< Back to Artists page featured at Jamii's events & workshops Artists Sharon Zarita Adhiambo Writer website Sharon Zarita Adhiambo is a Kenyan arts administrator, consultant and creative leader whose heart beats for holistic development of people and communities through artistic experiences. Zarita has worked in the arts sector in Kenya and Canada producing projects centered on self expression, social integration, and cultural celebration. Her work is grounded in creating barrier-free spaces where everyone can explore the artist in them while remaining authentic in their identity and stories. Apart from being an arts worker, she strengthens the industry as a mentor and advocate for arts progression. Zarita holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Arts Administration from Humber College and is currently the Arts Program Officer at Assembly Hall, City of Toronto. She is also the founder of Sekoya East Africa, a non-profit that provides emerging crafters and other artists in Kenya accessible professional development resources and mentorship to advance their careers locally, produce artwork with a global influence and have a peer community to belong to. Since 2019, she has worked with Jamii in various capacities and projects with the most recent being The Little Esplanade. She is delighted to join Jamii’s community this March as a guest curator alongside other incredible artists.   << BACK TO ARTISTS

< Back to Artists page featured at Jamii's events & workshops Artists Andrew Patterson Visual Artist website Andrew Patterson is a Toronto-based artist and designer working to challenge myths and ideas regarding identity. In particular, his work focuses on the subject of mixed-race identity and the spaces where it overlaps; culturally, ethnically, and socially. What similarities and differences do we emphasize, and why? And what bridges might be discovered and formed by those who occupy those spaces in between? These are the questions he hopes to explore and answer, often through portraiture, abstraction, and decorative/geometric symbolism. We need new fiction. << BACK TO ARTISTS

This mural was co-created by local youths at the corner of The Esplanade & Berkeley St. Community Projects/ MURALS/ THE AQUATIC GATHERING THE AQUATIC GATHERING The Esplanade & Berkeley St This mural was co-created by local youths at the corner of The Esplanade & Berkeley St. A group of fifteen youth from The Esplanade came together, under the artistic leadership of Kseniya Tsoy to create a marvelous mural on the Hydrobox, at the corner of The Esplanade and Berkeley St. The Hydrobox had been vandalized years ago and was, simply put, an eye sore for the community. The youg women transformed the box into a whimsical underwater world where everyone is welcome. Unveiled in July 2023. ARTISTIC STATEMENT BY LEAD ARTIST, KSENIYA TSOY: This project is a true example of "community-engaged arts" where participating young artists had full ownership of the final creation - from deciding the theme to designing and painting the individual elements. I hope this mural brings smiles to the people of the Esplanade and, as one of the young artists beautifully said, reminds everyone to be proud of being different and know that everyone is welcome here. ARTISTIC STATEMENT BY THE CO-CREATORS OF THE MURAL, WHO ARE YOUNG WOMEN LOCAL TO THE ESPLANADE NEIGHBOURHOOD: This mural is a way for us to share aspects of our community’s history with visitors. For example, just a few hundred years ago, The Esplanade was underwater: Lake Ontario would come all the way to Front Street! This is one of the reasons why we chose to make a design which is an underwater scene. Each creature painted on the wall looks different from one another: for us, it is a way to represent the diversity of our community. Each creature has “something special” and each one is their own person but, together, they form a unique community. The beauty in this is that all these creatures represented on the mural share the same home: just because they are different, they don’t have to be separated: they belong together. To us, it’s a way to bring up the importance of inclusivity. This mural brings the message to younger kids that they can do and be whoever they want to be. For example, you can see a fish riding a bike. For young kids, there is pressure from society to be a certain way. But they can be their own self and be that fish riding his bicycle. We hope this mural brightens the community and brings people together. While before it was mostly graffiti on this wall, now the cartoonish aspect of the mural brings joy when people walk past it and, with all the animals, it engages kids of all ages. Most of us grew up in The Esplanade community and being part of creating this mural was an opportunity for us to leave our mark and to do something that’s meaningful for others, especially the young ones. Some of us are moving out of this neighbourhood, on our way to university. This mural becomes a reminder of our childhood, our community and being an Esplanade kid. These sea animals make our inner child happy. As a group of 15, while we had different outlooks on what this mural should look like, we came together to design and paint it and we believe the end result really is beautiful. Everyone participating was able to add their own touch to the mural. We are proud of the way it looks and we are grateful for this opportunity to express our talents. We were proud to show it to our families and we are proud that everyone walking by can enjoy it. We hope it shines a loving spotlight on our community. CREDITS: Lead Artist: Kseniya Tsoy Supporting Artist: Karen Lam Curator: Isorine Marc Coordination and Community Outreach: Maryam Alireza Participating Youths: Design: Asmaa, Collean, Gennavive , Hafsa, Helena, Kandi, Larissa, Morgan, Nada, Pushpa, Vijaya Painting: Aéla, Alex, Asmaa, Collean, Hafsa, Kandi, Larissa, Morgan, Nada, Nancy, Pushpa, Vijaya, Zélia Initiated and produced by Jamii Esplanade Funded by: The Kiwanis Foundation TD Bank Ready Commitment City of Toronto Main Street Innovation Fund RBC Emerging Artists In partnership with Canadian Stage and Berkeley Castle © Jamii Esplanade COMMERCIAL USE FORM

