York Region Food Network's "Food Stories" series takes you on a journey of food and culture through hearing the individual experiences of Guest Speakers from across York Region, as they share their cultures and connections to food.  Four shows (stories) of one hour each. Tune in at your leisure from September 25 to October 25, 2020. Check out YRFN's Youtube channel here

 Jerisha Grant-Hall and Maxine Knight

Chef Maxine Knight demonstrates how to cook soup while telling her food story and the history of African and Caribbean cuisine. She is joined by Jerisha Grant-Hall of Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) to talk about food memories, food as culture, and sharing food traditions and culture with children. Click here to check out the video

Suzanne Smoke and Maxine Knight

Chef Maxine Knight is joined by Suzanne Smoke, Ginew Kwe, Golden Eagle Woman, a member of Mississauga's of Rice Lake, Alderville First Nation. She sits with the Bear Clan. Through her food story she shares her respect for Mother Earth and the interconnectedness of land, water and spirt. Suzanne is the Executive Director of Biindigen Healing and Arts, a Not for Profit grassroots agency serving the off-reserve population of Southern Ontario by providing culturally sensitive and appropriate programming and healing. Click here to check out the video

Eden Hagos and Maxine Knight

In this episode of Food Stories, Chef Maxine will chat with Eden Hagos of Black Foodie.  She is a local influencer who explores food through a Black Lens. Listen to her story of why and how BlackFoodie.Co came to be as she puts a spotlight on the best of African, Caribbean and Southern Cuisine.    Click here to check out the video

Radha Bhardwaj 

Radha Bhardwaj is a passionate storyteller and advocate for people experiencing poverty.  She has a rich and impactful leadership history in the non-profit sector, bringing communities together to cultivate change. Radha is a professor at Seneca College and founder of Banyan Tree Circles.  A perfect day for Radha would include growing flowers and cooking delicious meals that she learned from the elders in her life. Click here to check out the video

Erika MacNeil  - a dancer by training and a teacher by trade.

Mother of two teens and owner of two mutts, Erika is also the librarian at Rogers PS in Newmarket, where she lives with her husband and family. Enjoy this special performance at your leisure from September 25 to October 25

before/after

I am honoured to present the story of the Chinese Market Gardens in what was known as Lambton, a unique agricultural plot in Toronto along the banks of the Humber River, from the 1920's until their destruction by Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

In the midst of racial discrimination of the Chinese Head Tax and the Exclusion Act that ultimately banned Chinese immigrants from coming to Canada, the men who came to build the Canadian Pacific Railway worked these market gardens as menial citizens to support their families back in China. Despite these conditions, the growing of fresh produce is a legacy of sacrifice, determination and hope.

I am humbled to share this narrative with you. My accompanists, Eric Cadesky and Angel Guo, are the composers of the exquisite soundscape you will hear, and the sound editing was provided by Greg King of Newmarket Today. I am grateful for the opportunity Culture Days presents to share with you, a tribute to my heritage, before/after.

A pre-recorded dance performance in response to the above:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-23dEvt5FHHstCr6fedz0p8ZyeBPvet-/view

Seven authors from the Writers Community of York Region each present ten-minute readings of their own works. Listen in at your leisure from Sept 25 to Oct 25.

• Roderick Turner - https://youtu.be/7MfnvdQ8BZg
• Douglas Owen - https://youtu.be/vYtbGRTTehQ
• Hyacinthe Miller - https://youtu.be/ByjbzJ4eIKw
• MJ Moores - https://youtu.be/6iuPwkXapRU
• Paul Yanuziello - https://youtu.be/DjxABHvcxhw
• Gary McGugan - https://youtu.be/OMlMUDaokK4
• Mit Gopaul - https://youtu.be/11NXx29ruR4

Writers Community of York Region Utube:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKFyrDbPztXM8RxRQ00I6GQ

WED OCT 14, 2020 | 7:00 p.m.

Professor Janet M. Bennet

Join Global Intersections for a 1.5 hour interactive zoom workshop with Professor Bennett as she explores research on intercultural communication from the University of Minnesota. Focusing on how to teach and understand cultural differences, this workshop will seek to highlight her three keys to cultural competence: curiosity, cognitive complexity, and empathy. This is an opportunity to learn how the arts dialogue is a powerful tools for engagement and how it is used effectively to understand individuals, specific but not limited to, their cultural context.

Link here: Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9298632473?pwd=T005d29pcHBJVHFpczNLNkZ0Q0xlUT09

Meeting ID: 929 863 2473
Passcode: 1GnaGP