subway. I love it, live it, write it, research it-…

It’s been about a month or more since I’ve blogged, a month or more since I left Toronto, and a month or more that I’ve been traveling across Central America. Technically there is plenty to blog about, but I’ve found myse…

In this paper I outline the transformative power of new media technologies in Latin American contexts as tools for social change, comparing examples of youth digital activism from both Costa Rican and Panamanian contexts. Focusing on two types of Social Media, both Social Networks and Mobile Communication are examined as tools for Central American youth [...]

Social Networks have moved from being a buzzword, to an essential element of global pop culture. Social Networks are online platforms that provide users with spaces to upload and share information with others on the network. They can be accessed by a series of devices, such as computers, gaming systems, cell phones, and other mobile [...]

Globally 1.5 billion people have access to televisions, and 1 billion to the Internet; yet overall the most actively used electronic gadget is the mobile phone, with over 3 billion users worldwide. Reaching the 4 billion mark before the end of 2008, that equals to approximately one cell phone for every two human beings. Under 30-years in existence, cell phones are one of the most rapid developing technology the world has ever known. According to Touré, Secretary General of the ITU, “The fact that 4 billion subscribers have been registered worldwide indicates that it is technically feasible to connect the world to the benefits of ICT and that it is a viable business opportunity.” According to Touré, “Clearly, ICTs have the potential to act as catalysts to achieve the 2015 targets of the MDGs.”

When looking at new media communication, it is clear that across class, race, and gender, the digital divide is still apparent. Yet everyday youth are working to bridge these gaps by seizing the means of communication, and creating alternative networks, brainstorming new functions that CEOs had never dreamed possible. Yet as innovations in Citizen Media [...]

Today the Globe and Mail came out with an article iQUAKE, going over some basic wireless statistics; 10.1 billion text messages sent in Canada in 2007, 81% of worldwide mobile phones will be equipped with cameras by 2010, and 1.15 billion phones sold worldwide last year, up 16% from the previous year. There is no [...]

Growing up digital has heavily influenced the course of my life. The first computer I used was an old Macintosh at age four years old. From then on it was love. When I was eight I taught myself Photoshop, and was always playing with programs like …

I am really excited for the International AIDS Conference! I was at the conference when it was in Toronto in 2006 and it was such an amazing experience to hear everyone’s struggles in battling HIV/AIDS. I look forward to checking out the resources on the youth site, and getting to know the stories of those [...]

I am really excited for the International AIDS Conference! I was at the conference when it was in Toronto in 2006 and it was such an amazing experience to hear everyone’s struggles in battling HIV/AIDS.

I look forward to checking out the resources …

  Looks like the iPhone hasn’t come far. Faster internet, more contracts, a few new applications that don’t really rival the ones that us Jailbreakers already have. Many of the applications did blow me away I have to admit. The blogging app was very impressive, as well as Loopt, an app that networks friends through [...]

Looks like the iPhone hasn’t come far. Faster internet, more contracts, a few new applications that don’t really rival the ones that us Jailbreakers already have. Many of the applications did blow me away I have to admit. The blogging app was very…

So, I must admit, this is the second post I’ve made from a mobile device. It is definately a challenging and doable feet. More and more frequently activists and NGOs are harnessing these technological devices in order to coordinate everything from larg…

So, I must admit, this is the second post I’ve made from a mobile device. It is definately a challenging and doable feet. More and more frequently activists and NGOs are harnessing these technological devices in order to coordinate everything from large scale mobilizations to healthcare revolutions. Mobile phones are now even being equiped with [...]

David Gray from XPLANE blows our minds once again. With a world now approaching more cell phone users than literate people, it is vitally important that we begin to explore new ways of communicating in the digital age. Interesting fuel for your mind!

  David Gray from XPLANE blows our minds once again. With a world now approaching more cell phone users than literate people, it is vitally important that we begin to explore new ways of communicating in the digital age. Interesting fuel for your mind!

I just got back to Costa Rica this week and I finally feel like I am home. A strange feeling to feel when I am supposed to be leaving in a months time. Josue and I have just moved into a huge house with a beautiful garden full of fruit trees. We have …

Social Networks have moved from being a buz word, to an essential element of global pop culture. From India to Brazil, youth, artists, musicians, businesses, politicians, and not for profits are embracing these new technologies in order to spread the…

  Social Networks have moved from being a buz word, to an essential element of global pop culture. From India to Brazil, youth, artists, musicians, businesses, politicians, and not for profits are embracing these new technologies in order to spread their influence and reach new audiences. Yet as Social Networking becomes more popular, the array [...]

As I am finishing up my semester it means that I have to turn into an essay machine, something that I have been avoiding as of late. I have been up to my ears (as they say in Spanish) with work on CEAAL’s new website.