2011 - present International Arts Experience 2011 - present With dance/theatre company CORPUS With the support of individual donations from The Esplanade community, Maysam, Pauline and Kai were offered the amazing opportunity to travel to the other side of the planet with professional artists, attending international arts events (festivals, showcases, community performances, workshops...). The three youth joined the company on tour alongside Isorine Marc. These life-changing experiences were unique cultural and artistic opportunities to explore, learn and grow. Upon their return to The Esplanade, Maysam, Pauline and Kai shared their experiences with their families, classmates and the local community-at-large. A lot of gratitude to all the donors who brought these experiences to life. Kai - 2017 - South Africa Pauline - 2015 - China Maysam - 2011 - Cambodia

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY CELEBRATIONS / 2019 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Jamii's Annual Celebrations 2019 - 1st Year! 1st Annual National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations June 19 to 21, 2019 David Crombie Park In June 2019, with the support of Canadian Heritage, we invited one artist from each of the three Ontario communities Jamii is partnering with: Brian Outinen (Wawa/Michipicoten First Nation), Terri-Lynn Brennan (Wolfe Island) and Lucy Strang (Pikangikum First Nation). The artists spent a week on The Esplanade and directly engaged with 300 locals of all ages. We organized workshops in both Market Lane Public School and Downtown Alternative School; a talk at the St Lawrence Library moderated by Kim Wheatley, with performances by Mahlikah Awe:ri; two talks for seniors taking place in both Crombie park and the St Lawrence Community Recreation Centre in partnership with the SLNA; a talk in the park with youth from the St Lawrence daycare; and one afternoon of celebration in partnership with Young People Theatre featuring IndigenizUS workshop by Lindy Kinoshameg, hoop dance performance by Rhonda Doxtator and a spoken word workshop with Mahlikah Awe:ri. Photos by Isorine Marc, Gillian Mapp

< Back Super(s)heroes Drawing Workshops Local artist Chris Henderson facilitated a series of workshops to instill into our youths the pleasure of drawing and to boost their self-confidence as they dreamt about who they would be as a super(s)heroe. 2021 - DECEMBER In partnership with St Lawrence Community Recreation Centre 2021 - December Local artist Chris Henderson facilitated a series of workshops to instill into our youths the pleasure of drawing and to boost their self-confidence as they dreamt about who they would be as a super(s)heroe. To register, click below: http://closed

< Back to Artists page featured at Jamii's events & workshops Artists Kimalee Phillip Facilitator website Kimalee moves through this world as a doula, a secret poet and holder of space and emergence. She is an experienced social justice and organizational learning consultant; a facilitator, writer, educator and researcher with over 10 years of experience. Her work is deeply grounded in, and informed by Black queer feminist thought and practice and healing justice frameworks. After working in the international feminist movement world for over 5 years at the Association for Women's Rights in Development, she shifted her energies to consulting and organizing and now currently sits on the Board of Trustees with the Groundswell Community Justice Trust Fund and is a facilitator with Bloom Consulting and the Toronto Jam team. She organizes with the Caribbean Solidarity Network and works as a National Human Rights Representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). << BACK TO ARTISTS