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  • Community Art Mural

    Due to pandemic restrictions Trapdoor London Escape Rooms was required to temporarily close. Like many downtown businesses we boarded up the front of our building for security purposes. This created a large blank 'canvas' and we wanted to bring some colour & cheer to the streetscape. We noticed many Londoners were decorating their houses with messages of support and community spirit. We decided to manufacture wooden puzzle piece panels in our workshop and offer them (for free) to anyone interested in participating in a large mural project. We posted on our social media sites and the response was fantastic! Over 180 puzzle pieces were created by artists, children, community members and groups. We kept the process 'contactless' by delivering the panel pieces to front porches and collecting the finished artwork one week later using the same method. We provided little artistic guidance for the pieces but suggested participants consider something uplifting or to depict something important to them. The assembled mural therefore reflects many diverse ideas and themes. We also received notes of thanks indicating this project provided a welcome distraction to those in quarantine and helped to relieve some boredom. The mural received local press coverage on CTV news and the London Free Press. Once we re-open we intend to display a number of the panel pieces inside our building.

  • Staying Connected Between Two Cultures

    The video is made to portray my community partner’s experience of migrating from Colombia to Canada. (as stated in the subject) It portrays how she had to learn to adapt to a completely different and new culture, and what she has done to stay connected with both her heritage in Colombia and new life in Canada. It shows how she overcame obstacles to build a new life and the things that helped her stay focused and feel a part of Canadian culture. It discusses the Colombian community here in London, Ontario and her work as an Army reserve for Canada. This video’s goal was to analyze her completely different lives and views of both cultures, and see what she did in order create her own identity. She also compares aspects of the two countries and what she finds most important to herself.

  • I Am Not Just "The Girl From Bolivia": An International Student’s Experiences of Community in Bolivia and London

    This portrait delves into Maya Fernandez's story of being known as “the girl from Bolivia." The portrait illustrates Maya’s feelings towards this phrase and how her experiences “as an outsider” have impacted her experiences in the London community. Maya is a second year MIT international student at Western University who explores the certain interactions that she has faced. She then compares how relationships are developed in both Bolivia and London. She explains the social inequalities that she has observed, the stereotypes of being from another country, and what it’s like to be “an outsider" in London, Ontario. Overall, this portrait thoroughly describes Maya for the complex and unique being that she is, rather than just as “the girl from Bolivia.”

  • Small Country, Big Celebrations: The Role of Salvadoran Celebrations in Cultivating Identity and Belonging

    In this video, Claudia calls attention to a part of her culture that is often overlooked. In contrast to holidays celebrated in Canada, national celebrations in El Salvador take place out on the streets and bring together an entire community. She considers the major role that climate and religion play in building a sense of community in El Salvador. Drawing on childhood memories, she describes celebrations such as Virgen de Guadalupe, Día de la Cruz, and Semana Santa, which are all rooted in a shared religion. In addition, she reflects on the unifying power of street celebrations, and how they function to gather people of different backgrounds in a common place. In the conclusion, Claudia provides her definition of community which is influenced by her experiences with celebrations and traditions. Her definition further encompasses what it means to be a part of a community in a new country.

  • Cultural Connections: A Colombian's Journey to London

    In this video, we follow Alberto Alvarez as he journeys from Colombia to London. We will delve into his experience with being a new immigrant in Canada while also trying to understand what it is like to become part of a new culture/new community. Alberto then explains the process of reconnecting with his Colombian roots through the London community. Further, this project will seek to understand how culture and identity intertwine to create a distinct cultural identity that differs depending on who you are around at a specific point. Community Connections brings together music, image, and video to tell the story of a determined young man who grapples with his identity to become the bicultural community member he is today.

  • Aldo at the Marconi Club: A Portrait of Italian-Canadian Identity in London

    This portrait is based around Aldo, an Italian-Canadian member of the London community. Aldo visits the Marconi Club, an enduring and popular meeting place and events hall for Italians in London. We follow Aldo through different parts of the building, and learn a little about the club’s activities and how the Club has been important to Aldo in his life. Aldo then answers questions about his childhood, his Italian-Canadian identity, and his desire to maintain his Italian language proficiency.