A countdown…

…to the launch of our new website! The BeScene editorial committee sat down today, at the FHC and discussed our final plans for the upcoming issue, called Exploring Gender. We took pictures and discussed a possible cover-page idea, and we can’t wait to unveil the issue at our next launch party.

The layout of our pages has also been finalized. Just a few more changes, and this issue’ll be off to the presses! I know. We all can’t wait either.

The new BeScene website will be up shortly. On it will be online versions of our previous issues, as well as pictures of who we are/what we do. It’s going to be really, really cool, even though it’s currently under construction… So please do send in any suggestions/comments, especially regarding the content and colour scheme!

Cool things will be happening. And very shortly, too. Don’t forget to keep checking back for weekly updates!

ty

New media?

This past Thursday something really cool was unveiled–a webpage!

BeScene is considering taking things (almost) completely virtual! Our co-ordinator has been working on a basic template of our soon-to-become website! Postings and uploads from this blog will be moved to the new site shortly, as soon as everything’s finalized.

Right now the team’s trying to come up with ideas with regards to the aesthetic side of things, i.e. the colour scheme/graphics.  If any of our readers out there are handy with Photoshop, or something, or has any ideas/suggestions of what they’d like to see up on the site please email your suggestions to bescenemag[at]gmail[dot]com. We love getting mail, and your input’s always appreciated!

Also, our Gender issue is close to being finalized. A cover idea has been decided upon, and the layout (content-wise) is all neat and tidy…we’re really looking forward to this issue’s Launch Party! (That being said, if any of our readers have pictures of socks, please send them in. We’ll explain later. Or maybe things will become more self-explanatory once the issue’s out. )

 

Look out for our new website!

ty

Another step closer…

This week members of Bescene Mag caught up with each other in our little room upstairs in the FHC, and brainstormed. It was a lot more intense than it seems–trust.

A number of ideas were thrown out, modified, and elaborated upon…though we’re still unsure of our final cover design for the upcoming issue, on Gender. Again…if any of our readers out there have ideas for cover images, or want to submit an art piece for the cover, please don’t hesitate to send them to bescenemag[at]gmail[dot]com. (Replace words with actual symbols–it’s for spam protection).

This week, the editorial committee also managed to sort out a layout for the pages and the content. It wasn’t easy making decisions, and nothing’s completely set in stone just yet.  The team is really looking forward to printing this issue, and everything is coming together fantastically.

If you’ve got suggestions for a theme for the next issue (the one that’ll be up after this one on Gender), please send them to our e-mail. We like getting mail, and we’re always inspired by others’ thoughts.

Also…what do you think of our colour scheme on the blog? Are the various shades of grey appealing? We’re curious. What kinds of colours do our readers like? Any particular colour scheme that you think maybe we should consider? Spring is here, and a number of us think that it’s about time to re-vamp things and improve them… Let us know if you’ve got suggestions for our blog. (:

We’ll keep you posted (no pun intended?) !

 

ty

Still working hard…

Today the Bescene crew got together again, in the little room on the second floor of Flemingdon Health Center. (Thanks to everyone who came out–we had a full-house today! Yay!) We, together with the copious amount of food we munch through on a weekly basis, buckled down and got to work editing and revising our submissions.

After some debate about stylistic choices involving grammatical and spelling errors, the team tried to discuss and brainstorm ideas for the next issue. (For the readers out there who’re confused, the deadline has already passed for sending in submissions for our next issue, themed Gender)

On account of it being late and us being tired and also running out of food, we adjourned the meeting but not without a few very cool ideas for what our cover will look like for the upcoming issue.  It’s surprisingly difficult to put into pictures what “Gender” is, especially without it being cliché and off-putting to readers…and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’d appreciate any input from our blog-readers out there who have ideas for us.  If you’ve got an idea, comment, or suggestion for our next issue and what you’d like to see, please don’t hesitate to drop us an email at bescenemag@gmail.com We like mail. Really.

In other news…Bescene magazine is branching out! A member of our editorial committee has managed to persuade a branch (Hillcrest) of the Toronto Public Library to put our magazine on display!  Our readers living in Hillcrest Village can feel free to drop by and take a look. In fact…we request new readers from Hillcrest to shout out to us, here! (Much appreciation and love goes to Quincy, a member of our team who, with his extensive persuasion skills and magnanimous munificence assisted us to better reach our Hillcrest Village readers!)

