Welcome to Scarborough Studies Collective’s first podcast and first episode  - Scarboro Stories. The Scarborough Studies Collective is an interdisciplinary and intergenerational collective of local scholars, artists, community organizers, and residents from various fields and knowledge backgrounds.

At the Collective, we felt that it was important that we create a platform where Scarborough residents can express themselves freely and claim their own narratives. Therefore, Scarboro Stories, the podcast was formed. We especially want to acknowledge that this is part of the larger fight to address social inequities not just in Scarborough but also in other systematically oppressed communities around the world. 

Today, we have Lubaba Gemma and Sarah Mohamed joining us today to talk about systemic barriers and racial inequities in post-secondary institutions such as University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus.

I hope you all take away a few things and learn more about authentic Scarborough Stories.

Scarboro Stories Episode 1/ Sarah & Lulu

On Episode 2, we have Krystal Jagoo sharing her experiences of systemic barriers and institutional racism in spaces she works, lives and socializes.

Krystal Kavita Jagoo embraces her identity as an artist given the creative solutions needed for survival with a critical mind in the fat brown disabled body she inhabits. As a settler on Turtle Island, she remains intent on anti-oppressive practice as a social worker, given her field's abhorrent violations when not committed to dismantling complicity with the problematic status quo. Krystal is all too familiar with racial inequalities and systemic barriers as she navigates crowded buses from Scarborough during a global pandemic to access much-needed Chiropractic adjustments near her workplace in Toronto that has initiated disciplinary action following her 3-month disruption in treatment, as if it is not obvious how that would impact performance, on top of the additional emotional and mental labour demands she faces supporting students with disabilities in the body she inhabits in what often feels like Jordan Peterson's stomping grounds. From the pre-delivery inspection for her condo in Scarborough nearly 2 years ago, she felt the assault of white supremacy as white women doubted that her unit included appliances even as she flashed the paperwork confirming this in their infuriating faces! Her historical and ongoing survival of trauma at the hands of white supremacy has made her apprehensive of civic engagement, but Scarborough Arts has been a rare organization to work in solidarity with her as she supports BIPOC resistance locally with writing workshops.

Scarboro Stories Episode 2/ Krystal

On episode 3 of Scarboro Stories, we have Hana Syed! We talked about the transit infrastructure in Scarborough and civic engagement! 

Hana Syed is a musician, advocate, and leadership strategist. Prior to law school, she earned her HBSc in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Toronto. Today, she continues to advise and advocate for Scarborough / the GTA's best interests through research, public consultations, and deputations, specializing in transit, housing, mental health, and youth engagement. Last summer, she was invited by the Toronto City Manager and TTC CEO to serve on the City's Expert Advisory Panel to inform the Ontario-Toronto Realignment of Transit Responsibilities Review. Alongside her siblings, Hana Co-Founded the internationally recognized non-profit organization, Global Youth Impact (GYI) - a platform for youth to develop their leadership, public speaking, and academic/career skills through workshops, community engagement, and campaigns. This passion and work is reflected in the music she and her siblings produce and perform in the band, DEYSOfficial. Through lyrical storytelling, they continue to use music as a tool for change. Hana is also a featured TEDx speaker and is regularly invited to share her expertise, deliver speeches, and host workshops for schools, community initiatives, international conferences, and news media. 

See you all next time!

Scarboro Stories Episode 3/ Hana

Welcome back to our podcast series after a small hiatus! We have Rajean who is working with the Toronto Prisoners Rights Project and the Scarborough Campus Student Union. In Rajean's words.. "I primarily get to work on our Prisoner Emergency Support Fund and the We Keep Each Other Safe project to organize alternatives to policing. We are working towards a public art project in 2021 re: police and prison abolition and we're hoping to have one of the murals in Scarborough. Additionally, interested in talking about my personal history with Scarborough. It's where I grew up, where my mom still lives and where I work. Like a lot of Black people Scarborough is a city that we built and have been systemically erased from over the years. I've been thinking about that a lot now that I'm back working here and thinking about what it means to organize with that in the background of my mind".

Scarboro Stories Episode 4/ Rajean

Hi everyone! On episode 4 of our IGTV series, we have Joshua Spencer. On today’s episode with Joshua we talked about poverty, blackness in academia, and the arts infrastructure. Likewise, the link to our podcast can be found in our bio. 

According to Joshua, he says he’s a weird guy. His personality is his superpower. You probably know him from UTSC Frosh Week, Pan Am Centre, or Tamil Student Events. He’s been an avid volunteer on campus, working with the Street Team, and mentor to first year students. He’s acted as a Master of Ceremony, counsellor, leader, student, trainer, and performer on campus.
 
As an only child, born and raised in Scarborough he’s currently pursuing degrees at the University of Toronto and Centennial College. He’s studying Professional Writing at Centennial and Majoring in Women and Gender Studies with Dramatic Writing at UTSC. This is a huge shift for the original Molecular Biology major. He credits this transition to just experiencing more life. “I realized that a career in something based off my talents would be better in the long term”.

Scarboro Stories Episode 5/ Joshua

Welcome back to our LAST episode of our IGTV Series of Scarboro Stories Sneak Peaks! On our second last episode we have Marie Sotto talking to us about the arts infrastructure in Scarborough and the racial inequities in this industry. 

Marie Sotto is a Scarborough Filipinx futurist, art witch and game changer. Marie has ten years of experience in arts leadership, cultural strategy and programming in community arts. As an independent artist, Marie has previously exhibited work at Artscape Youngplace, The Gladstone Hotel and The Harbourfront Center. Marie also performs theatre and comedy across the city. Marie is currently completing digital residencies with Ukai Projects and Virtual Grounds. Marie is the creator of @Scarborough.Always a visual storytelling project that is a love letter to, for and from Scarborough. Marie's experiences and memories of Scarborough continue to inspire and motivate her work as an artist.