HUMBER COLLEGE

Photo: Marissa Groulx

Humber College Lakeshore Campus students and staff are making moves this summer to support our community, including urban gardening projects, design innovations and collaborations with the City of Toronto.

Before I update you on the goings-on at Humber Lakeshore, it is important to recognize issues of broader importance.

Over the past month we have been reminded that the country we aspire to be is not always the one we live in, with members of our Muslin and Indigenous communities facing past and present acts of Islamophobia and the legacy of our residential school system. Whether it is the discovery of the remains of 215 children found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia in May, or the terrorist act in a city just two hours from Toronto, we are reminded that there is work to be done.

The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, often shares his view that education has played a role in where we are today but that it can also play a role in a better future. Humber was one of the first colleges to sign on to the CICan Indigenous Education Protocol, and we are committed to putting in the work required to achieve truth and reconciliation.

Humber values intellectual and cultural traditions from Indigenous cultures and histories, and we understand that we are all enriched by the opportunity to learn about them.

The college will work to acknowledge the truth about the genocide that occurred in Indian Residential Schools, recognize the lives lost, and denounce the violent assimilation and the unchecked atrocities. We will listen to and learn from survivors’ stories of resilience and strength so that these tragedies never happen again. And we will stand against all acts of Islamophobia and acts of hate towards other communities.

Community togetherness has never been more critical, and one of our ongoing initiatives provides the perfect opportunity to get involved. If you’ve been following our GARDENS project, you might be interested in knowing that the team has prepped and planted nine pod site locations across South Etobicoke.

These include: - Birds and Beans Café - Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society at The Daily Bread Foodbank - LAMP Community Health Centre - LAMP Early Childcare Centre - Humber College - Lakeshore Campus - Father John Redmond Catholic School - Toronto Public Library - Long Branch - James S. Bell Junior Middle School - CF Sherway Mall

This year, the project is being funded through the Humber College Community Partnership Fund, Humber’s Office of the Principal and LAMP CHC.

GARDENS has been able to offer more workintegrated learning opportunities with the support of Canada Summer Jobs for four paid seasonal positions for Humber College students in the International Development and Community Development Program.

More opportunities will be added later in the summer for creative projects.

The Principal’s Office also planted an indigenous garden in partnership with Humber Indigenous Education & Engagement on campus.

LAMP CHC’s educational workshops start up this month, too. To learn more, visit www.gardenslakeshore.ca/education-events.

Thank you for your continued support of this important community project!

Humber College values both hands-on work experience and critical thinking, so when our students are presented with a challenge, you can expect some creative results.

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery did just that when they recently hosted the AFFECT Design Challenge in partnership with our Centre for Creative Business Innovation (CCBI).

The challenge started with a question: How might we expand the community of contemporary art visitors and engage a more diverse and representative community for contemporary art museums and galleries? taking on the city’s most pressing urban challenges. In May and June, more than 400 students from 32 countries participated in the Global Systems Gap Challenge, hosted by Humber in partnership with the city of Toronto.

In teams, they looked at problems and solutions in the arts and culture, economic development, health and wellness and social innovation sectors.

Bachelor of Design students Sierra Highfield, Mary Auchincloss, Mariam Bidaoui and Nadiyah Foyjeen created the winning proposal. By the end of the six-week virtual challenge, the students identified what’s needed for systemic and sustainable change in the city of Toronto.

I’ll have plenty more news to share next month as our community moves toward a more physical sense of togetherness. Until then, I hope you enjoy the sunshine and our magnificent Lakeshore views. I hope to see you on the trails!

Best wishes, Derek Stockley

They focused on tackling apprehensiveness toward contemporary art and its perceived exclusivity. They wanted to reframe the idea as a community activity that anyone can enjoy.

The group’s idea was for the gallery to showcase a new exhibit every month, each one focusing on an important social issue. Submissions of photos, digital illustrations and videos would be accepted and displayed on digital monitors.

The gallery is reviewing the group’s project and other high-scoring proposals to evaluate whether any of the solutions can eventually be implemented.

With the success of its inaugural competition, CCBI and the Power Plant hope to expand the challenge to include students from other institutions next year.

Not only are Humber College students influencing Toronto’s art scene, but they’re also DEREK STOCKLEY

Principal, Lakeshore Campus Senior Dean, Faculty of Social and Community Services Follow on Twitter: @derek_stockley