 

Keep watching out for updates!

 

ty

A productive meeting!

It’s been a little while since our latest Resistance and Rebellion issue came off the printing presses, and the group is already waist-deep in discussion/revision/thought/conversation/ideas about our next issue. This one is themed Gender, and we’re hoping it’ll be out later on in the year, possibly in April or May.

Today at the meeting we got cracking at editing our submissions. Tough decisions were made, and little things will be changed, but overall the group is definitely content with the quantity/quality of our submitters’ work.  We honestly can’t wait until the next issue is out… and more updates will be shared shortly, as soon as information becomes available!

In the meantime, please don’t forget to check out our most recent issue–Resistance and Rebellion.  You can pick up your own at the Flemo health center, or you can access an electronic version here.

 

Thanks for following!

 

ty

 

Rebellion is Out…Be Scene celebrates!!!

Be Scene Youth have just finished launching Rebellion Issue. It is the 6th issue in Be Scene’s History.

Rebellion features some amazing creative writing and a graffiti photoessay against the backdrop of a rebellious layout design. Ofcourse, what does it all mean anyway, “rebellious”? Well, you will have to check out the zine for that.

Copies are around at Flemo Health Centre and TNO’s Youth centre. It is coming to more places around Flemo Park, T-Park and O’Connor communities soon. In the meantime, get your digital copy here.

At the latest event with about 25 people at TNO’s youth centre, we distributed the fresh copies, got together for some food, had lots of fun and joined Making Noise! Gender Violence and Community Accountability Media Project (GVCAMP) and TNO’s youth group VOICES. Making Noise! is an initiative of Urban Alliance for Race Relations. VOICES is a young women’s group that meet every Thursday at TNO’s Youth Centre.

Ashley Alexis McFarlance and Helen Yohannes, the facilitators of the GVCAMP were back, and Tania Taber and Sarena Surybali who run VOICES joined us. Then there was Azza Abarro and myself on the team. For our group activity, we shared an object/accessory that we had with us and reflected on what it means for us. And then we shared the Rebellion issue and worked on producing our media.

Maryam Idroos, guest editor of Rebellion Issue, provided us with a video shot. Her poem featured alongside Sabeeha Isahque’s in an attractive layout design by Shaili Chibba.

The timing couldn’t have been better. It was a fantastic opportunity to reveal Rebellion at the GVCAMP as the young women finish their media projects. Media from the workshops is going to feature in Be Scene next issue.

Yes, we at Be Scene have been staying busy here rolling magazine after magazine…And Be Scene can’t wait to get started on reviewing new submissions and laying it down for the next issue. And we have a deadline for submissions:

Early Bird Deadline: Wed, Mar 2nd
Extended Deadline for VOICES and GVCAMP group: Mon, Mar 21
Send your writings and artwork to bescenemag@gmail.com

Rebellion Launch Party and wrap-up session for Gender Violence Media Project

Be Scene is getting ready for our special session coming Thursday (February 24, 2011).

The awesome facilitators with the Gender Violence Media Project will be back for a wrap-up of the incredible series of workshops last fall and will be available with all the participants to assist with finalizing the media created.

but there is more: Rebellion Issue is officially finished and printed off. Hooray! We will be celebrating its launch on Thursday and giving everyone involved with Be Scene and Rebellion Issue the incredible acclaim deserved.

In the meantime, stay tuned as we upload the electronic copy of Rebellion online.

see you soon!
~ Amardeep (Coordinator – Be Scene)

Lack of posts…

Exam season is nigh, and consequently our colletive stress levels are skyrocketing. From looking up important textbook definitions, to reviewing all our notes taken this semester, let’s just say that the members of BeScene magazine have all been working hard, trying make the delicate, and oh-so elusive balance between school-work and extra-curriculars happen.

We apologize for the lack of posts lately. Really. Between the snow/the cold/exams/summatives/rest of life, I guess we’ve sort-of neglected our virtual commitment of posting. Sort-of.

On the bright side, our latest issue of the magazine, Rebellion and Resistance, will be coming out soon. Plans have been drafted for a possible launch party(yay!), though at the moment we’re still in the midst of finalizing things. Details will be out, virtually and otherwise as soon as everything is set. (Hope to see everyone at the launch party?)

