Deanna Cadette, MPPA 

Deanna Cadette is a media executive in the cultural industries with nearly 15 years’ experience leading initiatives to develop creative talent and competitive workforce strategies.

Elizabeth Mudenyo is a Scarborough-raised professional poet, community-engaged artist, and arts manager. Versed in projects and event management, she has worked all sides of the festival circuit with groups like the Regent Park Film Festival, Luminato, Hot Docs, and the Racial Equity Media Collective, among others. Moving towards literary and community arts, she continues to immerse herself in arts programming engaging the voices, imaginations and knowings of BIPOC, LGBTQQIAS2+ communities and others on the margins.

What does art mean to you? 

Art is everything. It is what I do for a living, and most importantly how I make my life full and meaningful. It is how I make my place in the world and also what I do for fun! 🙂

Janice believes that the arts are a powerful tool in shaping the future, especially for the next generation. Having a background in psychology, early childhood, and special education, Janice has integrated into her pedagogical approach creative ways to engage children in art playing and art-making. She believes that arts bring an array of benefits to children’s development including increased self-confidence, enhanced communication skills, and improved cognition.

She has recently completed her post-graduate diploma in Arts Management at Centennial College and is delighted to have her internship at North York Arts.

What does art mean to you?

“Art is one of the highest forms of expression”

Jodi is a fellow creative who was born and raised in the North York area all her life. As a recent Honours BAA graduate in Media and Communications from the University of Guelph-Humber, she has experience working together with nonprofits to develop and improve their social media strategies and content. She’s excited to put her skills and love for arts towards a cause that’s passionate about supporting local artists and making art more accessible in her community.

Oh, and Jodi’s artistic mediums of choice? Photography and digital illustration (with a dash of pen and paper)!

What does art mean to you?

“Art is versatility. It doesn’t have just one form, purpose or interpretation. It’s fluid but rooted in diverse thought, emotion and experience. And I think that’s what makes art so special and innately human. “

Habiba Raouf is an arts worker and life-long resident of Mississauga with deep ties to her Egyptian heritage. As an artist, curator, and “certified-dabbler” she moves around a multitude of artistic mediums and visual languages to explore themes around identity, community, and belonging.
With a BFA in Drawing and Painting from OCAD U as well as a post-graduate certificate from the Arts Administration and Cultural Management program at Humber College, Habiba has a solid foundation with experience to add within project, content, and event coordination in and outside of the arts!

What does art mean to you?

“Art is the gateway to connection. It offers us infinite languages to have conversations with ourselves and all that surrounds us. If you’re willing, art will remind you of our shared humanity in a world that feels more and more urgent to deny us that relationship with one another.”

Farianny Gonzalez-Sanchez (She/Her) is a first-generation Dominican Canadian multi-disciplinary artist. Born and raised in the Downsview Park area, community engagement and building is at the center of all her work and art. This passion and her love for art has allowed her to create amazing dance performances for community organizations like Flaunt It Movement, bringing together local dancers. As well as host free dance workshops in collaboration with The Kickback Foundation and Urban Arts. 

Farianny is in the process of getting a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communication at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is honored to now be working at NYA where she can build on her knowledge of Coordination for Community building.

What does art mean to you?

“I read a book a long time ago with a quote that changed my life, “We all live in our own world. But if you look up at the starry sky – you’ll see that all the different worlds up there combine to form constellations, solar systems, galaxies.”. Art is the site where worlds are destroyed and rebuilt over and over again.”