STANDOUT PUBLICATIONS | STANDOUTPUBLICATIONS.COM | SPRING NO.10 2018 ISSUE
CELEBRATING Canadians | F R E S H S TA R T F O R D O M E S T I C V I O L E N C E S U R V I V O R S | N I R M A L A N A I D O O : F R O M T V T O E N V I R O N M E N T | | O V E R C O M I N G L O S S & A D D I C T I O N | FA S H I O N I N S T I T U T E S P R I N G S H O W I N S P I R E S |
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There is no such thing as ‘going back to square one’. Even if you feel like you have to start over, you are trying again with more knowledge, strength & power than you had before. Your journey was never over, it was just waiting for you to find it again. UNKNOWN
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Just because the past didn’t turn out like you wanted it to, it doesn’t mean your future can’t be better than you have ever imagined. UNKNOWN
There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. C.S LEWIS
ALL GLORY COMES FROM DARING TO BEGIN. EUGENE F WARE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Inside this ISSUE >>
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#QOTI Quotes of the Issue
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Behind StandOUT
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Message from the Co.
FRES H S T A R T , O N C E IN A WH ILE
INTR O DU C TIO N TO TH E C O VE R
CHEER S TO 2 0 1 8 !
An Event that Inspires FA S H I O N I N S T I T UT E S P R I N G SHOW b y Catherine Tkach
FEATURES/STORIES
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Creative Portfolio Page
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Lifestyle Health Awareness
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Life & Health Stories
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Canadian Business to Support
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F A S H I O N I L L U S T R A T I O N b y Kat Leto
S E L F L O V E - O V E R CO MI N G L O S S & A DD I CT I O N b y Shylo Thompson
L I G H T A T T H E E N D O F TH E T U N N E L b y Lisa Kauffmann
G E MS F O R L I F E b y Jordan Gilford
NIRMALA & WORLD’S HUMAN RIGHTS TRUE NEWSTO R Y b y Shama Palangdosan
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Women of Inspiration
E MP I R E O F E MP O W E R ME N T by StandOUT Team & Canadian Business Chicks
Making Changes in Life
S MA L L T O W N , B I G D R E A MS b y Zach Van Kerrebroeck
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TRUE NEWSTORY Canadian TELEVISION Life Story >>
Nirmala
& the World’s Human Rights Showing the world what it takes to be the first women of color on Global TV — Shama Palangdosan
PHOTOS, ZEV ABOSH & JEFF MCDONALD LOCATION, STEPHEN AVE - CALGARY
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T HAS BEEN OVER 24 YEARS SINCE NIRMALA NAIDOO FIRST APPEARED ON AIR AS AN ANCHOR AT GLOBAL TELEVISION NETWORK. Before her transition into politics, Naidoo was
one of the first women of colour to appear on Global Television as a news anchor in 1994, which she says was a “testing period” at the time. Prior to her success of working at Global for fourteen years, she was at the UK freelancing and working for multiple different news agencies. Naidoo started her journey in London, England on September 1989, wanting international experience and receiving encouragements from her then-boss, at CTV W5, Toronto, Ontario. “So I flew, gave up a job with benefits and a great paycheck, everything, and flew to London with no job—no benefits—no apartment. Nothing,” Naidoo says during a face-to-face interview at a quiet café located on 8th Avenue, Calgary downtown on a snowy mid-April Thursday. She started overseas with nothing as she landed, but Naidoo also moved there just before the Gulf War broke out knowing that she might be able to cover stories and freelance, which is what happened. After three years on the job, she found herself wanting to come back home. Naidoo found herself back in Canada, however, further west as she started her career once more in Regina, Sask. with a job opportunity at CBC Saskatchewan. Naidoo remembers being on the phone at her small flat in London hearing the words that she was hired, with the company flying her out to Regina. “I went to the big city of London to Regina, where I’d never been,” Naidoo exclaimed. Naidoo remembers boarding the plane in March 1992 and looking at the headline on the newspaper that was about traffic in Regina. She also recalls the photo which featured six cars at a stoplight, which was a culture shock compared to traffic jams in London— which was comparably much busier. She stayed with CBC Regina for two years until finding her way to Global Calgary, where she would continue her work as an anchor and journalist. And while she was the “test subject,” being the first woman of colour to be on television as a news anchor, she found herself welcomed within the workplace—as well as outside of the studio, where many would watch her dictate the daily news on their television screens.
