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Gina's Story

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When I look at you, I search for what is common between us as human beings.  

My parents were post-war immigrants to Canada. Several years after their arrival, I was born in Toronto. As my parents worked around the clock, my grandmother cared for us in our home. I attended public schools and had my first job at the age of eleven.  From time to time I would adopt a Hollywood version of life, but otherwise I instinctively knew that everything in life would require considerable work. Eventually, I also came to understand that my failures would outnumber my successes, but with perseverance dreams can come true.

 

There are three foundational pillars that have shaped me as a person.  Since I travel daily between the rural culture inside the home and the mainstream Canadian culture I live outside of the home, each day I build bridges of understanding between my heritage culture and contemporary Canadian society.  Secondly, I see you in me.  When I look at you, I search for what is common between us as human beings.  When I view my life as interconnected with yours, then you and I can begin to talk and make changes. Thirdly, as a woman raised in a traditional culture, I was only expected to wed and embrace motherhood. The added dreams of higher education and an established career were niceties. As a woman I needed to ‘rewrite’ the script that had been written for me.

My work at Diversity Matters consists of righting some wrongs, which can be anything from discrimination to loss of dignity to violence. In a small way I try to make small, but meaningful changes.Thanks for tuning in.

I hope we'll connect.

Bringing diverse ideas and people together

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Gina's Empowerments

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  • PhD in Teacher Education & Multicultural Studies, The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto

  • Bachelor of Education (Ontario Teacher’s Certificate), University of Toronto

  • Honours Bachelor of Arts, College Glendon, York University

  • Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate, TESL Ontario

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Reiki I & II  •  Mindful Meditation I 

Languages Spoken:  English, French, Italian, Spanish

Giving Back

Awards & Recognition

• Diamond Jubilee Award, Office of the Governor General

• Ordine al Merito, National Congress of Italian Canadians

• Documentary The Last Rite, Canadian Ethnic Media Association


• Faculty of Education Scholarship, University of Toronto

• Graduate Scholarship, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) 
Awards
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