Winnipeg's Finest

October 1st - Episode 1: Fashion Designer, Dee Karpa

Dee Karpa is a 24 year old local fashion designer. She moved to Winnipeg from Croatia when she was a little girl, and began her fashion journey when she was in high school. Her designs are inspired by the image of a powerful woman, and include a lot of dresses and business attire. Her upcoming events include her participation in the Red Dress Gala & Fashion Show, as well a White Project created to detach the stigma that is often linked to people with mental illnesses.

I introduce you to one of Winnipeg's Finest, Dee Karpa!
http://radio.rrc.ca/?p=168

The Super IPP

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A few weeks ago, a couple of classmates and I created a short video for our T.V. production class. We decided it would be funny to incorporate humour surrounding our Independent Professional Projects (IPPs).

Check it!

Name Calling? Spreading Rumours? Humiliation?

It still amazes me that there are still people out there who don’t see bullying as a serious offence. Many kids, teens, and yes, even adults are getting bullied every day. Some of them are lucky enough to have someone standing by them to help get them through their tough time, but not everyone is so lucky. 

My question is, at what level of bullying does a situation have to reach in order for it to be taken seriously. Name calling? Spreading rumours? Humiliation? Threats? Physical abuse? Who decides which one is more important to pay attention to than the other? The fact of the matter is, someone who is constantly being called names, can be just as traumatized by it as someone who has experienced physical abuse. There is no telling how much torment a person can handle and it’s not something that should be tested. 

For the past few days my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been filled with comments surrounding Amanda Todd’s suicide, a B.C. teen who took her own life on October 10^th after being bullied at school and online. While there were thousands upon thousands of comments from people who feel sorry for Todd and who want to see bullying as a thing of the past, there were still many insensitive people who posted comments showing happiness and disrespect regarding Amanda’s suicide. 

Its unfortunate that cyber bullying is growing and that as of right now, it’s not seen as a criminal offence unless it’s directly linked to a particular incident. People feel safe behind their computers when it comes to bullying someone online; it gives them a sense of anonymity and makes them feel powerful. Well, they are powerful. Their comment(s) in a sea of other negativity can be enough to push someone to their breaking point; to send someone over the edge; to lead someone into a plan to take their own life. 

Who wants that kind of power? 

Weeks before Amanda’s suicide, she sent out a video that was a cry for help. Since this morning her video has received over 1,600,000 views!

I Challenge You

I recently did a marketing assignment in which I needed to choose a business or organization I thought could benefit from a rebrand. I chose an organization that deals with women and young girls of all ages who’ve been victimized, criminalized, or institutionalized. To clarify, someone who’s been criminalized doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been convicted of a crime; homelessness can be seen as a criminal activity. 

I chose this organization because although they’ve been in Winnipeg for nearly 30 years, and have chapters all over Canada, they are not well known in the community. They don’t have the funds to hire a marketing or promotions specialist, and don’t have any staff members who have these skills to carry out a thorough communications plan. 

One main problem they’re having is receiving community support. They don’t have laughing babies or furry kittens to put on the front of their brochures. They deal with women who’ve lead unfavourable lifestyles, and who need help getting on their feet. They deal with women who’ve served time in prison, and don’t have any support when they’re released. They deal with women who can’t afford new clothes, food to eat, or feminine hygiene products that most of us take for granted. 

Most of these women have been victims or physical, mental, or sexual abuse when they were young girls, and haven’t been able to overcome those traumas. These traumas have led some of these women to trade sex for money, money for drugs, drugs for their life. 

There are so many organizations in the city that does a lot of good for all sorts of people in need. It can be hard to decide where to donate your time, money, or resources, and the fact that you’re even donating at all is phenomenal. But how do you choose who to help?

Winnipeg has ton of non-profit organizations and charities that are well known throughout the city. I myself am putting together an event to raise a sizeable donation for one of them. But what about the ones who never get the spotlight? Who struggle everyday to gain community support? Who don’t have the funds to create T.V. commercials, reminding you they exist?

Help is help and as long as you’re making a contribution to something or someone, you’re making a difference. But I do challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone, forget what’s easy or convenient, and steer away from things that have had their time in the spotlight. Try seeking out the underdog, and find out how you can make a difference in the life of someone you’ve never heard of, never considered, or are reluctant to help.  

We have so many people in Winnipeg who need resources that many of us have the luxury of having every day, so let’s try not to forget them. Choosing to help one person or group of people over another is not a bad thing, but the challenge is to seek out something new.

You’ll be surprised of what you’ll find.

Win. Fight. Conquer. Thrive.

Ever since high school I’ve always considered myself to be a joiner, attaching myself to different committees and projects I hear about. Usually when I come across someone asking for volunteers or just help in general, I was often one of the first people to raise my hand, or offer to help. 
 

Although I’ve gotten older and seem to be getting busier and busier every day, I still find myself willing to help out with whatever I can; chances are I’ll always be this way, which I think is a good thing. But here`s the kicker...

Even though I’m that girl who`s often helping those who need an extra hand, I don’t remember ever being that girl who everyone jumps at the chance to help. I try not to ask for help that often, reason being that I like to do a lot of things on my own. But I think that theory is masking the real reason I try to hinder my needs; it feels uncomfortable when you’re in a vulnerable state asking for help, and the room falls silent. 

Unfortunately this is usually the case. No matter how big or how small the plea for someone to lean on is, it’s not usually well received or received at all. But instead on dwelling on the possible reasons why my need for help gets lost deep inside a sea of silence, I’ve decided to turn the uncomfortable situation into a positive one. 

Regardless of how tired or lazy I sometimes feel, I do think that I’m a go getter. If there’s something I really want to do, I’ll find a way to do it, even if there’s no one by my side. Always having to do things on my own may take a lot out of me at times, but when I get to the point where I can look back and see all that I’ve done, I think knowing that I had no choice but to go it alone will make me braver, will make me more confident, will make me stronger. 

It can take an army of people to tackle big challenges and to make big moves in life, but sometimes all you need is one.

I’m going to be that one. 

Lyrics

Fly Nicki Minaj (Feat. Rihanna)

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
I wish today it will rain all day
Maybe that will kinda make the pain go away
Trying to forgive you for abandoning me
Praying but I think I'm still an angel away
Angel away, yeah strange in a way
Maybe that is why I chase strangers away
They got their guns out aiming at me
But I become near when they aiming at me
Me, me, me against them
Me against enemies, me against friends
Somehow they both seem to become one
A sea full of sharks and they all see blood
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising, I'm just summising
Win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher
More fire

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Verse 2: Nicki Minaj]
Everybody wanna try to box me in
Suffocating everytime it locks me in
Paint they own pictures than they crop me in
But I will remain where the top begins
Cause I am not a word, I am not a line
I am not a girl that can ever be defined
I am not fly, I am levitation
I represent an entire generation
I hear the criticism loud and clear
That is how I know that the time is near
So we become alive in a time of fear
And I ain't got no motherfucking time to spare
Cry my eyes out for days upon days
Such a heavy burden placed upon me
But when you go hard your nay's become yay's
Yankee Stadium with Jay's and Kanye's

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly

[Bridge: Nicki Minaj]
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win
Get ready for it
Get ready for it
I came to win

[Chorus: Rihanna]
I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive
I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise
To fly
To fly