“I wanted to do something courageous and television gave me that opportunity.” She mentions how much it spoke to her that Calgarians embraced her and allowed her to come into their living rooms every night and have supper with them. “They gave me credibility and for that I’m indebted,” she said. However, that wasn’t always the case. When she was younger, she grew up feeling what many other minority people feel: prejudiced. Naidoo states that she struggled most with feeling like she wasn’t part of everything. “I don’t think I see it [being] the same way today—but growing up for me in the 70’s in small-town Alberta, we were the only minority family.” “I felt like I was accepted by proxy,” she says. “I had great friends, but you always wondered if there was a limit to their acceptance.” Naidoo’s parents were hired from South Africa to teach in Alberta. Having no POC role models on television back in the 70’s was something that Naidoo didn’t have as she grew up in Didsbury, Alta. With this, her love for storytelling and wanting to provide a voice for the underdog cemented the action and passion to want pioneer and pave way for people to see that they also can take a chance and create their own niche as a woman who is a person of colour. “I wanted to do something courageous and television gave me that opportunity,” Naidoo explains. Naidoo’s repertoire in journalism and broadcasting has won her numerous awards locally and internationally, including a couple from RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association) as an anchor for Best Newscast and was also on the cover of Time Magazine. She has covered a variety of stories that include the British elections and the Gulf War all the way to the local news. Because of her passion, she has gone through lengths to make marginalized people--especially minority women feel accepted. standoutpublications.com
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Naidoo is an outspoken advocate and expresses passion in terms of coverage about human rights issues. She fights for minorities and people who have been dismissed and trivialized within society. She fights for people who don’t have that chance to raise their voice, and for people who aren’t able to. Naidoo completed her post-graduate degree in Journalism from Carleton University located in Ottawa, Ontario, where she recalls a memory on her first day of class of her professor asking the question: “How many people in this room want to change the world?” “Only three of us put up our hands.” To which the professor replied to the students who raised up their hands “there’s the door,” Nirmala says. “I remember thinking, ‘God, that’s so cold,’” she says. “I don’t think you change the entire world, but you change the world one person at a time.” “You change small things that matter in great ways to people. So, I disagree with him.” Naidoo expressed her passion for the industry because it was her way of making a difference and changing the status quo, which made her think about what other professions would also grant the same opportunity. “I thought politics is exactly where it is,” she says. Instead of telling stories, hoping that the right people are listening in government or decision-making roles, she thought that she would take charge herself and ran in the federal election. Her campaign was story-driven because she thought that was the best way to reach people. 10
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“I listened to people as a journalist, and I was able to tell their stories,” Naidoo says. Naidoo tells a story of when she was knocking on doors during the election and how much women would listen to what she had to say but would then thank her and proceed to want to discuss it with their husbands first. “At that moment I realized that women have had the vote for a mere blip in the grand scope of history and we’re already willing to take their right and hand it over to the men in their family and I was shocked by that,” she says. “I feel like my voice has to talk about human rights.” Naidoo wants to make sure that women know their voices matter and are needed. She feels that women shouldn’t sit out of the electoral process and that we need women to vote, to run, and to speak up, and be part of the political dialogue. “You don’t have to be super smart or anything to take part in politics, you just have to care about the sidewalk you’re stepping onto, the school your kids are going too, your bottom line after the taxes come off your paycheck—things that every single human being cares about,” Naidoo says. Although she had lost in the federal election, Naidoo states that it was a learning experience where she learned about herself, as well as the political arena and how it works. “I’m still very involved. “I got this job at the Alberta Climate Change Office and I’m loving it,” she says, adding that it was a new challenge and that it came at the right time. And while she isn’t working as a journalist any longer, she finds that the skills that she’s learned have been applicable to many aspects of her life. “A lot of people don’t realize how transferable journalistic skills are.” Naidoo believes that the emotional carrying aspect has a place in all aspects of life, including the workplace. And, while men are capable of being emotional carriers, Naidoo says women make up 50 per cent of the population and that they bring one trait that proves invaluable: compassion. “It comes back to that, not being devoid of emotion and that’s why we need women to be journalists, we need women in politics, and we need women to be at the table in boardrooms,” she says. She says that the biggest thing for her is to have young people, especially immigrants, say to her that her work has made a difference to their lives. With over 25 years of journalistic experience, Naidoo resides in Calgary with her husband and two kids. She mentions how the schools that her kids go to are more exposed to different cultures and different parts of the world. “I don’t think they feel any of the things that I felt when I was growing up, and I’m happy for that,” she says.