Finally I have a chance to bre…

Recently scientists have announced that the world must go carbon zero by the mid-century to avoid the dangerous effects of global warming. After years and years of environmentalists fighting to get their voices heard the world is now finally conscious…

Over the last few months my computer has provided me with nothing but problems. I took it into the shop before I went to Costa Rica and had the screen and logic board replaced. Then weeks later it failed again, and I had to take it into Icon to get f…

Living by yourself in another country provides one with inumerable opportunities to challenge existing convictions and ways of living. Being in Panama has taken me a long time to get used to, not because it is so different than where I was living befo…

While I am working here as a Netcorps Intern, I am also enrolled at York University as a fieldwork student and as such I have certain responsibilities. While I am working away I also have to make sure that I’m also integrating my research, and as su…

Finalmente estoy en Panamá. No puedo creer todos los cambios que me han pasado en las semanas pasadas. Ahora estoy viviendo en la Ciudad de Panamá, y acabo de empezar me trabajo nuevo con el Consejo de Educación de Adultos de América Lati…

So I’m sitting here in Miami Airport after getting here two hours early and Spirit Airlines tells me that my flight has already left. Flash back three days earlier- I’m sitting in La Guardia and the woman working at the Spirit desk is apologizing that…

Bikas Das/Associated Press from NY Times
Today I started a documentary film workshop at the Canadian Screen Training Centre at the National Film Board. The workshop has been amazing so far, and I’ve been loving all of the advice that we’re getting fr…

In April of 2007 designer Armando Torrealba discovered that the work that he had posted on Flickr has been used by a retail store without permission. Torrealba worked in conjunction with the NGO Derechos Digitales and used his Creative Commons Lice…

This is a video that I made with Helena Shimeles from Young Dips. We are going to be facilitating a workshop tomorrow at Cedarbrae Collegiate on the legacy of slavery. Let me know what you think, and I’ll let you know how it goes!

It’s been awhile since I’ve really blogged. I’ve been so busy as of late with school that I haven’t even been going out or going downtown. Also the cold has made my prone to hibernation! Instead of my usual routine I have been bundling up on the c…

Instead of taking time to broker a deal with Apple to secure the new iPhone for the Fall, Rogers has taken a horrible turn by contracting a new service with MySpace, bringing the social networking site into the cellular world. I cannot imagine what this would look like. Words that come to mind are watered-down, [...]

There is a new workshop in the mix. I have been tossing out some emails as of late, brainstorming for a possible workshop for Youth Action Network‘s Anti-Racist Summer Series training. I proposed doing a workshop with a similar theme to the my call out for the King Kong Remix Project. The idea is to [...]

  Mr. Jobs just put out a whole new range of products, unveiling Leopard, a whole new range of collaborations, applications, and let us not forget the iPhone coming out late this month. I’m watching the Keynote right now, and he’s going on and on about how great Apple computer is…. what he’s not saying, [...]

  This blew my mind! A poca madre.

  I created this post for the TakingITGlobal’s Net Generation Video Contest.  I submitted late, so I didn’t end up getting a prize, but I did get a $100 gift certificate to Amazon.  I made the video on my experiences as a Netcorps Intern for Defensa de Niñas y Niños Internacional Costa Rica.  My friend [...]

  Have you ever thought about what Facebook does with your personal information? Well, they sell it to marketing corporations. The knowledge databases that are building up online are relatively rich, and web communities and social networking sites are taking advantage of the relative lack of laws around this subject. Web 2.0 users are known [...]

Today has been one of those spring cleaning days. In my spring cleaning, I am picking up pieces of technology and playing with them again. I got to play with my iSight a couple of days ago, and now it’s time to tackle the iPod. Problem is my nano was kidnapped by my little sister! [...]

so i have to admit, i’ve been sucked in. online communities have existed since the advent of the internet, starting with dial-up bbs forums, moving on to irc, forums, webrings, etc. when we look back at the short history of the internet, we can see that it’s always been and always will be a social [...]

lately i have been doing a lot of reading on web 2.0, and social networking sites, but not a lot of writing. i’ve been so busy with finishing the new website and organizing training sessions that it is hard to find time. the workshop that i did at defensa de niñas y niños internacional costa [...]

this has to be the coolest thing that google has done yet. yah sure, they support the chinese government in suppressing democracy, but they support open source technology! they must not be evil! okay enough sarcasm. this really is the coolest project that i have read about in a long time. thank you google. i [...]

i had this sent to me when we were signed up to do a video blog with the world aids forum last september. while i don’t follow all of it, i thought it might be interesting to share. the original post is from ProBlogger.net. The following post was submitted by Lyndon from Flockblog who in [...]