Journalism welcomes new instructors for the fall semester
Journalism at the Creative School is welcoming eight new instructors who are joining us for the fall 2022 semester, four of whom are alumni of the program.
Jowita Bydlowska
Jowita Bydlowska (external link) , '04, is the author of the controversial, best-selling memoir Drunk Mom (external link) , and the best-selling novel GUY (external link) . As a journalist, she mainly writes about culture, social issues, mental health, and sometimes arts and fashion.
What’s a moment in your career you're proud about?
In 2013, I published my first book. I've always set out to be a long-distance writer, so the book format is actually one I feel most confident in. My first novel came out in 2016, and that was a real breakthrough moment as from the beginning, I set out to be a fiction writer (I'd say I even went to j-school quite cynically hoping to learn the craft of writing, not so much to make huge waves in a newsroom or anything like that).
How did you get your start in journalism?
My first journalism job was straight out of school, writing for one of those horrible content farms that rely on SEO and other soul-crushing methods of conveying information. My first real job, however, was at a magazine called Oxygen, which is a fitness magazine. I was promoted to a Senior Copy Editor position within the first six months. (The magazine was also of its time as it built its success on women's insecurities about their bodies promoting a fake "healthy" lifestyle that was nothing else but orthorexia and fitness addiction.)
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
English is not my first language, yet I never let that stop me from pursuing a career in journalism. When I went to TMU back in the early 2000s, there was a professor who suggested I take some English-writing classes because she didn't believe I had what it takes. I'm so incredibly happy that the landscape has changed, and we don't shame people for their differences but rather celebrate them now.
Tasala Tahir
Tasala Tahir (external link) , '19, is a sport industry professional and has been involved in areas of basketball including PR and communications, journalism, community development, and team and basketball operations. She has worked as a communications coordinator for Toronto Raptors, managing producer and host for The Parleh and more.
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
I had the privilege of living out a potentially once-in-a-lifetime experience by riding on the Raptors championship bus during the unbelievable parade. Taking in one of the biggest moments in Canadian sports history and having images imprinted in my memory of the views from the bus is something I’ll never forget.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
Meeting the students! And talking sports journalism. The industry is changing, and being able to explore that change in real-time with students will be a great opportunity. (And it will be nice to walk some familiar halls, and go down memory lane, haha!)
Where/how did you get your start in journalism?
I’d like to think it all started in high school when I founded a newsletter about our basketball team. The newsletter became important to the basketball community at the school and around Toronto.
Ahmar Khan
Ahmar Khan (external link) is a digital broadcast journalist with Global News Toronto. Prior to joining Global News, he spent six years doing television, radio and digital media reporting andhas worked in newsrooms in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops, and Toronto.
How did you get your start in journalism?
I was an overweight kid in Grade 11 and wanted to switch from my fitness class into something that would mean ‘Easy A’ and ended up in Media Arts. They produced a weekly TV show, and it involved little news and creative segments and I was instantly hooked.
What’s a moment in your career you're proud about?
Winning arbitration against the CBC because over the course of 14 months, I did not back down and stuck true to myself.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
I think talking with students about the evolution of journalism as they view it, being able to shape young and smart minds and having conversations with students who care.
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
I can eat an entire box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting.
Genelle Levy
Genelle Levy (external link) is a journalist who covers social inequality and social issues within pop culture. She has contributed to USA Today, Global News, Conde Nast's Them, Shondaland.com and TeenVogue.
How did you get your start in journalism?
In journalism school, my professor said that part of passing his class was contingent on getting published in a media outlet that existed outside the journalism school. So I started contributing to the local paper Syracuse New Times. My first article was about the cultural phenomenon of the hit TV show Modern Family.
What’s moment in your career you’re proud about?
A moment in my career that I'm proud of is when I did my first feature story highlighting a systemic issue in society. It was a 1700-word feature in a Conde Nast magazine called Them about the systemic barriers Black, and Latino LGBTQ+ men face in accessing healthcare.
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
I have a scuba diving license.
Inayat Singh
Inayat Singh (external link) is a Toronto-based national climate reporter at CBC News. He covers Canadian energy policy, politics, climate solutions and natural conservation.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
I am most looking forward to meeting my students. Students at TMU have campaigned for and worked hard at creating a more welcoming and inclusive institution for people who look like me. In the process, they have validated my own experiences in this industry and moved conversations that I would have had with small groups of BIPOC classmates and coworkers into the mainstream. For this, I am grateful, and excited to teach.