“I think that diversity really does make the world a better place.”
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LIFESTYLE HEALTH AWARENESS LOVE & LIFE Around Addictions & Mental Heatth >>
SELF Love L OVE Overcoming Loss and Addiction — Shylo Thompson
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PHOTOS, FELA PHOTOGRAPHY
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NFORTUNATELY, THERE IS STILL A STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION, CAUSING MANY PEOPLE TO AVOID TALKING OR SEEKING HELP. It is a topic that is
often avoided. Kimberly Jev (32), who sadly lost her fiancé Steven Howe in January 2015 after a battle with substance abuse, says that it is really important to keep talking. “One of the painful things about dealing with an addiction or mental health issue is that it pushes us to isolation and pushes us to shut the world out when what we really need is the interaction.” “We have to be open to the difficult conversations and open to learning from the really difficult situations that we may find ourselves in. This is something that has been key to living as someone who has gone through such a tragedy. It’s just really important to keep talking, really important to make it through the difficult conversations – this is where healing lives.” Despite the stigmas, Kimberly recalls that very early in their relationship, Steve was “very forthcoming and honest about who he was and his struggles.” “No two addicts are alike and with a background in the medical field, Steve was aware of his dependencies but yet always fell back in the grips of his struggles.” “There were no suspicious moments. We both agreed that as individuals in a team we had to always work on ourselves parallel to working on our relationship and work lives as well as this problem.” “Steve had attempted programs that he felt were good for his journey to recovery. He went to meetings and talked openly when set up in situations that facilitated room for him to express his sentiments.” “For someone in recovery, Steven did very well with balancing his life but at times things would go south very quickly and a pattern would re-emerge.” “I think sometimes when this subject is handled it’s portrayed as though the individual could not have it together. The reality of this story is that there were periods of happiness and periods of strife. It wasn’t all bad, all the time. There were large and small fluctuations of activity, of life, of a togetherness that was enjoyable and loving.”
“Steve’s mother was a heavy substance user, causing Steve to be born with withdrawals. On top of that, there were a number of factors that contributed to how things played out in the long run, especially toward the end of 2015, says Kim. “There was a slump in the economy beginning to make deep rivets in peoples lives, we had made a couple of really intense life decisions and not having a solid support system at times affected our performances.” Kim says that her journey has led her on the road to her own recovery, which of course has not been easy.
“It took a long time for me to even get to the point of wanting to be alive when I wake up.” “Recovery has been horrible and at first you think recovery is something that just happens. You think there will be a day when you will be 100% healed, but the truth of the matter is actual recovery comes when you get beyond the physical limitations the grief or pain has on you, freeing yourself mentally and being able to walk in tandem with your everyday life. When you actually make it to the point where taking care of yourself, really taking care of yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically comes as second nature, is when you are truly on the up in this journey.” “In the beginning, it was particularly difficult to face the fact that terrible things happen, tragedies happen but life keeps going. The world keeps turning. Things keep evolving. They may not be what you want to evolve but there are over 7 billion people on the planet today, when you start to think outside of yourself and away from the epicenter of the hurt you may be carrying, you reach an understanding that everybody on this earth has to deal with a loss and will have to deal with several over their lifetime.” “Coming from this mindset has really pushed me to continue facing the truth about situations, continue adjusting for the betterment of myself and my mind. We are all in a state of recovery from something, the minute or grand, as humans who share similarities biologically, there is just a shared understanding and you may not be able to sympathize or understand but it happens.” Kimberly says that when you start your recovery process, you have to take it day by day. “I’ve had to really learn to celebrate the small stuff, celebrate small wonders and victories of each day.” To anyone struggling with addiction or mental health issues, Kimberly stresses the importance of continuing to talk.
