BREAKING CHARACTER: and being yourself - a conversation with friend of the show, Rachel Romu

You can call Rachel Romu a musician, activist and model, yet they are so much more. They’re a friend, confidant and true trailblazer in every definition of the word. This summer, Accessible Media Inc. launched an incredible documentary series called Breaking Character, following the journeys of six performers with disabilities as they hustle to make their mark on the stage, screen and runway. Rachel is one of the featured subjects and shares their story with authenticity, intention, and impact. We dove deeper with Rachel at a screening party of the series, and a special chat between them and I followed.

THE DEPANNEUR: A Catchup on CommUNITY, Cuisine, Culture and a Cookbook!

What an honour to be in The Fold and close out the CommUNITY Catchup series with Len Senater, Owner + Founder of Toronto's The Depanneur, and Photographer, Food Stylist and Chef, Ksenija Hotic, who has been involved with The Dep for 7 years. Len and Ksenija joined me for the final convo of 2020 to discuss bringing people together through food, how small businesses can be a mode of activism, food security and support systems, and how compassion, empathy and dialogue really make for a great recipe.

LIZ LOKRE: a Catchup on igniting the FIRE that fuels CommUNITY

A CommUNITY Catchup with Toronto Artist + Activist Liz Lokre about her new EP - FIRE - and how she has been using this element to fuel the EP and other facets of her life and career through heritage, community and collaboration.

ANTHONY SIMAS: Accessing CommUNITY - with heART

Anthony Simas is Toronto born and raised and wears many hats – with roots in athletics and work as an electrician, Anthony’s life changed after enduring a spinal cord injury during a getaway at his family cottage, leaving him a quadriplegic. His MO, turning negatives into positives, is fueled by sharing his story with others, where he is able to be a voice for others who live with disabilities, eradicating stigmas that surround their lives to remove the dis and capitalize ABILITY. We discuss disability awareness, wheelchair tips, mindfulness, the communities he has cultivated and those he thrives in through his big contributions.

DANIELLE GRISCTI: a CommUNITY Catchup about support on two wheels

Danielle Griscti is a real gem in my life, and for those who know her and are in the chat, I’m sure you feel the same. She’s the Founder and Creative Director of her own photography brand and company, Fixed In Silver, a talented writer and music journalist – which is where I met her via Hellbound.ca. She’s been an Outreach Coordinator, a Youth Worker, involved in serious roles in the Tech Industry, and is an active volunteer, always helping others. AsShe is actively involved with The Bike Brigade, made up of over 600 volunteers, and is completing hundreds of FoodShare box deliveries, prepared meals, and grocery shopping for vulnerable individuals all over Toronto. Beyond all this and more, she’s an awesome being and that’s why she joined us on CommUNITY Catchup, so let’s bring Danielle into the Fold.

MELISSA HAUGHTON: A CommUNTY Catchup on Identity

Melissa Haughton is a writer, content creator and podcast producer I truly look up to (I urge you to listen to her array of series and docs, all exceptionally well produced and full of insight) but those three titles barely sum up the greatness. In addition to Melissa’s latest series, So What Are You?, highlighting our complicated and evolving relationships to cultural identities, we discussed her past and present projects and various endeavours, and how they have always, and continue to be, action methods to inspire change.

ELIS ORIGINAL + TBX STUDIO: A CommUNITY Catchup on Allyship

On June 10, I met two incredible pals - Lee Skovsgaard of @elisoriginal and Tanisha Blake (@iamtanishablake) of @tbxstudio for a #CommUNITYCatchup to discuss supporting independent businesses, cultivating creative communities, active allyship, wellness and more.

MARIE ALCOBER | DUAL CITIZEN: CommUNITY Catchup for the Diasporas

I caught up with my dear friend and colleague , Marie Alcober - Founder + Producer of Dual Citizen Series and friend of #TheFold (Episode 4!), to discuss how Dual Citizen (a doc series highlighting the eureka moments of the Filipinx Diaspora) has evolved and adapted during this time and since their move to the UK, recent episodes and collabs, how we can establish and strengthen allyship in our own communities, places that help us unfold + connect and more.

Communities, InterviewsOla MazzucaJuly 3, 2020Dual Citizen Series, Dual Citizen, Diaspora, Filipinx

DJ SPIN SO NICE | RECORDS WITH MY DAUGHTERS: A Song For George Floyd

Friend of #TheFold (Episode 18!), Joe G, aka DJ Spin So Nice and Founder of Records With My Daughters, connected for a Friday edition of CommUNITY Catchup to send us into the weekend through song. We discussed his new mix, A Song For George Floyd, and the powerful array of tracks selected, keeping your spirits elevated through family and community, in addition to other resources and ways we can engage. Visit Sonic Fold's Anti-Racism Resources page here. Listen to A Song For George Floyd here.

