Eddy Lee [Storyteller]

Community Engagement and Outreach Activities in Canada

2024

I had the privilege of participating in the Newcomer Artist Training in Community Arts alongside fellow women artists from Turkey, Vietnam, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan. This program, generously funded by the IRCC (Immigration and Refugee Council of Canada), is administered by MabelleARTS and facilitated by Annie Rollins, Dani Galaviz, and Azul Baez. Throughout the program, we delved into various aspects of community arts programs, centers, and opportunities available to artists in Toronto.

Paru, Peri, and I facilitated a Mandala Pizza workshop for our Arts and Wellness class at Centennial College. We began by introducing the significance of mandalas in our respective cultures – Philippines, Turkey, and Nepal – and their role in achieving wholeness or integration with ourselves, the community, the environment, and the future. This engaging activity provided participants with the opportunity to interact and forge connections with others, making it both enjoyable and enriching.

2023