“What I would say to anyone who may be struggling is to be absolutely open about what you are going through. It’s important to share your struggle, it’s important for a few people to really understand so that when you do pick up the phone to call for help, they will be able to attend to you in the best possible way.” standoutpublications.com
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LIFESTYLE HEALTH AWARENESS LOVE & LIFE Around Addictions & Mental Heatth >>
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T MOS UL H T F TRU TE THIS QUO E ISSU
As humans we all suffer in one way or the other.”
“Being able to share your pain with others should be something celebrated. For me as I work on maintaining stability I have had to be very open with my friends and family about my needs. One thing that I think really helped me understand everything I have been through is just the honesty that I have been surrounded by, even from Steve. He was very honest with me about his struggles and I think that helped shape our bond and really helped us work towards healing.” While many see addicts as ‘others’, Kimberly states that we are not so different. “I want people to know that it doesn’t matter what you look like, doesn’t matter where you went to university, it doesn’t matter if you have the best job in the world, doesn’t matter if your social class is up in the rankings. Addiction, mental health issues, suicide, depression – these are all things we deal with as human beings. There is not a single soul on this earth that can say they have never faced a problem, lost a job or had difficulty getting their minds around something.” “As humans we all suffer in one way or the other.” “If we can stop looking at ourselves as different I feel maybe it can bring some kind of understanding that no single pain is unique.”
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LIFE & HEALTH STORIES
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WOMEN Health & Truth Lifestyle Issues >>
Light at the End of the Tunnel
PHOTOS, ROSE ABASS PHOTOGRAPHY
Discovering the truth about and accepting Endometriosis — Lisa Kauffmann
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OOD HEALTH SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. Most
of us go through our days without any pains, problems, or health issues. A headache here, a pulled muscle there, and a yearly check-up at the hospital is the norm for many. Could you imagine living with pain that doctors could not diagnose? This is the story of Chelsea Fataki and her struggles with hip dysplasia and endometriosis. She is a mom, health and wellness blogger, and hospitality manager at Spoken Word ministries.
Tell me more about how you were diagnosed and what things happened to you that led you to seek help. Do any other female blood relatives have this? I was a young child when I first started experiencing symptoms. At about age five, I remember frequent visits to the hospital with a rock hard belly and severe pain. As a nationally competitive gymnast, I often wept after practice – rubbing, icing, and stretching my legs. I was mocked for not being tough enough to handle the pressure of stiff gymnast legs. Little did they know that nearly two decades later, I was going to be diagnosed with Acetabular Dysplasia (Hip Dysplasia) at age 26, and one decade prior, diagnosed with Endometriosis at age 16. My diagnosis came after many years of being ignored in doctors’ clinics, being told it was gas, growing pains, etc. I had no relatives with either disease/disorder, so we pushed through to more specialists, dietitians, and allergy tests after I did not improve by age seven. 16
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By the time I knew what was happening with my body, I was 16 years old, going to boarding school. I was in and out of the E.R. on a weekly basis. Sometimes physicians sent me home to bite a blanket and scream into my pillows, as I had no diagnosis. I luckily had the dorm staff to fight for me, and access to new Saskatoon Specialists. At age 16, I saw a gynecologist, as I noted that my pain often did increase in correlation with my menstrual cycle, although I suffered severely on a daily basis. My surgeon did a laparoscopic excision removal of four large fibroids that had been growing over my uterus and ovaries. I was told I would improve after my surgery. I went on to suffer for many more years. The diagnosis/excision removal almost made things more difficult, since I was told by medical staff that I had been treated, and therefore, should no longer be in pain. It was sadly dismissed for a long time.
