To mark our nation’s 150th celebration of Confederation, the Peterborough-based Streets of Canada initiative has launched a new campaign featuring a collection of short stories and photographs about Canadian business owners, artists, and unsung heroes from coast to coast.
“When Canada 150 came up, we realized that there are a lot things going on to celebrate Canada and its values as a whole,” says Sana Virji, entrepreneur and Streets of Canada co-founder. “Among all of the celebrations of Canada’s accomplishments and history, we want to honour the present and the people all around us today-the innovators, creators, dreamers, and unsung heroes. For us, Canada isn’t about a sports team, a flag, or a monument-it’s about dreaming big, working together, being kind, and accepting of all.”
Since launching in late November, Virji and her business partner, Ribat Chowdhury — both owners of the smartphone app Ribbet — have been travelling across Ontario and Canada to showcase the vibrant personalities of individual Canadians. The result of these efforts is now a vibrant catalogue of photographs featured alongside quotes and anecdotes published on Streets of Canada’s website and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
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“No matter what the story, you feel a sense of connection to the person narrating, whether it’s the café owner who has an eating disorder, the musician who came to Canada as a refugee and is unable to go back to his home country without persecution, or the activist who grew up in foster care,” Virji says. “These are the people we interact with every day, and their stories are inspirational, honest, and show Canada’s diversity and acceptance.”
Streets of Canada is on a mission to show that Canada is more than just hockey and maple syrup. They plan to collect and share 1,000 stories of Canadians from all walks of life-who they are, where they came from, what they do, what drives them, their hopes, their fears, their past, and their pride. Up to now, five Peterborough residents have been profiled, along with other individuals residing in Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto.
To help Streets of Canada reach its goal, people can visit www.streetsofcanada.com/nominate to nominate an entrepreneur, artist, or anyone who you think has a great story to tell. An individual can also nominate themselves and share their own story.
