By Jory Cohen, Director of Finance and Impact Investment With a first dose in my arm, I’m feeling like we’re finally seeing the first rays of light at the end of the tunnel. There’s still a long way to go until we shed the masks and social distancing, but the first dose definitely injected a … Continued
OCAD University is offering a special virtual Nigig Regalia Residency program from May to August. The nine-week program is focusing on regalia, Indigenous cultural garments and items worn during ceremonial gatherings, powwows and other significant events. The program also builds on the practice of online beading circles, which have emerged during the pandemic as a way for … Continued
Women in View has announced the release of the 6th On Screen Report, a report that documents women’s employment in Canada’s publicly funded screen-based media from 2018 to 2019. The report finds that women, especially Black women, Indigenous women and Women of Colour, remain significantly under-employed in Canada’s film and television productions. A key finding from the … Continued
Inspirit Foundation’s 100% Impact Portfolio is a Finalist, 2021 Responsible Investment Association (RIA) Award for Integration. Launched in 2020, the RIA Leadership Awards recognize the leadership and excellence of RIA members in advancing responsible investment in Canada. With a commitment to activating 100% of our asset for impact, Inspirit’s unique portfolio received the second-highest score in the Integration category. Nominees in this category are advancing responsible investment practices among investment professionals. … Continued
In May 2020, SKETCH, a not-for-profit that works with youth navigating marginalization and poverty through the arts, launched Project Home–a capital campaign to purchase its studios located in Artscape Youngplace in Toronto. Their $4 million campaign goal involved two revenue streams: fundraising and issuing community bonds to the public. Inspirit Foundation invested in these Home … Continued
Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy, a documentary about the opioid crisis in the Kainai First Nation in Alberta, won the Rogers Audience Award and the Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award at the Hot Docs International Film Festival. The film premiered at the festival on April 29th. Directed by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, the film profiles people living with addiction … Continued
As the pandemic drags on, life continues from home for my family. While I’ve been working from my home office, Jill’s been painting at the kitchen (turned art) table. A highlight for us during this period of isolation is that Jill decided to share her artwork publicly for the first time. Jill’s been painting the … Continued
Looking back, 2020 was an unprecedented year as a pandemic affected every area of our lives, including the markets. It was also an unprecedented year for Inspirit’s investments and our overall portfolio. Prior to 2020, Inspirit’s cumulative net value-added performance since inception (2014), that is, our portfolio’s net returns versus benchmark, was a total of … Continued
Institute of Investigative Journalism (Concordia University) has launched Clean Water, Broken Promises, an investigative series exploring water issues in First Nations. An Indigenous-led consortium worked on more than 30 broadcasts, articles, and two documentaries, which will be released as part of the project in the coming weeks. Check out how they did it here. The consortium includes four … Continued
The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO), in partnership with the Racial Equity Media Collective (REMC) and BIPOC TV & Film, has awarded more than $3.8 million in development grants. The ISO also administers the Solidarity Fund. That Fund supported 125 projects, including 18 Black-owned companies and 93 individuals, of whom 55 are Black. Inspirit is a proud contributor to the … Continued
