About Block by Block
Building a more inclusive city through storytelling, one neighbourhood at a time.
Block by Block was a participatory, multimedia program of the Toronto Ward Museum. It engaged young people in the collection and interpretation of oral histories in collaboration with Indigenous and newcomer community members. By training young people to interview residents in their own neighbourhoods about their lived experiences, the program preserved and animated stories of migration, settlement and civic life.
From 2019-2021, Block by Block was focused on four Toronto neighbourhoods: Agincourt, Parkdale, Regent Park and Victoria Park. These neighbourhoods are all undergoing significant redevelopment and we are learning from local experiences in them as they change.
The Toronto Ward Museum led Block by Block in partnership with nine other organizations. They were: Agincourt Community Services Association; City of Toronto Newcomer Office; OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants; Regent Park Film Festival; Ryerson University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning; Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre; Toronto Public Library, West Neighbourhood House; and Working Women Community Centre.
We are grateful to our funders: the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Inspirit Foundation, and the City of Toronto Music Office (City Hall Live).
Block by Block Lead Organization
Toronto Ward Museum
Program Partners
Agincourt Community Services Association
City of Toronto Newcomer Office
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
Regent Park Film Festival
Toronto Community Benefits Network
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre
Toronto Metropolitan University School of Urban and Regional Planning
Toronto Public Library
West Neighbourhood House
Working Women Community Centre
Lead Funders
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Inspirit Foundation
Supporting Funders
City of Toronto Cultural Hotspot
Toronto Arts Council
Employment and Social Development Canada
City of Toronto Music Office
University of Toronto Faculty of Information
University of Toronto School of Cities
Artscape
Toronto Ward Museum Executive Directors
Gracia Dyer Jalea, Founding Executive Director (2018-2020)
Perry Lupyrypa, Interim Executive Director (2020-2021)
Brannavy Jeyasundaram, Co-Executive Director (2021-2022)
Henrick “Shoolie” Sales, Co-Executive Director (2021-2022)
Block by Block Program Director and Lead Curator (2018-2022)
Maggie Hutcheson
Block by Block Local Program Coordinators (2019-2021)
Ahmed Hegazy
Brian Joe
Fatema Isam
Fatima Khan
Jane Law
Joanna Prescod
Julia Huynh
Maggie To
Melana Roberts
Robel Adugna
Stephanie Chan
Thevya Balendran
Block by Block Young Researchers/Curators (2019-2021)
Aashna Thakkar
Abby Bangod
Aherthy Jeyasundaram
Anika Tabovaradan
Aniqa Rahman
Brannavy Jeyasundaram
Brenda Luu
Daisy Nolasco
Delal Hagos
Elida Dizon
Fahima Haque
Fatema Isam
Helen Ketema
Henrick Sales
James Malekzadeh
Krish Dineshkumar
Maggie To
Max
Miru Yogarajah
Nipuni Kuruppu
Noshin Ullah
Sampreeth Rao
Sania Khan
Sara See
Sarah Waithe
Shafia Shaikh
Sofia
Soha Mohamed
Stephanie Chan
Tenzin Norzin
Tenzin Wangmo
Videsh Brijpaul
Additional Research
Susan Jama
Sara See
Allison Mae Sagun
Copy Editing
Maggie Hutcheson
Sara See
Photography
Kathy Grant
Fahima Haque
James Malekzadeh
Sampreeth Rao
Melana Roberts
Audio Editing
Phyllis Lewis
Graphic Design
Luke Norrad
Jesse Lee Moorman
Videography/Video Editing
James Malekzadeh
Sampreeth Rao
Juan Angel
Miru Yogarajah
Robel Adugna
Sania Khan
Web Design
The Public Studio
Royalmaple Creative
Web Consultation
George Blott
Noor Sobhan
Illustration
Curtia Wright
Ulama Saif
Luke Norrad
Music Composition for Videos
Krish Dineshkumar
Ahmed Hegazy
Production Support for Local Events
Susan Jama (2019-2020)
Thevya Balendran (2022)
Marketing
Susan Jama (2019-2020)
Aashna Thakkar (2020-2021)
Emily Trace (2022)
Language Interpretation for Interviews
Nedra Rodrigo
Sheena Lo
Team Trainings and Professional Development
Maggie Hutcheson
Brannavy Jeyasundaram
Gracia Dyer Jalea
Susan Jama
Kathy Grant
Phyllis Lewis
Cole Alvis
Fatema Isam
Esmond Lee
Henrick Sales
Institute for Change Leaders
Jenny Chan
Jovie Galit
Julia Huynh
Krish Dineshkumar
Liana Canzian
Maggie Hutcheson
Shafia Shaikh
Soha Mohamed
Vidhya Elango
Vijay Saravanamuthu
Program Evaluation Leads
Gracia Dyer Jalea (2019)
Megan Sue-Chue-Lam (2020)
Bloom Consulting (2020)
Maggie Hutcheson (2021-2022)
Thank you to all of the Block by Block Storytellers
Amar Wala
Andrew Cheung
Angel Levac Brant
Anna
Anna Peng
Aubrey
Bala
Benson Duong
Bernard Farrol
Bersabel Eyob
Bibi Akleema Rashid
Borelson
Brother Majied Ali
Carol Chin Yan
Cathy Li
Charlotte Schwartz
Chemi Lhamo
Christopher Nkambwe
Claire
Claudia Aguilar
Deany Peters
Dey
Diana Le Huynh
Doly Begum
Dwayne Sybbliss
Elsaida Douglas
Esam Jlilati
Fatema Lee Garsi
Flor Dandal
Garab Serdok
Hamshaa Sivaruban
Harriet Sheppard
Heather Evelyn
Hibah Sidat
Ian Sookram
Ibrahim Afrah
Ines Garcia
Ismail Afrah
Jainarine Brijpaul
Jameika Reid
Jen D. Fabico
John Yohan
Joy Henderson
Judy
Justin
Kathi Silke
Ken Sy
Kevin Myran
Kitty Raman-Costa
Lancelot Alexander
Laura Hammond
Laurie Okimawinew
Leeladevi Murugesu
Liz
Mandeq
Manisha Krishnan
Maya Bastian
Michelle Colthrust
Miguel Avila
Monique Blackman
Monique Diabo
Namarig Ahmed
Nash Paul de Souza
Nehal Ahmed
Nerupa Somasale
Rahul Balasundaram
Rhonda Lucy
Richard Llanera
Rita Cox
Sal Sabila
Sarah Bashir
Shaina Agbayani
Shane
Sid Naidu
Sivambikai
Sonam Chokey
Sonny Robert Buchan
Srivatsan Nemili Aravamudan
Suganthine Sivakumar
Sureya Ibrahim
Syed Tanveer Ahmed
Tafriha Islam
Taijah Abotossaway
Tenzin Wangmo
Teresa Hall
Tsering Paldon
Vanessa Ling-Yu
Veronica Coxall
Vijay Saravanamuthu
Virginia Tsui
Waleed Abdulhamid
Walied Khogali Ali
Wendy Chan
Wendy Ng
Wenzie Ng
Wolde Yohannes
Yan Chen
Yasietha
Zorana Sadiq
Zsuzsanna Ujvari
Thank you to the many artists, vendors and community members who contributed to our live events, both physical and virtual.
Thank you to all of the community members who contributed to Block by Block.