The Boy In The Suitcase

Alphanso Warren (in White) -- Kingston, Jamaica

The Boy In The Suitcase. No, not the International Bestseller book by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnette Friis. But the real life and tragic story of a 2 year-old boy mummified and stuffed into a suitcase for over two months. No, not by some child predator. By his parents. This were the same parents that left their daughter in a stairwell 4 years prior.


In 2008, Toronto was disturbed by the news of a 8 month-old baby girl that was left in a stairwell in -14C weather. She became a household name and was known to many as "Baby Angelica". Angelica's parents, Stephanie (age 34) and Alphanso Warren (32) were residents of Toronto who had three other children. After the case was "resolved" in 2009, the Warrens relocated to Kingston, Jamaica while Stephanie was pregnant. Baby Angelica has since been adopted.

Baby Angelica -- 2008

On January 15th, 2012, neighbours of the Warrens raided their home after not seeing the Warren's 2 year-old son, Joshua (Jeshurun), for over two months. The gruesome discovery of the little boy partially mummified and stuffed in a suitcase was broadcasted in the news in Jamaica as well as Toronto. 

"I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING WRONG" -- Stephanie Warren

During an interview I had for a volunteer position, I was asked, "Why do you think people neglect or abuse their children?". This was a loaded question and I had loaded answers.
Every situation is different and there could be more than a few reasons and not limited to specific situations as they cannot be generalized to all. As much as I understand that socioeconomic status, mental disorders, lack of education in parenting, past history of childhood abuse of parents etc. are all factors that fuel the constant cycle of abuse, I question why the parents of Joshua and Baby Angelica were even able to move to Jamaica.


After the discover of Angelica, it is evident that the Warrens did not need jail time, but psychiatric rehabilitation. Yet, Alphanso Warren served a 22-month sentence while Stephanie Warren was ordered to pay $300. 
Apparently, $300.00 and spending 2 Birthdays in jail is the price of nearly killing an 8 month-old baby.


Perhaps the tragic death of Joshua could not have been necessarily avoided, but the psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation of the Warrens could have prevented and delayed them from started another family. 


On Tuesday, January 24th, the Warrens were ordered to go through psychiatric evaluation. In comparison to the United States, Canada's Judicial system greatly emphasizes rehabilitation rather than going straight to jail and although this is great news, I question why this wasn't ordered when Baby Angelica was discovered. 


Stephanie Warren stands by her innocence claiming she did nothing wrong and says, "Anyone who knows me knows I love my children". What is even more disturbing is that she brings RELIGION and JESUS into the mix and claims that she and Alphanso do not follow other people's guidelines on raising children, but they follow the Holy Bible and King James bible. 


Now, I can't say I've read the Bible, but can someone who has point out the part where the Warren's behaviour is justified?
Warren also says that they did not do anything to Joshua, and that he died of natural causes. I don't know about you, but a suitcase is hardly a coffin and the closet is not a burial.


In addition, when asked about her other children who were apprehended by Children's Aid Society of Toronto, we said, "The Canadian system is corrupt,” she said this week. “If something happens with one child, they take all your children away"....


Well DUH.

Toronto Love: "Sh*t Toronto People Say"

Ok... I can't disagree... LOL


Shout out to:
Marlon: @thatdudemcfly
Slynky: @slynkydaslyguy
Femi: @itsmrlawson

Great work!

Affirmative Action: Equal Opportunity Hire

Affirmative action elicits a reaction. Which do you prefer to side with? Support or oppose?

At a recent social gathering, a friend communicated that he doesn't believe in hiring minorities, but equal opportunity hiring. Makes sense. One should not be hired to fill the quota on hiring visible minorities, but they should be equally and fairly considered in terms of their qualifications.

What is disturbing is that often, people believe that affirmative action means that minorities will be hired regardless of their lack in their qualifications, just because they are a minority. No. Let's not get this twisted here. With that attitude, affirmative action is no longer affirmative.

What debaters, policy makers, gate keepers and YOU have to understand is, people often look at an individual that may be categorized as a minority and think they were only hired because of their race, religion, gender etc. In actuality, that is the exact maintenance of discrimination that affirmative action intends to deconstruct.
The idea is, HIRE BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS.