How has this changed your life? Good things and bad. I went on living my life, taking it day-by-day, scaling my way up the educational ladder, although the disease stole my ability to physically manage many different career paths – altering my choice in education. I was in the midst of maternity leave from nursing school and work when I met my ‘angel practitioner’, if you will. After 8 months with my young one, my pain increased so severely that I could hardly walk or carry my little boy. It was devastating. I made many medical notes to put in my own file, in order to gain some form of a voice throughout my medical chart. After listing all of my symptoms, and their severity, I was sent to meet an Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Specialist. This specialist completed another excision removal – this time, the endometriosis had infiltrated my uterus, bladder, and ovaries. The surgery gained me little success. The difference was that this physician had seen enough cases to be able to tell me that he could never promise me a cure because the disease truly has no cure. We dabbled with some ineffective hormonal contraceptives/suppression therapies, with no relief. I finally opted for a hysterectomy, in hopes that my pain would be relieved. I noticed a slight difference in the sense that I didn’t have the menstrual cycle, although I can still, to date, feel my cycle, whether it is menses or ovulation. I continued searching for answers, meanwhile being diagnosed with pain-related depression and anxiety. I desperately wanted to be able to hold my little boy again, to teach him soccer, and to be the mom he deserves. After feeling completely lost, I asked for a referral to a Neurologist, an Orthopedic specialist, and thankfully, my doctor suggested a Rheumatologist. I went to the Orthopedic surgeon first. I had an x-ray and that is when I received my diagnosis of Acetabular Dysplasia, and was put on a waitlist for an Acetabular Osteotomy, aka Hip Correctional Surgery. My ball joints were not fully covered by my sockets – displaced to a severe degree – but blinded by the sight of those who were not trained to see it. I was so traumatized that it took 2 appointments to mentally grasp the concept of what I was about to go through. The first appointment was a total blur. April 20th 2018, was the surgery date for my left hip. They are hoping to correct the displacement before arthritis sets in. The toll of all this pain has been colossal on myself and my family, to say the least. I am so tired, yet I continue to try and stay positive by helping other women who are suffering. My medium is my Instagram blog: @a.dose.of.tenacity. I feel encouraged that a 6 month recovery could result in a life that I have never dreamed of before – a life with less pain. Within a year of the left hip, they will do the right.
How are you coping now? What is your outlook on life? I am so relieved amongst my anxiety. It is a bittersweet beginning of a journey to a life of freedom and decreased pain. The days ahead lie long and daunting, but the potential reward brings a sense of relief and excitement. I cannot be more grateful to have had one doctor that truly listened to me, believed in me, and took every measure to help me. My case was recently featured on CBC Morning Live Show, with Liesha Grivinsky. I addressed the importance of women being taken seriously in the midst of invisible illness. I also addressed the importance that we advocate for ourselves, by
writing our own medical notes. To any woman who is suffering with an invisible illness – Endometriosis, Auto-Immune Disease, Depression, Anxiety, or Chronic Pain – I send my love and support to all. Keep fighting the fight, and never give up until you have found your answers! SOCIAL MEDIA INFO INSTAGRAM/ @IAMKIMLEESTAR, @KLSCOMMUNICATIONS EMAIL/ IAMKIMLEESTAR@GMAIL.COM
Stories of Canadians who Inspire. There are many ways to stand out. Do you know a Canadian who stands out? Someone whose work is inspirational or innovative? Someone who is making the world a better, more beautiful place to live? These are the stories that are going to fill the pages of our magazine. These are your stories. SUBMIT OR NOMINATE All you need to do is fill out the form on our website to tell us your story or a story of another Canadian. LOOKING FORWARD TO RECIEVING YOUR SUBMISSION.
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HEN A WOMAN FINALLY BREAKS FREE FROM AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, WHERE DOES SHE GO AND WHAT DOES SHE DO? Gems for Gems, the company created by Jordan Guilford will help women who need a fresh start from situations exactly like that.
SOP: Please explain “Gems for Gems” and what this business does? GFG: Gems for Gems works exclusively with women who have suffered from abuse to give inner strength, show them they are not alone and are very much cared for. We work to ‘Empower Women to Empower Themselves’ and in doing so, aim to end the cycle of abuse with all involved (the women and their children). Our three initiatives have garnered huge success to date, measured by testimonials from the women in the shelters, the employees and the overwhelming success with the interactive programs. We believe to end the cycle of domestic abuse, each woman we work with must find and connect to the hero within themselves. Every woman has the strength to change their path yet so often they have lost sight of that inner power. Gems for Gems inspires and empowers these women and through that process, we reawaken their drive to tap into their inner fire.
