Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

When I first began working with Ripple Foundation, it was in a support role for the Kids Write 4 Kids contest. Ripple receives hundreds of submissions each year from across Canada which need to be vetted to ensure they meet all contest requirements. From there, the top ten stories for judges are selected. After getting to know founder Ivy Wong, I really loved her energy, passion, and dedication to her cause and believed in it, too. As the writing contest is geared towards elementary school levels, Ivy wanted to launch something for teenagers–this is how the Wave Blog came about! My editorial background served the blog well, ensuring content was clean, clear, and error-free and gave our student writers a chance to work with a “real” editor.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Ripple Foundation aims to foster creativity in Canadian youth through writing.

When did you start/join it?

I have been working with the Ripple Foundation for eight years and have watched it grow!

What made you want to get involved?

I was feeling established and confident in my career, but something else felt lacking. I started talking with friends and colleagues, asking how they give back to their communities. I learned about Ripple through a friend, who knew of my love for books, and she connected me with Ivy.

From the first time we met, I knew I wanted to be a part of this team. Ivy is so selfless and dedicated–her energy was infectious and I never want to say no to her! She had so many ideas and loved talking about them. I found myself drawn into her vision and wanted to help and really began to love bouncing ideas around with her. My time feels like a small thing to give, but seeing the success we’ve had over the years is more gratifying than I could have imagined.

What was the situation like when you started?

When I started working with Ripple Foundation, the Kids Write 4 Kids contest was the only program offered, and the number of entries has doubled over the years. It was early days, and our roster of volunteers was small. Since then, our numbers have grown to include adult and student volunteers. Ivy realized creative writing workshops could benefit some Kids Write 4 Kids participants. So with the help of an Ontario-certified teacher, we launched the Write It Workshops, which began as a series of three and has expanded to five over the years. When we launched the Wave Blog, it was just Ivy and me. We were publishing two blog posts a month, and since COVID, we’ve been publishing weekly. To date, we’ve published over 220 blog posts! Our editorial team has also grown to include two copy editors and one editorial assistant. And this year, we hosted our second virtual Express Inspire Connect youth conference.

How has it changed since?

As mentioned above, we’ve grown in size and offerings. However, the world is different today than eight years ago when I started. We are always learning new ways to reach different communities and how to communicate with them. We are looking at the mediums kids today use in expressing creativity, whether it’s pencil on paper or online. We want to evolve and remain a relevant and supportive source for students, families, and teachers across Canada.

What more needs to be done?

Obviously, we would love to reach even more kids across Canada, offer more workshops, and continue to develop new programs. We are proud to continue inspiring and empowering the next generation of writers and creators, and we invite you to join us in this mission.

How can our readers help?

First, we would love for readers to check out our website and social media accounts and see the various programs and opportunities we offer! Share this information with your kids and friends and their kids and friends. Know a teacher? Let them know about the Kids Write 4 Kids contest and the Wave Blog. Check out our merch and buy one of the winning Kids Write 4 Kids contest titles! Volunteer your time with us! And if you can, donations to Ripple Foundation are always appreciated.

Do you have any events coming up?

The virtual Write It Workshops are held every Saturday for grades 4-8 and are a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn and grow as writers. The schedule for these workshops can be found on the Ripple Foundation website. Additionally, the 2024 Kids Write for Kids contest launching on October 1, 2023, is an excellent way for young writers to showcase their creativity and become published authors.

We also participate in other charity organizations’ events by hosting in-person workshops and exhibit booths to promote our programs. Our recent participation at The Word On The Street festival in May–which had over 400 people dropping by to share their favourite books–is a testament to Ripple Foundation’s impact on the community. Interested individuals can sign up for Ripple Foundation’s e-newsletter to stay updated on upcoming events and programs.

Where can we follow you?

Readers can find out more about our programs on our website. They can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to stay updated.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

● Canada-Ukraine Foundation

● Daily Bread Food Bank

The post Charitable Choices: Tamara Capar of Ripple Foundation appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

To bring this vision to life Google Researchers utilized machine learning, a technology which enables computer systems to automatically comprehend data. The first step was to introduce Coupland’s body of written work from the previous 30 years, including over 1 millions words, to the machine learning model. The Google Researchers then cultivated a specialized algorithm to familiarize the AI with Coupland’s signature style of writing. Next, to train the algorithm in compiling brief, targeted statements, social media posts gathered from the general public were added to the algorithm. Once the algorithm was primed, its job was to process and rearrange potential slogans consisting of Coupland’s previous written work to serve as the 25 Slogans for the Class of 2030.

