Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2011 - (Page 24)

alumnI ProfileS urban culture hero Che Kothari’S viSion for artS eduCation inCludeS K’naan teaChing at a free SChool by Stuart PaterSon, JournaliSm ’10 W michiko | Shot on the andaman iSlandS hen Che Kothari, Image Arts ’05, isn’t working on his annual urban arts festival, he’s doing photo shoots, speaking engagements and participating in cultural summits and panels, including helping to develop a cultural plan for the upcoming Pan Am Games. Even a vacation to New York City with his girlfriend last year yielded a partnership with the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. “I have a hard time not working,” Kothari says, laughing. But it’s his work ethic that has brought him so far. He’s only 27 and in addition to his photography career, he’s a co-founder: of Manifesto Community Projects Inc., which promotes urban culture through workshops, multimedia projects and an annual seven-day festival that drew 46,000 people in 2010; and a creative agency called Hightop Studios with partner Ryan Paterson, Image Arts ’06. He’s also the recipient of numerous awards, including Ryerson’s Isadore Sharp Award for Outstanding Recent Graduate. “I call myself a ‘cultural community instigator,’” he says, and in that role he hosts artistic workshops for youth aged 15 to 25. “The young people in these programs have so much to say, and the quality is just as good as what’s out there right now.” All they need is mentorship and a platform, which he works with others to provide. His passion for arts education drives him toward his vision of a free School of Community and Culture, centred in Toronto, with renowned artists from all over the globe as instructors. “Imagine having K’naan as a professor!” he says. Despite his workload, however, Kothari manages to stay focused. “The honest truth of it is, I really love what we’re doing, and I know that it’s all possible.” Stuart PaterSon iS a toronto-baSed writer. 24 ryerson university Magazine • S u M M e r 2011 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2011

Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2011
Contents
President's Message
Showcase
Gould Street
Migration Puzzle
Mastering Math
Board Q & A
Imaging the Human Body
Alumni Profiles
In My Opinion
VP Viewpoint/Alumni Diary
Class Notes
Remember When?

Ryerson Alumni - Summer 2011

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