SOP: What are your initiatives and explain them. GFG: We have our Christmas Jewelry Drive, our Zero To Hero Series, and in 2018 we will begin our Gems for Gems Scholarship Program which will be a huge focus and is set to expand across Canada within a few years. Each one of our initiatives are designed to inspire, move and create at least the spark of change. Our scholarships will be awarded to highly motivated women after an application and interviews take place. In the correct hands, the scholarships are a true life changing experience and honoring the donations being given with that at heart is of high importance to us. More information on the programs below:
The Christmas Jewelry Drive: The women of Canada have been working with Gems for Gems for the past three Christmases through donating gently used jewelry. The Gems for Gems team collects, cleans, packages and gives packages of gifts to the women in these shelters as a gift from the women of Canada. We include a note to explain where the jewelry has come from, that we see their struggles, they are not alone and that they are ‘Gems’ no matter what. Each year the response has been fabulous. The ladies are so touched and the shelters now have come to expect this and love the heart warming experience of seeing the reactions.
The Zero to Hero Series: These take place once a month in Calgary and move from shelter to shelter. The premise of these events are to show the women how they can be their own ‘Hero’ through learning certain skills from ground ‘Zero’. We accomplish this goal by having key areas of personal development, relative to their specific reality, taught from the ground up. These areas are as follows;
Psychological: We always have a psychologist come and speak on coping mechanisms both directly after leaving abuse and for down the road when triggers could happen in public without warning.
Motivational Speaker: We have a leader from the community (usually a sought-after speaker, award winner etc.) come and speak on their version of over coming obstacles akin to those which these ladies have. They show that reaching their goals is very possible with the right mindset as well as with the knowledge that you must always be kind to yourself and understand that setbacks aren’t the end of their journey, but a part of it.
Financial Success Planning: Through our experience in the shelters we have worked with women from every economic back-ground, yet the common denominator is they have barely escaped with their lives, and left only with the clothes on their backs. Even the most well-planned exit strategies leave the women with extremely limited resources. We work with experts in this field to again, build from ground zero to financial stability through exposing common pitfalls, temptations, and by educating on resources not commonly known and therefore underutilized.
Self Defense: We have partnered with 5 Elements Martial Arts whose founder is 11-time World Champion for kick boxing and she is the one who teaches the self defense. All maneuvers are simple to master, taught from a few compromising physical positions and effective in being able to allow those crucial seconds to run. Each session is ended with each lady being taught and successfully breaking a board with her bare hands showing they are capable of much more then they think. It is powerful.
Entertainment: Once again, this component is executed by someone highly sought after who volunteers to perform for these ladies and give them a private ‘living room party’ experience which most would only be able to experience in a large venue with thousands of other people. Every emotion possible is experienced by everyone in the room and yet through the design of these events, everyone leaves feeling empowered with tools to assist them in their current state and in the future.
The Scholarship Program: In 2018 Gems for Gems will be partnering with colleges and other educational institutions across Canada in-order to provide nationwide trade scholarships, attainable in under 12 months, awarded to candidates from these shelters. Gems for Gems will partner only with educational institutions which ‘buy-in’ to our mandate of ongoing support to our scholars through the entire duration of their experience. this program to come in 2018!
