Community News Update - April 26, 2024
Community News Update - July 25, 2022
Dear community,
Sadly, the search for one of our dear community neighbours continues. 76 year old Antonio Madeira was last seen on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 near Oakwood Avenue and Vaughan Road, wearing a dark jacket, light khaki pants, light coloured shoes and a baseball hat. He is reported at 5’5 in height, approximately 150 lbs, with hazel eyes and tanned complexion, balding short white hair and a full white beard (pictured below).
He may be confused or unaware of his surroundings and his family and police are very concerned for his safety. If you or anyone you know may have information of his whereabouts, please contact the family at 647-282843, police at 416-808-1300, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
Let’s bring Antonio home to be with his family again!
It was a busy weekend across Toronto-St. Paul’s. I spent Friday out in Little Jamaica for MASH UP PON DI ROAD, eating, laughing and dancing the night away with friends and community. Thank you to ArtWorkTO and directors, Liza Paul and Bahia Watson for creating such an incredible bash to bring us all together.
Over the weekend, the World Health Organization declared Monkeypox as a global health emergency with it now spreading to 74 countries across the world.
In our own city, cases are also rising. Thankfully, a vaccine is available to stop the spread, either before or within 4 days of being exposed to the virus.
To check clinic locations, availability and eligibility to receive your vaccine, click here.
This is also a reminder of the absolute importance of paid sick days. For those infected, the incubation period is 21 days long in order to no longer be contagious to others; 7 times the number of paid sick days that the province has offered workers since April 2021 as an inadequate response to the pandemic.
This means that once again, workers across the province will have to make the choice – stay home, recover and stop the spread or be able to pay their rent and other bills. For too many, this isn’t a choice at all as they simply can't afford it.
We all witnessed what happened through COVID. For two and a half years, this pandemic has uprooted lives, families, livelihoods, and our healthcare system without this fundamental workers’ right in place as part solution to stop the spread. This is why I and my colleagues continue to stress the need for an effective paid sick days program NOW.
Join us!
The amazing folks at Black Women in Motion and For Youth Initiative are hosting their Motiv8 Youth Violence Prevention Program, each Monday from August 8th until September 26th. The series is open to Black youth between 13-25 in the Oakwood-Vaughan community and will focus on issues of healthy relationship building, consent, bystander information and more!
This builds on the incredible work For Youth Initiative has done for our community since opening a center in the Oakwood-Vaughan neighbourhood last year. As an organization, they work with youth to identify and reach their academic, employment, and life goals to ensure bright futures ahead of them.
Click here to register for the Motiv8 Summer Workshop Series
Our friends at Regent Park Film Festival’s summer series is coming to a close this Wednesday, July 27 and to celebrate the 20th year of the festival, they’re hosting a block party. The evening will be complete with live performances from local artists, food from vendors with Taste of Regent Park, and great company. The block party is taking place from 6-9PM and will then be followed by a screening of Disney’s Encanto!
To learn more of this family-friendly, FREE event, click here.
In Solidarity,
Jill Andrew
Toronto—St. Paul's
