BEHIND THE ISSUE
1. “An Unwanted Education” (p. 80) is a powerful excerpt from Toronto-based writer ETERNITY MARTIS’ memoir, They Said This Would Be Fun. What is the bestselling author reading? “Shame on Me by Tessa McWatt,” she says. “It’s beautifully written, and I saw so many parallels between Tessa’s identity as a multiracial woman and my own. The opening pages gave me goosebumps.” 2. Torontonian LAURA FISHBAUM grew up fascinated by the ever-changing fashion industry, so it’s safe to say her role on our team as a design assistant has been years in the making. She also has a very covetable wardrobe. “My favourite accessory is my black crocodile Alexander McQueen wallet,” she says. “It was my first ‘adult’ purchase, and I use it every day. It has a timeless look but, at the same time, subtly conveys an edgy and cool personality.” To check out one of her collages, head to page 38. 3. Take it from photographer LEEOR WILD, who shot Jessie Reyez for our cover story (p. 88): A shoot is always better when there’s an on-set pool to jump into at the end of the day. And after months of working from home, the Toronto native relished the opportunity to be back on-set in a safe way. “It felt like no time had passed,” she says. “Once I was surrounded by the energy of the people I love to work with, I became refuelled.” 4. SALINI PERERA spent her childhood in Scarborough, Ont., poring over the art in children’s books. Luckily for us, she channelled that love into a career as an illustrator, and we got to use her beautiful work to accompany our round table of young Canadian activists working to change our world (“The Future Is Now,” p. 70). When asked what’s the best advice she has ever been given, her answer is unexpected—but useful nonetheless. “When baking, always crack your eggs into a separate bowl,” says Perera. “You never think you need to do this until you inadvertently break a rotten egg into your cake batter.” 5. Forget the old “less is more” adage. When it comes to fashion, Tehran native NARIMAN JANGHORBAN, who styled our “The New Renaissance” shoot (p. 98), prefers a wide range of options. “[Fall/ winter 2020/2021] was a pretty eclectic season with lots of different points of view,” says Janghorban, who grew up in Vancouver. “I appreciate it because I’m a very greedy stylist and like a bit of everything.”