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WOMEN OF INSPIRATION Canadian Business CHICKS - Calgary 2018 >>
CEO - ALBERTA WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, MARCELA MANDEVILLE
CO - FOUNDER - DIWALK FOUNDATION, RAMAN KAPOOR
FOUNDER, START UP BY SOPHIA, SOPHIA FAIRWATHER FOUNDER /CEO - MAKAMI COLLEGE MARIJA PAVKIVIO - TOVISSI
Empire of
CO FOUNDER - VIRGIN BEAUTY BITCH PODCAST, HEATHER ERLEN
FOUNDER/CEO - CHAIR FLAIR | EVENT CORE, SHANNON COLLINS
Empowerment
CEO - STANDOUT PUBLICATONS, TESSA LERBEKMO-JOYES
FOUNDER - CANADIAN BUSINESS CHICKS & WOMEN OF INSPIRATION AWARDS, MONICA KRETSCHMER
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PHOTO, JEFF MCDONALD WARDROBE, ETHOS BRIDAL & DURAND BRIDAL LOCATIO, DECIDELY JAZZ DANCEWORKS BEAUTY, MAISON BLU HAIR, GARY HOLDERMAN STYLIST, ADRIENNE FURRIE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AMANDA HAMILTON DESIGNS, AMANDA M. HAMILTON
FOUNDER - GEMS FOR GEMS, JORDAN GUILFORD
FOUNDER - CANADIAN BUSINESS CHICKS & WOMEN OF INSPIRATION AWARDS, LISA MUNDELL - LAWRENCE FOUNDER - WOMEN EMBRACING BRILLIANCE, KAREN KLASSEN
SOCIAL MEDIA INFO INSTAGRAM/ @ CANADIANBUSINESSCNICKS TWITTER/ @CDNBIZCHICKS WEBSITE/ CANADIANBUSINESSCHICKS.COM
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AN EVENT THAT INSPIRES NEW & SUCCESSFUL Talents >>
FASHION INSTITUTE SPRING SHOW New students bringing new and unique perspective on Fashion — Catherine Tkach
PHOTOS, ZEV ABOSH
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ERCEDES - BENZ, DOWNTOWN CALGARY, WAS HOST TO THE FASHION INSTITUTE BY BOW VALLEY COLLEGE’S SPRING SHOW. A spacious venue with lots of light
to begin with, it transformed into a glamorous sea of white under the artistic command of local Calgary celebrity set designer, Liz Nandee of Basic Black Designs. Liz, a well loved fixture in the Calgary fashion, design, and entertainment industry, is a professional whose work has been recognized on an elite level. Her most recent stage was set for Ellen Degeneres’ recent visit to Calgary. Michelle Obama and Oprah are among other celebrities to have used her service. BR Pirri, a well known Calgary fashion stylist, is now the Campus Supervisor for the Fashion Institute. She is the driving force in putting on this event that showcases the excellence of current students. Speaking to her before the show, BR, looking completely calm despite the few short hours until show time, gave credit to her team. The production of the show itself was turned over to THE fashion show pros, PARK. Kara Chomistek and Jessie Li were choreographing the runway and a team of volunteers had everything else under control out front.
About the show, BR said that “every year feels like the first time because of the new students bringing their unique personalities and unique views on fashion.” While there have been other impressive presenters, the S.P. BADU opening is really special since this Alumni has such an impressive career. Backstage was a different story. I love being backstage prior to a show. There is so much energy and excitement as designers stitch and make last minute adjustments. Models stand and sit for hours of make up and hair styling. The backstage is a jumble of sights and sounds as squeals of delight are heard along with painful wails at a piece fitting. There are racks spilling over in riots of color and there is a nervous excitement that is almost tangible. Headlining the show was Spencer Badu, presenting the newest collection of his unisex line S.P. BADU. His line opened the show to cheers and applause and it was all it promised to be: clean lines, classic looks with a unique individuality and a sense of fun were the standard. Spencer is an alumni who brings inspiration to the graduates, attending students, pride to his instructors and the Institute as a whole. His post-gender approach, incorporating both masculine and feminine elements, have garnered him global standoutpublications.com
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AN EVENT THAT INSPIRES
recognition and a cult following. His success is well deserved. A finalist in the Mercedes Benz Start Up in 2015, he has been featured in Paper Magazine (2018), Adidas Canada (2018), Paris Fashion Week (2017), and has been featured on the cover of ELLE Canada, as well as in Coveteur and Complex magazines. Spencer Badu is soft spoken and not comfortable with all the attention. His success has been a sweet progression with his committment to staying true to what he is doing. After taking fashion in high school his experience and the training at The Fashion Institutute gave him the confidence to “hit the road running.” He credits the Institute for great instruction, the heavy work load, and strict timelines as setting a standard for the real world of fashion design. His success is the result of a lot of hard work and the ability to grow beyond rejection. While the industry is always changing, he avoids trends, drawing his inspiration from more enduring elements such as architechture. His advice to the students and grads is to