Another update: All of our team have been working on things for the next issue, the theme of which will be “Gender”. It’s going to be exciting. (: We’re going to finish off our “Gender Violence” Media project in a few weeks… in the meantime, please keep checking back for photos/more blog posts about our progress!

Also, please don’t hesitate to submit whatever you’d like for the current issue. You can send them in by email at bescenemag[at]gmail[dot]com! (Just replace the words in brackets by the actual signs.)

Ta-ta for now, blog-o-sphere. My study notes for Geography are calling!

Until next post,

ty

Be Scene + Voices + the Gender Violence Media Project = Awesome!

Right now Be Scene magazine is smack in the middle of a joint program with Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office’s girls group ‘Voices’ and the Gender Violence Media Project. We are making media all together!! (It’s great).

For five Thursdays the Be Scene crew will be on site at the TNO Youth Space behind the East York Town Centre, talking about gender violence and anti-oppression. Though its a serious subject, we’ve created a space where we are able to talk from our hearts and laugh when the time is right. After all some stereotypes about women and gender are so ridiculous they are funny!

We have an incredible group of girls (on the busiest week so far we’ve had 27 participants!), and awesome facilitators as well. On our team are Azza Abarro, the youth worker from the Flemingdon Health Centre who has given so much to Be Scene over the past several years, Ashley Alexis McFarlane and Helen Yohannes from the Gender Violence Media Project, Tania Tabar, Serena Surybali and Malika Shah from TNO, and myself (Sarah Feldbloom, coordinator for Be Scene).

Each week we start with delicious snacks (halal pizza, or shwarma & falafel so far…) and then we write and talk, write and talk. Last week we even did a meditation where we concentrated on something that had made us uncomfortable during our conversations or something that brought up a question or made us want to learn more. Ashley asked us all to close our eyes and see it, feel it, remember it. That’s where the media making begins, by addressing something that hits a nerve in us, something that we need to research and speak about.

Next week we are doing a photojournalism workshop, and continuing to develop our ideas for articles and blog content. We don’t know what we will have by the end, but whatever it is will come from the wisdom of many women’s voices. That’s exciting stuff!

Fun, fun, fun at the Toronto Zine Library :)

For magazinesters like ourselves a trip to the Toronto Zine Library was just what the doctor ordered. It gave us a chance to do some research into the process of making a magazine that isn’t necessarily meant for large distribution, or to serve the needs of its audience, but rather as a personal project for the artist/writer themselves.

Zine experts Sara and Amy gave us an overview of the history of zines, how they started as little booklets sent in the mail to and from fans of science fiction about their topic of interest, and have grown into a vibrant and subject diverse DIY (do-it-yourself) industry. Today there are zine fairs in many major cities. In Toronto, Canzine is a festival/meeting place for independent artists/writers/publishers that happens every October. Hmmm, come to think of it, this may be a great venue to distribute some of Be Scene’s mags.

Learning about the history of zine making was interesting, but the most exciting part of the field trip was definitely collaborating on our own group zine. (I will post pictures of it when we pick up our copies next week). Cutting and pasting letters and images from magazines, writing, drawing and colouring, creating our own stories to put together a collaborative “perzine” (personal zine) was inspiring. I think it was a nice break for all of us from being so serious about trying to get our ideas across in the more traditionally formatted magazine articles we usually focus on producing.

It was very relaxing eating potato chips, grapes and granola bars, with the door to the fire escape open and the breeze coming through. We took turns working, chatting and scoping the shelves and bins for attractive and uniquely formatted little booklets. Coming across some of them felt like opening a portal to a secret world of someone else. One great series of zines I found were notes written in high school that had been saved and folded into interesting shapes then placed in little clear baggies with introduction labels. Unfolding the mundane and outdated secrets that someone else chose to keep was thrilling. There were lot’s of other treasures we found too – zines about poetry, art, politics, cooking, sexuality…basically any subject you could imagine. There was so much to see I think we all plan to make another trip.

If you’d like to visit or learn more about the Toronto Zine Library, here is the web address where you can find information about where it is and when it’s open: http://sitekreator.com/zinelibrary/the_collective.html

That’s all for now!
– Sarah Feldbloom
Coordinator for Catch da Flava and Be Scene Magazines