Mo Waja Presents: Toronto Story Archive

Growing up, Kojo didn't consider himself an athlete. As a youth, football was something far off - an idea thought about, but never really pursued. But at the tail end of his high school career, that all changed. Kojo may have been late to the game, but the game was ready for him. It would only be in university, after a tragic event unlocked hitherto unfelt emotion, that football stopped being just a game and instead became a career - setting him on a path to play first for the Toronto Argonauts and then later the BC Lions. Discussing professional sports, self-worth, and athletics in Toronto. 

Tanya's a friendly person. The kind of person who goes out of her way to meet five new people every week - and often those people become her friends. In fact, her dedication to the pursuit of friendship and connection is such that she built an organization, Toronto Business Casual, around that very concept. But making new friends, especially as an adult, can be difficult. Why? Well a lot of it comes down to time, energy, and the preconceptions we have about adult friendships. Discussing networking, the art of human connection, and making friends in Toronto.

On May 28, 2016 Bartender Atlas launched with just over 50 bartenders. Now, they have around 400 bartenders listed on their site with more added every week. What is Bartender Atlas? That’s a question for the experts. Discussing cocktail culture, what makes a good bartender, and bartending around the world.

One person does something and it works, and people buy into it, then everybody kind of takes that template changes a small thing and then reapplies the same concept. That's when people get bored and that's exactly what the founders of Figures Toronto and &Company were looking to break. From the heart of Mississauga to Yorkville in Toronto, Nader and his brother wanted two things: to break the mold of Toronto's dining and cocktail experience, and to build a place that was very Toronto to give back to the city that had done so much for them. Discussing the dining experience, the value of local, and Toronto's hospitality sector.

Rosemarie Sarno had always been kind of a geek. So, for her, becoming an active cosplayer was simply the natural evolution of her passion for comic books, gaming, and costuming. But back when Rosemarie, (now better known by her handle RosieStormborn) was first discovering her passion, geek culture still carried with it an air of taboo - something reserved for only the small corners of the social community. Now, all that has changed. As cosplay culture and cosplay celebrity culture continues to become more mainstream, the cosplay community is changing, and RosieStormborn has front row seats to that evolution. Discussing cosplay, cosplay as a business, and the cosplay community.

Chatting with Tom Dekker, one of the leaders of the Hands Off Our Harnesses movement.

"The Canadian General Standards Board has drafted a set of standards which, if implemented, would impose conditions on the training and use of service dogs. The standard includes guide dogs which are dogs for the blind and visually impaired, and are therefore, by definition, not merely service dogs.

Further, the content of the standard is inconsistent with the use and training of guide dogs.  Many Canadians get their guide dogs from the United States, and both American and Canadian schools find these standards at odds with standard training and use of guide dogs. American schools are concerned that, if these standards are accepted, they may stop accepting Canadian applicants.  This would force Canadians to apply to the very few extant Canadian schools which already have long waiting lists.  The increased demand would greatly lengthen wait times. For these reasons, it is of the utmost importance that these draft standards not be implemented as they now exist."

– Hands Off Our Harnesses Movement

That we live in a visual world is a challenge that many people who are blind interact with every day, but for Brandon Schiafone that's just par for the course. Having gone blind when he was young, Brandon adapted, and adapted well. By putting systems in place to help him through our visual world, Brandon has created an environment where, as a blind man, he thrives. How? Well, it starts with asking the necessary questions, refusing to put yourself in a box, and being ready to have a real and open conversation about the challenges many of us face. Discussing Toronto's accessibility, the concept of 'ableism', and overcoming our obstacles.

One of the biggest misconceptions about being an artist is the question of "Am I good enough?". As an artist in Toronto, Vanessa faces this question constantly - and like every other artist, she pushes back the self-consciousness to continue to pursue her art. In her case, this is live painting, creating her work in front of a live audience. Making it as an artist in the city can be tough, getting your work out there can be tough; but for Vanessa, her differentiating factor is that every piece carries a little bit of Toronto. Discussing making it as an artist, Toronto's art scene, and live painting. 

Then she said yeah, that's the guy I found on LinkedIn. Although young, Sammy's career has already had a few big leaps. From being a student at Ryerson, to starting an entertainment company, to leaving that company, to becoming a financial services professional, Sammy's success has been all about building lifestyle. The foundation of his success? An entrepreneurial spirit, the right people, and a city rich with opportunity. Discussing moving into the workforce, the truth behind Canadian fraternities, and making it in Toronto.

Once upon a time, Valkyrie Savage spent a semester in Germany where she was introduced to the game of Jugger - based off the 1989 movie "The Blood of Heroes". It was a good experience, but it was one she wouldn't repeat for half a decade after moving back to San Francisco. In a city without a dedicated community, Valkyrie and her husband Evan thought back to the sport they'd discovered in Germany and began to put in place the foundation of her first Jugger team. Now, living in Toronto, Valkyrie and Evan are building their team again one Jugger at a time. Discussing alternative sports, community, and Jugger.