Blog

International Women’s Day is a time to commemorate the achievements of women all around the world, while also acknowledging the continued importance of gender equality and inclusivity across different races, identities, and backgrounds. This Women’s Day, Spark recognizes and celebrates the many contributions of our women leaders, who make up...

Kwey–Hello, Water is sacred. We are made of water. It is our connection, our medicine. Water is life.  It must be guarded. It must be respected. But most of all, it must be protected.  Water is “Nibi” in the Anishinaabemowin language. Nibi is a gift. It is one that most...

For me, Black History Month is a time to wonder what previous generations of Black activists like Martin Luther King Jr., Viola Desmond, Nelson Mandela, and many others would say if they could see the world today. Black people across the globe continue to endure the struggles and challenges caused...

Reading the history of Pride in Canada is an exercise in both horror and inspiration. The marginalization and oppression of Canadians—just for being themselves is horrible. The creativity and resilience of those human beings in response to oppression is inspiring. Pride holds many meanings for many people. For us, it’s...

Nursing Week couldn’t come at a more poignant time given the current pandemic crisis. At a local level, our healthcare providers are working around the clock: full time, overtime, and then some to help save lives and comfort those in need. At Spark, we believe Nursing Week should be celebrated...

The social pressure to conform to ‘the norm’ is strong enough that we tend to sit up and take notice when people very publicly refuse to do so. In the late 90s, a struggling software company called Apple (maybe you’ve heard of it) created the wildly successful ‘Think Different’ advertising...

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a Christmas classic and I’ll brook no argument on the subject. I’m referring, of course, to the original 1966 television special (I haven’t seen the new film currently in theatres, and I’ll save my opinions on the Jim Carrey version). When I...

My son Cooper is five years old. He is a beautiful, amazing, hilarious bundle of joy. Everything changed for me the moment he was born. There’s nothing else like holding your child for the first time. Nothing else like the feeling that he needed me and his mom more than...

Being swept by Lebron and the Cavs again hurts. But in opening up about his depression this season, the Raptors’ star has done something powerful. In the midst of leading the Toronto Raptors to the greatest regular season in their history, DeMar DeRozan had the best year of his career....

We all experienced pain as kids. And we were never the same. In a good way. I didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur. I initially became a respite worker because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids who were dealt a tough hand. My education...