J-skool adventures

I feel like I haven't posted in ages. Though if you click here, it is my interview with Rocco Rossi in which I have posted last night.

On Monday, I exercised my right as a Canadian citizen and voted for the first time.  I'm glad to say that I knew who I wanted to vote for, but unfortunately I am upset with the results.

I did not vote for Ford, and I will tell you why in a later vblog.

Tuesday classes have become my favourite. I know, everyone should dread going to an eight-hour class, but I find it quite fun. I have met several interesting people downtown, and I really enjoy networking.

I woke up super early yesterday to go downtown to interview people around the city on what they felt about the election. I probably arrived TOO early, but I headed down to City Hall anyways. I kind of regret going up to the first person, because he kind of scared me.

He called himself 'THE CAT' and he told me some pretty frightening things. I don't know if I should be revealing them here, so I won't. All I can say is that he kept me there for 10 minutes accusing City Hall of things that I don't even know if they are accurate or not. I was so glad that my friend Arti came along afterwards, to save me from talking with him. (When you're doing Streeters you have to be really careful!!)

I'm so glad I had someone to venture around downtown with. Arti and I ended up walking a huge square around the downtown core. We headed to Queen St. W., but there weren't a lot of people so we went to the Ontario College of Art and Design.  I didn't think students would really have a lot to say about the election, but it turns out they really did.

They were not pleased with Rob Ford being Toronto's new mayor, especially because he did not support funding for the arts. I really enjoyed their opinions and it was very nice to add their input.

Realizing that I finally had a focus to this story, my friend and I ventured to art scenes all around downtown. AND I HAD AN EPIPHANY. I LOVE ART AND I LOVE ARTISTS. They are some of the nicest people in Toronto.

I even went into Vtape, where our film class went last year.  I need to go to these indie film places more often, let alone the NFB... I think I should make that a priority no?

Another cool place I walked into was Next Models agency, where I met Glen, who is a booker. It was super awesome to walk into the studio as he has met such big names like Coco Rocha and Stacey McKenzie which is really exciting. MAN, I LOVE FASHION.

But of course, the highlight my day was when my friend and I met Matte Babel!!! Not only is he incredibly gorgeous, but he is also really chill and cool. I was taken aback for a little bit when Matte told us to get out of J-skool because we won't make much of a difference locally, which nearly crushed us of our dreams.

He told us that if we really wanted to make a difference, we needed to go big, and apply for overseas places as well as top news networks such as CNN.  That, I will try and do.

Alas, the wondering meet-and-greet had to end, and we had to go back to school to write an article.  Too bad I couldn't write about how awesome it was, but here's to hoping for a good mark to that article. (AND I REALLY HOPE I DID OKAY *crosses fingers*)

Matte Babel and I!!! <3 <3 <3

Rocco Rossi is what Toronto Needs, despite non-political Background

Whether he has a political background or not, canvassers backing Rocco Rossi’s campaign think that he is what the city needs.                                                                            

Into the final weeks of the mayoral race, Rossi and his campaign team headed into a Rosedale neighbourhood in Ward 27 to talk with residents about their concerns for the city, or just to greet them hello.                

Rossi’s executive assistant, Radey Barrack, has been with the candidate since the beginning of the campaign.   As someone who has been in politics for most of his life, Barrack thinks that a candidate who hasn’t had a political background to be the mayor of Toronto is what the city needs.                 

“I’ve been in politics my whole life and I’ve seen every other candidate who has had political experience.  Too many mistakes have been made by career politicians.  We need a real change, not just another politician.” he says.

Rossi’s approach to his campaign can be traced back to the values he has learned from his parents.  “My parents taught me that above everything else, you’ve got to tell people the truth. And yes, it’s about family, the values I’ve learned from them, the hard work and living in your means and telling people the truth.  I’m happy to win or lose based on staying true to those values.”                                                                            

Canvassers of the campaign team have also enjoyed being part of Rossi’s road to being mayor because of what they call his genuine and wonderful personality.                                                         

Steven Swanson, who coordinates the canvassing and scheduling of the campaign, thinks Rossi is the best choice.  “Political, non-political, I don’t think it makes a difference other than the gentleman is a leader, a business man, and can lead a team.  And that’s what Toronto needs, a leader that can make Toronto important, the best that it can.”                                                     

Swanson believes that Rossi is a good leader because he listens. “He hears what everyone has to say. He doesn’t shut down ideas.  He’s open to ideas.  He thinks outside of the box and he encourages that from the people he works with or has worked with and not just to stick to the status quo.  He thinks of ways to make things better.”                                                                        

During the campaign trail, Rossi stops to speak with a local film crew taping for a show called Falling Skies.    
For many members of the crew, they plan to vote strategically in order  to get the right person to City Hall.                                                                                                                                                             

Mario Silva, who is a lighting technician, says he doesn’t follow the election, but would consider Rossi after having just talked to the mayoral candidate.                                                                                         

“He would seem like the person I would most likely to vote for,” he said.                             

Whether Rossi wins or loses is not a concern for the mayoral candidate.  For him, it is about making the right decision.                                                                                                                         

In obvious allusion to dwelling frontrunners Rob Ford and George Smitherman, he says, “If you’re elected just because you’re not someone else, what kind of mandate does that give you?  What kind of mandate does that give you to make decisions that will affect the lives of people who are going forward?”                                                                                                   

Having grown up in Toronto, the city is a family to Rossi.                                                    

“When people are suffering, when people are being left behind, we have a duty within our family to make sure everyone’s taken care of and everyone has that opportunity.  The city can’t be great, unless it’s great for everyone.  That’s the same values my parents and family have taught me.”