When applying for a job, it really should be what you know, not who you know. Unfortunately, it is not so. Unfortunately, it is also, who you are, what skin colour you wear, who your parents are etc.

Minorities are faced with discrimination even prior to the job interview. The education system is filled with hidden curriculum that undermines the abilities and opportunities of minorities. The fact that something like AFFIRMATIVE ACTION even exists tells you right there what kind of world we live in... A world that needs policies to ensure organizations and companies hire fairly. ... Why? Because at one point in time, it was well accepted that minorities WEREN'T being considered fairly.

Just ask the person next to you. Chances are, they're categorized as a minority too.

Chimamanda Adichie

There are two sides to every story.

Or so I believed, until Adichie.

When watching this, it is important to note that a single story has dangers of: developing stereotypes, ignoring power relations between the listener and narrator and misunderstanding the true multiple stories of one individual.

London Rippers: The Logo says it all

Back in November when the new name for the London baseball team, "London Rippers" caused a stir in the news, I avoided this topic for the blog, as there was obvious controversy. However, it is clear that the controversy is not so obvious to some. 


The name "London Rippers" received negative criticism due to the link to the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, the British serial killer that murdered 13 women, and attacked 7. 


Supporters of the Baseball team's name claim no harm, and that the intention was not to name the team after the serial killer. Seriously? If that is their defence, I sure hope that is not the weak mentality they use to play baseball. I can tell you they will be losing every game. 


The moral outrage against the name is quite understandable. Making light of the situation and claiming no harm to being labelled a London Ripper actually makes light of gendered violence. 
What's next? The "Montreal Massacres"?
The team is also introducing "The Lil Rippers", a baseball team for kids under the age of 12. Fabulous.


What is more interesting and pathetic is that although the news has reported on the negative criticisms the London Rippers have received, Devon Teeple of The Bleacher Report focuses on how the London Rippers can attract attention to the team, attractiveness for the kids to play baseball and the parents to attend the games through the negative media uproar. Good job guys. The reporter claims that the Rippers' logo is really original and "will make an amazing baseball hat". I don't know about original, the Ripper is the image of Sutcliffe holding a baseball bat. Oh, I guess since the Yorkshire Ripper didn't play baseball or attack the women with a bat, the logo is ok. *Rolling eyes*

Teeple then ends the FASCINATING article with, "It is very rare when you hear about a successful Canadian franchise in the baseball world. Let’s help make the Rippers a champion and play a part in making their inaugural 2012 campaign memorable".


Someone tell Teeple to get off of The Bleacher, and back to earth.

Toddler in Tiara Gets "Pageant Crack"

You can't watch TV without some crazy news story on some crazy people.

Ever watched "Toddlers & Tiaras"? Critics often view this as parents vicariously living through their children. The intense amount of pressure on these children is often defended by the parents claiming that their child loves to perform and can quit anytime they would like. The children are given fake breasts, buttocks and other padding to impersonate Dolly Parton and other characters and celebrities. Is this necessary?

Six year-old Alana and her "go-go juice"

One of the six year-olds on the show, Alana is fed "go go juice" by her mother, June, to amp up her energy before her performance. Basically filled with high doses of sugar, the toddler is on a sugar high before she prances on stage for the judges. 

Furthermore, the same mother feeds her toddler up to 15 packs of pixie stix and calls it "Pageant Crack". Apparently, the go go juice is more effective.

When asked about the go go juice and pageant crack, June says, "A lot of moms say, 'Oh you're doping up your child'. No I'm not, I'm not hurting her".

Really though?

It is unknown what the ingredients of go go juice is, but the Alana's behaviour on the show is questionable, as she slurs words and claims the juice makes her want to pull her mother's hair. 

Are parents of pageant contestants making light of narcotics and children's health? I'm against putting your child on a diet because of fear that they will get "fat" at the tender ages three, but I'm also against pageant crack and go go juice to win a competition. The long-term impact on the child's health is detrimental, but apparently, it is worth the tiara. 

The show has also received negative attention in the past when a mother dressed her four year-old as Julia Robert's character in "Pretty Women" (Prostitute) as her costume for the pageant. This also makes light of children targeted as sexual prey.

There must be a limit to what children are subject to in these pageants and what parents can and cannot do to ensure their child wins. It is clear there are not enough policies on the matter, but the moral outrage is surely rising. Hopefully in the near future, official policies will ensure the guidelines are followed. 