What’s a moment in your career you’re proud about?
This August, I got to guest host an episode of CBC's What on Earth, our network radio show about climate change. I'm a fan of the show because of the solutions-based approach they take to their reporting, along with a strong focus on climate justice. It's great to reach a stage in your career where you are comfortable and knowledgeable enough in your beat (environment and climate in my case) and can jump into these kinds of roles.
How did you get your start in journalism?
I got my start in journalism at the Winnipeg Free Press about 10 years ago. I went there for a summer internship as a data journalist, which turned into a permanent job. So it's really special that I'm teaching data journalism at TMU now. These skills got me my first job and have served me well throughout my career, at CBC in Manitoba and in Toronto.
Vibhu Gairola
Vibhu Gairola (external link) , '14, is an associate lawyer at Israel Foulon Wong LLP. He is interested in labour and employment, workplace law, contract law, human rights, litigation, privacy and intellectual property, media law, condominium law, public and administrative law.
How did you get your start in journalism?
I got my start in journalism through the sheer grit and gumption of a freelancer determined to tell the stories that mattered to me: emails went out and for a while nothing came back in. I had the immense luck and privilege that colleagues of mine noticed my passion for my pet areas of cultural reporting, events, current affairs and visual cultures--once I aligned myself with the stories and subject matters I truly cared about, assignments started to multiply. I will always be grateful to my excellent colleagues from my cohort at the School of Journalism who advocated for me in rooms and conversations I did not have access to as a freelancer.
How does it feel to now be teaching in the same program you graduated from?
Profoundly humbling (although for clarity's sake, I graduated from the Bachelor of Journalism program and I am teaching the Masters program this fall). It feels like a golden opportunity to pass on the care, education, goodwill and love that I received from the School of Journalism to the next generation.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
Meeting and helping my students. The School of Journalism draws some of the brightest and most inquisitive minds across Canada, and in my experience many of these minds go on to produce stories, lead newsrooms and protect the public interest. My students in past versions of this course have historically been full of promise, cheer and enthusiasm and I have been proud to see them flourish after their time with the School of Journalism. I hope to see a similar flavour in my upcoming batch and I am really looking forward to supporting them in any way I can to help them excel in any of their interests.
You were a TA for a version of the course you are teaching now, how does that feel?
It feels quite surreal, but also incredibly exciting. As a TA, I have often had conversations with past instructors about my excitement for the course content and avenues I would have loved to explore further if time had permitted. Now, as the instructor myself, I am able to make decisions and recommendations about supplementing the already excellent heart of the course with further material and nuance from the perspective of a legal practitioner. As an instructor, I feel excited to observe and respond to my student's unique interests.
Ania Bessonov
Ania Bessonov (external link) , '18, worked at CBC Toronto in multiple positions, including associate producer and reporter. She has now transitioned into academia.
How does it feel to now be teaching in the same program you graduated from?
A bit surreal, actually! I consider the journalism program and team like a family so it’s really amazing to be back, especially to be teaching.
How did you get your start in journalism?
I started my journalism career in Toronto at the CBC as an intern during my undergraduate degree at TMU. Since then, I've worked in a variety of different roles and for various shows at the CBC.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
I'm really looking forward to engaging with my students on the course material. This course covers very interesting subjects, all of which are quite timely and relevant for our times, so I'm excited to hear their opinions and experiences.
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
I have travelled to 36 different countries and speak four languages — hoping to start learning my fifth one this year!
Craig Silverman
Craig Silverman (external link) is an award-winning journalist and author and one of the world's leading experts on online disinformation, fake news, and digital investigations. He is a reporter for ProPublica covering voting, platforms, disinformation, and online manipulation. Craig previously served as media editor of BuzzFeed News, where he pioneered coverage of digital disinformation and media manipulation.
What’s a moment in your career you're proud about?
I'm proud that the reporting I did during 2016, and in the years leading up to it, helped awaken journalists, researchers, and the public to the threats of online disinformation and digital manipulation.
How does it feel to be teaching at the School of Journalism?
I'm really excited to teach a new class dedicated to digital investigations! It's the first time I've taught this material as a university course, so I'm also nervous to see how it goes.
What are you looking forward to the most this school year?
I can't wait to see how students apply the concepts, techniques and tools we will cover in the course. I also expect to learn a lot from them.
What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
I played in a rock band that had a song in the very first episode of the hit TV show 24.