Hi everyone! And a big welcome to all of our new members!
jhr McGill would like to remind you about the upcoming General Meeting on Monday, Jan. 24th, at 6pm in the Lev Bukhman room of SSMU.
Execs from every portfolio (newspaper, radio, TV, advocacy, and events) will be there to discuss plans for the upcoming semester. Bring your ideas and get involved!
During the meeting, we will also be electing a new VP Events and VP Newspaper to take take over the positions this semester. Please read over the candidate’s pen sketches below and come vote!
See you on Monday!
Candidates for VP Newspaper…
Safiya Kassam
Throughout my high school years I was an active writer and later editor of our school’s newspaper. I hope to extend the organizational skills and punctuality that I acquired during my experience to JHR’s publications. Furthermore, I headed a fundraising committee for DECA (a high school business club) and was able to learn to delegate and lead a committee of people. In the Gamma Phi Beta (sorority) chapter at McGill I have taken upon the role of Alumnae Co-ordinator and Crescent Correspondent- continuing to write to sorority newsletters and encouraging open communication between the chapter and its international community. I hope to extend my experience to Journalists for Human Rights, continuing to highlight issues that pertain to the JHR Chapter and incorporate any new ideas offered by members.
Nastasha Sartore
My name is Nastasha Sartore, and I am an aspiring journalist and keen second year student, studying political science and history. My interests, however, extend beyond the realms of political theory and early modern Europe- I am an avid blogger, and love trip-hop, the New York Times, nail polish, Hello Kitty, and exploring gender issues, among other things. I have been involved with Journalists for Human Rights since September, and have loved every moment of it! I have just started writing for the Daily as well, which puts me one step further to reaching my journalistic endeavours. In high school, I was also a contributor and editor for our somewhat unorthodox school paper.
I am passionate, dedicated, and, a bit quirky which, I like to think, adds just a touch of charm to my writing. I am excited to learn, and do so quickly. I also love to talk, and am forever committed to keeping an open mind!
With this said, I’d love to bring some new ideas to Speak!. Since freedom of expression is, I believe, one of the most important liberties we hold, I’d like to explore this idea, and perhaps delve into new forms of journalistic expression. Without going too much into detail, I really hope that I can bring to the VP newspaper position a new perspective and a whole lot of charisma!
Antonia Burchard-Levine
I am a second year student double majoring in East Asian Studies and International Development Studies. I got involved with JHR last semester at the three day “Train-the-Trainer” workshop in early October. This gave me the opportunity to learn ways of using the media along with different instruments in order to bring awareness on human rights issues. I also got the chance to meet JHR members from across Canada and members of the head office in Toronto. After that I joined both the advocacy team as well as the newspaper team. With the advocacy team I helped plan out, prepare and set up a photo exhibit and did research for a letter-writing campaign for speak- silence week last semester. I have also helped with and attended various JHR events including film screenings and panel discussions.With the newspaper team I contributed an article for JHR’s Speak! Magazine for the issue on “freedom of assembly” and also helped with the general editing of that same issue. I also contributed to the general editing as well as the copy editing for the second issue this year which was on mental health.
I really look forward to continue working with JHR while I complete my studies at McGill. I believe that my previous involvement demonstrate my dedication and my enthusiasm towards the JHR cause.
I believe that as VP newspaper I will be able use my passion for journalism as well as the experience I have acquired with JHR to continue to publish issues of Speak! magazine at McGill. I hope to use as well as improve my editing skills to deliver articles promoting human rights awareness through the McGill Chapter issues of Speak!. I look forward to continue working with JHR to mobilize media and bring human rights awareness at McGill.
Emily Lennon
For me, journalism means story telling. It provides a space for exchanging ideas, for debating and most importantly for learning about the world around us. My experience with JHR began last semester when I wrote an article for the issue on mental health and then assisted with copy editing. The possibilities for this newspaper excite me; especially concerning the opportunities for collaboration with JHR radio and other McGill groups. I would aim to involve JHR with the local community by way of workshops with high school students as well as contribution from the community and neighbouring universities (both French and English). My interest with journalism began in junior high school and developed in high school where a University of Alberta leadership conference introduced me to JHR. The Edmonton Journal publishes a weekly page by high school students called Next Gen. I began writing for NextGen in grade 9 and continued throughout high school. I was also on my high school’s writing team for another section of the Edmonton Journal called CAPPIES, where we reviewed high school theatre productions. In my own school, I wrote sporadically for the student union newspaper and contributed to our social justice zine. This experience, along with my studies in anthropology and passion for social justice offer a perspective rooted in the importance of storytelling- of truth telling. In short, I offer an enthusiasm for creative collaboration, a knack for organization and an inquisitive nature. Together, we can pose questions to critically explore our world and even better yet- to incite change.
