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Creating Identity through Music This portrait demonstrates through various music clips, the integration of music and the importance in my partners life. Through being from a family of doctor’s in Havana, being the only musician enabled him to attend school for “free” in Cuba after being 1 of 6 chosen. Through participating in a program that enables him to arrive in Canada, and for a fee that is to be paid back to the government, is able to play concerts in Canada. He speaks about how the connection of music amongst different composers, no matter the sound or instrument, is a family and a connected language. He represents his identity through the constant listening and incorporating of music into his saxophone, drums, and piano gigs, alongside dj’ing at various clubs within London. Through tailoring his music towards the cultural crowd, and being able to adapt and fit in with the crowd with unique and current songs, brings forward the ability for various cultural groups to feel connected through the language of music. A universal language. -
The German Democratic Republic: Before and Beyond This project is an interview with Dr. Nina Rosenbusch, a woman born in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Rosenbusch was only a teenager when the Berlin Wall fell down in 1989 and so she is part of the generation of Germans who came into adulthood in the newly reunified Germany. This interview seeks to understand the legacy of the GDR’s culture for the citizens of modern Germany. In particular, the discussion focuses on the generation of Rosenbusch’s parents who only knew Germany as two separated states, unlike the generation of Rosenbusch’s grandparents who were able to remember a previously unified Germany. The involvement of the state in daily life is also discussed, with a focus on the German secret police service, called the Stasi. As Rosenbusch’s family did not protest against the state, they were not as affected as some individuals but were nonetheless limited in what they could do and say. Ultimately, the German Reunification was and is very popular in the former GDR, although there are still slight cultural differences and difficulties for those who lived most of their lives before 1989. -
An Identity of Work: The Importance of Work and Family in the Life of an Arabic Canadian Immigrant The story of an Arabic Canadians journey in immigrating, finding employment, and regaining his identity in his chosen line of work, This is a portrait which demonstrates the struggles new immigrants face, the highs and lows of moving countries and being in new cultural contexts, and how identity can be lost and found in the work that we do. Through the lens of this portrait can be seen the truth of what it is like to search out opportunity and work hard for a dream that many Canadian citizens share: to do what you love with those you love in a place where you feel secure and happy. -
(Re)building a Career in Canada: A Story of Determination, Resilience and Success Salah (Sal) Al-Jajah is an architect who specializes in 3D rendering. After a successful career in Lebanon designing buildings in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Erbil, Iraq, Egypt, England and France, Sal and his family immigrated to Canada in 2014. Sal recognized that his talent in rendering was “missing from the market” in Canada and was determined to seek out a job in London, Ontario. After knocking on many unopened doors, Sal ‘s unrelenting determination provided him with a chance to prove himself. In this video, Sal shares his success in “rebuilding” his career in Canada from start to finish. This video explores the challenges of finding employment in Canada as an immigrant. Sal’s story nuances themes of perseverance, dedication and familial love as he attempts to support his wife and three children. Sal’s success adds to the discourse surrounding immigration in Canada, by challenging stereotypes and prejudices related to immigrants in the Canadian workforce.