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The Team

Ryah

Hi !! I’m Ryah (she/her)! I’m currently a 4th year in 2D animation, having done 3D and visual arts in other cities across the world.

Writing can be a journey and I love travelling! So I’m excited to help you in any way I can, even if it’s just brainstorming ideas or needing an ear for feedback. I’ve always enjoyed creating in all forms, from writing short stories to world building from a young age.

I’m from the Caribbean, where we have different methods of communicating and learning, so I know writing methods look different for everyone ! Trying to understand each other’s cultural context is really important in building relationships so I hope I help you feel at ease and able to express the ideas you’d like to clearly.

I can definitely say one of my main passions is connecting with others, but I’d be lying if I said retail therapy wasn’t competing for first place. Get me in that thrift store and suddenly the grey skies are all blue in my eyes! One of my main hobbies is fashion design so if you ever need help with picking an outfit come ask me!


Fatemeh

Hello! I’m Fatemeh (She/ her). I am in the BDes program majoring in Communication Design while minoring in Ecological Design Practice. I have high hopes of not ending up as a graphic designer but as a researcher. Design is more of a way of looking at things, and I mainly focus on living a greener life.

I am multilingual; my friends call me a language nerd, which I happily take as a compliment. and, I am familiar with all the struggles learning a new language can cause.

What I enjoy the most is appreciating how beautiful life can be, reading books, writing, drinking tea & watching TV shows, I enjoy my alone time just as much as getting to know all of you, so come in and chat!


Ayanna

Hi friends!! My name is Ayanna (she/her), and I am a second-year illustration major. Aside from my usual student responsibilities, I enjoy spending my time playing guitar, baking, and exploring new places.
When it comes to writing, full of opportunity as it may be; its many rules and nuances can be daunting when you work with topics you know little about. However, worry not! All the tutors and I welcome you here and support you, at any stage of your process for any piece of writing (and even studio work). My favourite forms would have to be journaling, letter writing or poetry. I also love learning languages, and especially learning about the different codes of each culture. Now, I will be your number one cheerleader, and I look forward to seeing the world through your unique lens!

Abi

Hiya, I’m Abi (they/she, they/them preferred)! I’m in my 3rd year at ECU majoring in Communication Design and minoring in Art + Text.

Outside of campus, I enjoy getting a good cup of tea in the newest cute cafe around with soft house jazz playing in the background. Or, exploring tiny indie shops filled with designer books, records, posters, and anything else that I wish I’d make one day. Or, curling up in my room and binging shows. Either way, there is (almost!) never a day where I’m not up to a shenanigan!

I’ve loved reading and writing ever since I was very young — from graphic novels to sociopolitical nonfictions to semi-autobiographies and memoirs to poetry, I am OBSESSED with them all. My current practice as a designer + illustrator and writer has also pushed me even further into exploring and creating so many forms of textual material, be it in printed publications or otherwise. TLDR: I can get a bit nerdy about writing, design, and everything around it; I’d love to share with you the joys there are to all of it!

I am also mostly bilingual, fluent in English and Bahasa Indonesia, alongside bits and pieces of various Indonesian ethnic dialects. This has both been a big part of my practice alongside my ongoing journey through my obsession with language. However, as much as incorporating these pieces in the work can be cool and fun, I understand too well the struggles there are in using languages that you have a varying level of fluency in. I am here to accompany and help you through any of those struggles, alongside any other challenges you might face in any part of your writing (and studio!) work you come. Looking forward to learning from and with ya! >:D


Eliza

Hi everyone! I’m Eliza (the human, not the horse). I’m a second-year visual arts major here at Emily Carr.
I love learning and am a proud nerd. I’m especially interested in creative writing, reading, and storytelling.
When I’m not at school, I’m cuddling my cat, watching tv (I’m currently binging Castlevania), or out getting some fresh air!
I’m a friendly and curious person and look forward to helping you all through The Writing Centre. Don’t forget to come say hi during our Crit Club meetings, where I facilitate peer-peer art and design critiques.
Happy learning!

Emily

A dark haired woman (long bangs parted down the middle), wearing a black headset, gives a wry smile to the camera. She wears a blue jacket. There are posters in the background.Hello everyone!!! My name is Emily (she/her), and I’m currently in my 2nd year majoring in 2D animation.

Outside of university, I enjoy listening to the same songs on repeat while playing games that push me further to the brink of insanity. Another interest of mine is media; Any movie, TV show or anime I can hyper-fixate on is a gold mine.

As an international student from a non-English-speaking country, I’m all too familiar with the struggle of adjusting your writing to another language. However, know that no matter what level your language and writing skills are currently at, there’s nothing to be ashamed of; you’re here to learn, and I’d be delighted to help you! Be it brainstorming, reviewing your work or just talking your ideas through – I’m here for you!!

What I love about writing is how unique and chaotic our approaches can be, while all end up with a final product. I’d be happy to hear about your process, and accompany you on your writing journey, so we can tackle any hurdles together! I look forward to learning from and about you 🙂


Sandy

Sandy (she/her) has supported the Writing Centre team since Fall 2018. She has a BFA in Media Arts & Digital Technology from Alberta College of Art + Design (now Alberta University of the Arts), level 9 Royal Conservatory of Music piano certification, and used to play drums in a band a long time ago. She loves playing video games and can solve a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube in about two minutes.

She appreciates the opportunity to work with the many kind and funny people who make up the team each semester, and to watch students be helped and grow in their writing journey.


Sara

Hi! My name is Sara and I’ve just returned to live, work, and play on the unceded, traditional and ancestral xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ(Tsleil-Waututh) territories as the new Learning Specialist.

After attending Emily Carr as an undergraduate (where you were most likely to find me in the ceramics studio), I studied East Asian art history at the University of Toronto. There, as a graduate student, I researched and wrote on the Second Sino-Japanese war’s effects on contemporary art, mostly centred around the imaginary Cyborg. I read and speak Japanese, and have spent several years studying Mandarin but mostly for reading.

During covid, my project has been to knit and send people I can’t visit with cowls (like circular scarves). So far I’ve done about 20, and I’ve really enjoyed the process of meditating on friendships and past memories and moments as I stitch. I’m looking forward to meeting you, and hearing your story at Emily Carr, as a student, writer, thinker, and maker.


Leah

Leah Burns has provided writing, research and academic support to students and faculty across Canada and internationally. Leah is an ECUAD graduate with over 20 years of experience in community-engaged art and design processes. With a PhD in Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Toronto, she has worked extensively supporting arts-based research and design projects focused on health care, social services, arts and culture and environmental education.

At the Writing Centre Leah supports graduate students with writing and research; trains and supervises undergraduate peer tutors; researches student and faculty teaching / learning needs and collaborates with other faculty and staff to design and implement workshops / resources relevant to the ECUAD community.


Heather

Heather Fitzgerald is the Coordinator of the Writing Centre and Interim Director of Teaching and Learning. She has been teaching academic writing for the past fifteen years, at both Emily Carr and the University of Toronto, and has a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages through Woodsworth College (UToronto). Previously, she worked for six years as a lexicographer on the Canadian Oxford Dictionary project with Oxford University Press. And even before that (because she is old) she worked for many years as a copywriter for marketing and advertising companies in Calgary, Toronto and New York, writing many many words that very few people read!