This is a clear example of the outrageous behaviour of human beings when rules are not provided. Who said rules were meant to be broken?

TAO Japanese Drummers

The Sony Centre for Performing Arts has an amazing show in their agenda this year. This March, TAO Japanese Drummers performs in Toronto.

Created by a former punk rock drummer who was inspired by Cirque de Soleil's integration of Japanese culture and drumming, the creator also integrates Korean dancing, Indonesian Marimba and many others.
This show is overflowing with culture, guaranteed to be enjoyed by people of all different ethnic backgrounds.

It happens March 30th, 2012 at the Sony Centre for Performing Arts (1 Front Street at Yonge) at 8pm. Tickets range from $30-$39. Please visit their site.

To see more dates on TAO Japanese Drummer's North American Tour, please click here

Twenty Twelve

*Sigh* another year... 


Whether you partied in the downtown streets, a friend's house or at an over the top hotel banquet room, I very much hope you enjoyed yourself. I know of a couple that partied in Australia... Jealous.


Downtown Toronto was BA...NANAS last night. The TTC provided free transit from 12am-4am to lure people away from drinking and driving. This is one of the pros of the TTC, in a sea of many cons. 
Parts of Queen street and Yonge street were blocked off, especially Queen street due to the mass crowd at Nathan Phillips Square.


I'm probably just getting old, but New Year's parties aren't as appealing to me. I am very content with staying home with take out, wine and watching a movie with close friends than getting glammed up to party. Clubs, lounges, bars... are all great but on certain occasions, not the Thursday to Sunday partying I used to do in my early 20s. Aside from making it to the bar before last call, try some other activities with friends, explore the city and discover.


We've all spent hundreds on Christmas gifts, so here are some non-Clubbing and low cost events in Toronto for Winter 2012:




DJ SKATE NIGHT


When: December 3rd, 2011- February 19th, 2012
            EVERY SATURDAY 8pm-11pm (excl. xmas eve, NY eve)


Where: Harbourfront 


            416-973-4000


What: This winter’s DJ Skate Night series features 10 FREE late-night skating events with some of Toronto’s best party-rockers including Cherry Bomb DJs, 1 LOVE T.O., Cratery, DJ medicineman, Promise DJs and FLOW 93.5 FM.


Cost: FREE




POWER KIDS- PORTRAITS


When: February 26th, 2012
          3pm-5pm


Where: The Power Plant - 231 Queens Quay West (Queens Quay & Lower Simcoe)
           

416-973-4949 COST: $4 Members, $6 Non-members (per child)

What: Inspired by the Malabar People, the dramatic portrait series by Stan Douglas currently on view at The Power Plant, this workshop will explore creative drawing and collage approaches to portraiture.

Using various materials and working with a partner, participants will learn about the fundamentals of portraiture such as framing, proportion and setting, as well as basic lighting techniques. The portraits will then be transformed through a mosaic magazine collage technique to create invented backgrounds.

Kids will receive their portraits at the end of the workshop and parents are expected to join their children in all activities.




JANUARY WEEKENDS


When: January 7th, 2012 - January 29th, 2012
          12pm-4pm


Where: Scarborough Museum
            1007 Brimley
            Scarborough


Cost: By donation


What: Take it back to the 90s – the 1890s! See how the Victorians took advantage of the winter months as they traveled from party to party! Play party games, sample party treats, listen to popular music of the time period and have a grand time! Admission is by donation.




MY GRANNY THE GOLDFISH


When: March 17th, 2012- April 15th, 2012
          Times vary, please call.


Where: Factory Theatre
           125 Bathurst Street
           (Bathurst and Adelaide)
            416-504-9971


What: The Toronto premiere of the hilarious and irreverent comedy. Granny travels from Bombay to visit her beloved grandson Nico who is in hospital in Vancouver. Her “cure alls” are attitudes, platitudes and a full flask of whiskey. Despite Nico’s neurotic and hysterical protests, Granny helps him truly heal – ultimately proving that laughter is the best medicine. 

My Granny the Goldfish was featured as a reading in Factory Theatre’s 2009 CrossCurrents Festival and premiered in 2010 at The Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver.

 ---<3 Happy New Year Everyone :)