The Toronto Observer

Friends of Kensington Market’s annual public art project, Black Women Paint, began on August 11, 2020, by converting part of Baldwin Street into a community-wide canvas, uniting the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing a platform for marginalized local voices. The local organization that planned the event was founded in 2014 and focuses on preserving, promoting, and supporting the Kensington Market community’s culture.

Chad Kelly threw three touchdown passes, two to Damonte Coxie, and added a rushing score as the Toronto Argonauts weathered the storm with a dominant second half and took down the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 39-20, at BMO Field, on Saturday night. A downpour delayed the battle of the QEW by just over an hour, but most of the 18,842 fans hung in for the latest chapter of this storied rivalry.

Heading into the rivalry matchup between the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Argos veteran quarterback Chad Kelly was nearing a historic number. Following a bumpy performance in the loss against the Edmonton Elks on August 15, where Kelly threw for 265 yards, he moved within 192 of 10,000 for his Canadian Football League career. During the third quarter of Saturday’s 39-20 win on a rain-soaked but enthusiatic crowd of 18,842, Kelly completed a pass to Tyler Kahmann for 21 yards.

H.E.R. Collective began with a conversation between a group of master’s students at the University of Waterloo who realized they shared a similar interest in women’s health research and a frustration with the gaps that still exist within it. “We want to create this space so that people can come together and they’re able to learn from one another,” said co-founder Ailin Jalili.

What started as an idea is now a creative space in Scarborough where young people can create connections, express themselves, and feel a sense of belonging. For the founding director and artistic director of Next Generation Arts (NGA), the inspiration started way before the organization was formally formed in 2017. “I have a background in education and community, and of course, in the arts,” said Jen Fabico-Smith.

For Toronto Argonauts veteran quarterback Chad Kelly, it’s not about how the game starts, but how it ends. Thursday’s up-and-down performance was a perfect example as he turned the ball over four times, but made a big play on the final drive that ultimately led the Argonauts over the visiting Calgary Stampeders, 33-30.

At TAT Stadium, in the heart of Scarborough, lights outside the building make the word “STADIUM” glow against the evening sky. Inside the stadium, the court where the Neighbourhood Jam event is being held is louder, warmer, and more alive. Basketballs bounce across the floor while players move through the drills.

Layla Fernandez understands the significance of winning Canada’s premiere championship tournament. Fernandez, who was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, and is currently ranked 34th in the WTA, has always had winning the National Bank Open on her list. “It’s up there in my goals and dreams. I always want to win a Grand Slam, be number one in the world, but also winning the NBO is a special occasion,” the 23 year old said, in a Saturday press conference at Toronto’s Sobey’s Stadium.

At the West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre, older residents gathered for a Seniors’ Month celebration after a bingo fundraiser raised money for young people pursuing post-secondary education. The seniors-led fundraiser, held in early June, brought in about $1,500 for the Nadine Pendleton Educational Bursary Fund, a program created in memory of a longtime WSNCC employee whose career began at the centre and grew into a leadership role.

Dael Vasquez and Anjelica Ramsewack sit on identical chairs in CIBC Square Park in downtown Toronto. The last co-founder, Bo Joseph, an active member of their non-profit organization, the Engage Foundation, is unable to attend. Vasquez recalls when their group met. “We were all really involved on campus,” Vasquez said. “We wanted to make an impact outside of school,” Ramsewack said.