“study your garments, believe in yourself, and be prepared for a lot of no’s.” This year, students showed their creations that included swim suits, wedding dresses, casual and formal fashion, and a massive collection of costumes from 1867, in celebration of Canada’s 150th. I spoke with some of the graduating students. Jason Way Kowalchuk is pictured working on a piece from the 1867 collaboration with Krysta Holbrook. Working with silk and cotton, each piece is constructed right from authentic foundation garments to the completed item. Nadine Arthur, with a spectacular dress featuring bold burgundy stripes, enjoys the costume element of the training. “With costuming there are more rules to follow and more research to do, meaning, more learning.” 24
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The elite of the fashion community was in attendance. Internationally acclaimed designer, Paul Hardy, was out to support and was particularly impressed with the collaboration of the Shakespeare Company and the Costume Cutting and Construction majors in the production of King Lear. Partnerships such as this open opportunities for students to move forward in their careers. Additional partnerships and entrepenuerial training would benefit students as well. Holly Allen, one of Calgary’s most loved fashion divas was out to enjoy the show.The spectacular hats worn by the models were the creations of Smithbuilt Hats and of her own Holly Allen Millinery. The evening ended with the presentation of the $1000 Telioi Scholarship to graduating apparal student, Emily Woodman, for her outstanding work. It was a successful event according to everyone I spoke with. So much local talent about to take their place in the competitive industry. Spencer Badu was such an inspiration to them, giving the students hope that they too will make their mark. SOCIAL MEDIA INFO INSTAGRAM/ @FASHIONINSTITUTEYYC @MODEMODELSINTL @MERCEDESBENZCALGARY @OLDS.COLLEGE @SPBADU @EVELINECHARLESACADEMY
MAKING CHANGES IN LIFE CAREER Choices & LIFE Skills >>
Small Town,
Big Dreams Albertan leaves comfort zone to finds confidence in acting — Zach Van Kerrebroeck
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ITH SPRING COMES THOUGHTS OF GROWTH AND NEW BEGINNINGS. IT’S OFTEN A TIME TO REFLECT ON WHERE YOU’VE COME FROM AND THE PATH UP UNTIL THE PRESENT. For Chad Rook, acting has taken him on a 17-year journey that
has spanned from small town Canada to screens around the world. While Rook continues to grow professionally, he will always be able to look back on humble beginnings and the odds he defied in order to live out his dream. Chad grew up with his mom and two brothers in Lethbridge, Alberta. A small town in provincial Canada with a population of less than 100 000. Lethbridge is better known for having friendly locals and warm Chinook winds than homegrown artistic ability. One of the more recent additions to community entertainment came in the form of an 18-hole disk golf course located in one of the 130 parks currently maintained by the city. Needless to say, the town’s charm doesn’t necessarily translate into being the mecca of thespian talent. Rook never felt comfortable in school and was drawn to acting at a very young age. Bullies made school tough, and didn’t allow for him to develop confidence. When he discovered acting, it became an outlet—he was immediately hooked. The ability to become someone else while in character quickly made Rook feel more comfortable onstage than off. After high school Rook realized that he wanted to pursue acting as a career, which made him see the need to leave Lethbridge. Leaving his small town was the only way that Rook would be able to continue his passion professionally. In order to pursue his career, Chad worked three jobs until he finally to saved enough to move to Vancouver. It was there that he began modelling briefly before singing with one of Vancouver’s largest talent agencies. The first step of his journey. “I did what I needed to do to make the change happen in my life.” Since becoming an actor, Chad has seen continued success. He has been featured in dozens of films and television series – to name a few – “Alcatraz”, “iZombie”, “The Flash”, and “The War of the Planet of the Apes”. He has since founded his own production company in addition to writing and directing a film of his own. From stocking shelves to owning a production company, Chad worked incredibly hard in order to follow his passion. Now he is able to reflect on the path that has lead him here and truly feel a sense of growth—something that we should all strive for. SOCIAL MEDIA INFO INSTAGRAM/ @CHADROOK TWITTER/ @CHADROOK
PHOTOS, FARRAH AVIVA PHOTOGRAPHY