SARAH JANE RIEGLER: A CommUNITY Catchup on the healing power of culture and curation

On May 25, my pal Sarah Jane Riegler, joined me for a #CommUNITYCatchup to discuss the power of curation, and what opportunities for healing can occur through artistic connection, events and collaboration, how this work is done via her inclusive series and spaces @afrohausto + @hausorpheus, Sarah’s vast experience as a percussionist and work in ethnomusicology (S/O @johnorpheus), learning about other cultures and identity through collaborative projects, new mixes and what’s in the works. NOTE: The video cut off mid-way - please excuse any technical difficulties.

SYZYGY TORONTO: A CommUNITY Catchup on pause, transitions, and evolution

Syzygy Toronto Co-Founder, Marijke Large (shoutout co-founder Kailah Bharath!) hopped on the line from California to discuss where Syzygy is at today and how they’ve evolved from a thoughtful pause, what diversity, equity and inclusion means in online spaces + workplaces and it’s importance (especially now).

ANTIKKA CAFE (Shaunt and Raz Tchakmak): A CommUNITY Catchup to #SupportLocal

I caught up with Shaunt and Raz Tchakmak, owners of Antikka Cafe and Records in Toronto's Queen West neighbourhood and Kensington Market’s thThe Oud and the Fuzz, to hear about what has been keeping them inspired, how they're engaging with the community, reflecting on the value artists and creatives hold and why the meaning of #supportlocal will transcend time and space.

THE ALSHEMIST: A CommUNITY Catchup on practices for cultivating connected creativity

On April 21, I had an awesome #CommUNITYCatchup with Bo Large, aka The Alshemist, into the The Fold to discuss a variety of wellness practices we can incorporate into our daily lives, especially as artists and creatives. Bo shared insight about breathwork, vocal toning, somatic healing and more, as we navigate how to access wellness at home, and methods to get inspired and stay connected with the creative flow of life, within ourselves, and in confined spaces.

ANTIKKA CAFE & RECORDS: Siblings supporting community

It sounds like community at Antikka Cafe & Records in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood. Owners Raz and Shaunt Tchakmak are brothers in business who now share their bond with the people around them. Whether local regulars to traveling visitors, all are welcome in their cafe and record shop hybrid that celebrates music and art in a unique, inclusive way. For this episode in The Space mini-series, we discuss the concept around community spaces, the challenges and rewards in running + supporting local businesses, the power of music, family bonding and what Antikka has in the works this year, including a fresh new spot called The Oud and the Fuzz – it’s going to be big.

JOSEPH GALIWANGO (RECORDS WITH MY DAUGHTERS): all in the family

The Fold Podcast heads into a new direction this month as we kick off our mini-series covering music communities with Joseph Galiwango (aka DJ Spin So Nice), Founder/DJ/Dad of Records With My Daughters, who shows us how #ThePlatform can change the way we share art and culture within families to inspire greater connection.

G DAY TORONTO 2019: Unfolding in the ExpressionSpace

On Saturday, October 19, Sonic Fold was blessed by an opportunity to host a podcast recording activation at G Day Toronto 2019. In partnership with Syzygy Toronto, part of our multimedia art-making ExpressionSpace was a Soundbooth, where G Day attendees recorded affirmation notes and words of wisdom for a collaborative audio doc shared with everyone who experienced the event.

Communities, InterviewsOla MazzucaNovember 12, 2019G Day, Toronto, Empowerment, Feminism, Youth, Girls, Womxn, Motherhood, Discussion, Expression, Art, Multimedia

MAKE ROOM | THE SPACE PROJECT : unfolding in the frame

Make Room is a Toronto-based non-profit is holding space for artists, helping them to grow, removing labels and breaking barriers to creativity. In this episode, Ola gets into The Fold with founder, Trevor Twells, to discuss the project’s evolution, his diverse career background, Toronto’s indie art community and how we can foster collaboration with a wider lens.

TREE OF STARS: Branching out

Jessica Compton is rooted. Her resources are the branches that extend to communities local and beyond. Tree Of Stars is her sandbox, where she builds programs that support mental health awareness and addictions recovery . We get into the Fold to discuss Tree of Stars’ active practice, collaboration and change needed for communities to thrive.

CADILLAC LOUNGE: Steering a sonic legacy through Parkdale

Sam Grosso, owner and founder of Cadillac Lounge, in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, embodies a work ethic and innate ability to connect with others that is rooted in his upbringing. A safe space to enjoy music and friends, the iconic institution takes its final spin down Queen Street West on July 14. We get into The Fold to discuss Cadillac Lounge’s legacy in Toronto and the community that will live on after the engine is turned off.

THE [204] DESIGN COLLECTIVE: building new structures

The [204] Design Collective is an environmental design group that exposes inequality by bringing their own building blocks to the foundation, for the construction process amplifies voices, while engaging with the world. Ola and the [204] get into The Fold for a global chat over Google Hangouts to discuss their alternative approach, project repertoire, educational vacations, and supportive work methods.