“I would comb through “data dumps” where characters from one novel were speaking to those in other novels in ways that they might actually do. It felt like I was encountering a parallel universe of Doug”, Coupland said, explaining the almost artificial or supernatural nature of the slogans. The combinations of words and phrases, though all originally written by Coupland, were only made possible due to the algorithm’s ability to regenerate slogans and recombine words from a multitude of separate texts.

One prevailing theme throughout the body of work is an investigation of the human condition through the lens of pop culture, and specifically connecting with the condition of the younger generation. The slogan’s content and their modern design intentionally place an emphasis on the Class of 2030, as they are the first generation of young people whose lives are fully intertwined with the existence of AI.

“This project with Google’s AI division is a way of addressing this relentless phenomenon of identity-shifting that weighs heavily on the minds of most people”, Coupland said, explaining that with AI on the rise and playing an increasingly prominent role in today’s world, many may feel confusion or stress in an ever changing environment. In a dynamic world with constant technological advancement, Coupland wanted to open a door of possibility for students considering their future career paths. Through this project he aimed to spark a larger conversation about the vast possibilities in the AI field and encourage students to marry their scientific and artistic passions in the future.

Celebrating both Canadian artistic culture and the opportunity to enjoy the Summer months outdoors, multiple venues nation-wide are debuting, for a limited time, the slogans on jumbotron sized digital screens. The sites include the Terry Fox Memorial Plaza at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, the TELUS Len Werry building in downtown Calgary, the TELUS Harbour in downtown Toronto, and Pattison digital screens throughout Canada. “Calgarians will already be familiar with the unique Douglas Coupland light display at TELUS Sky, and we jumped at the opportunity for more of our buildings to showcase the beauty of AI and art coming together, and to celebrate Douglas Couplands inspiring and captivating words” said Scott Dutchak, TELUS Vice-President of Real Estate.

The post Google x Douglas Coupland: AI-infused Art collaboration appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Both poetry and short-story fiction finalists have drawn from their religious traditions and experiences to create these works of art.  A panel of judges, including 7th parliamentary poet Laureate, George Elliott Clarke and former PEN Canada President Randy Boyagoda accepted 250 entries and made the tough decision of choosing the short-list finalists. The following group qualified for the short-list under the prize’s two categories:

Short Story :

Tendisai  Cromwell (Edmonton, AB) –  The Common Believer 

Susan Fish (Waterloo, ON) – Easter Water

Fraser Tingle (Calgary, AB) – Home

Brandon Trotter (Calgary, AB) – Saint 148

Jessica Walters (Langley, BC) – Glass Jars

Poetry Suite:

Yuliya Barannik (Toronto, ON) – Ramadan Letters

Wanda Campbell (Gaspereau, NS) – The Book of Hours

Sarah Klassen (Winnipeg, MB) – Rise and Go

Rowda Mohamud (Oakville, ON) – Please Find Yourself a Space

Shane Neilson (Oakville, ON) – Loss Sonnets

All submissions and further contest details are available on the Faith in Canada 150 website.

The prize will award a total of $25,000 for faith-themed writing – $10,000 to the winner and $2,500 to the runner-up in each category. Judging the ‘Short Story’ category are Dr. Randy Boyagoda, Principal and Vice President of the University of St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, Susan Lynn Reynolds, award-winning writer and novelist and  Dr. David Staines, Professor of English at the University of Ottawa.

Judging the poetry suite category is George Elliott Clarke, 7th Parliamentary Poet Laureate (2016-17) and 4th Poet Laureate of Toronto (2012-2015), Dr. Deborah Bowen, Professor Emerita of English at Redeemer University and Dr. Todd Swift, Writer-in-residence for Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, England. All the shortlisted nominees will have their work published in an anthology to be published in 2018.

The winners and runners-up will be announced on October 30th at a reception in Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum with authors, judges, and members of the Mitchell family in attendance. The reception will be open to the public and media. Tickets for the reception are available for purchase.

The post New Canadian Literature Prize Unveils Shortlist appeared first on Toronto Guardian.