The Green Line rebuilt my relationship with Toronto after I only knew the city for its problems. 

I’ve lived in the GTA for most of my life, and throughout that time, I’ve always seen Toronto as this scary place where everyone was spiritually cold or financially struggling.

And ‘til this day, I still hear that from people who don’t live in the city. They mention the affordability crisis, housing insecurity, the number of unhoused people on the streets, drugs and so much more in an effort to diminish Toronto’s attractiveness.

Don’t get me wrong — those problems definitely exist, but there’s so much more good than meets the eye.

When I first moved to the Garden District over a year ago now, I wanted to stay inside most of the time. I felt out of place and missed the quieter parts of Mississauga’s suburbs. In between school and work, I didn’t venture out into the city.

But when I started my full-time job at The Green Line, I saw what I should’ve from the start. I saw the communities that bonded to fight those same injustices I listed. I saw niche, cool, hidden gems to explore.

Take Toronto’s Chinatown, for example. Coming from a diasporic group myself, reporting on immigrant, cultural and racialized communities always feel so fulfilling. My TGL series, which explores how Toronto’s Chinatown is an ecosystem to fight gentrification and cultural displacement, started off as a research question and grew into a detailed video project showing one community’s fight for preservation.

The Green Line and also Documenters — a project that trains and pay average Torontonians to attend and document public meetings — has been hugely influential helping me deepen my own understanding of civic literacy. 

It could be making a deputation at City Hall, or even just learning more about the municipal government through our Civics for the Average Torontonian series.

Seeing the good in Toronto can be as simple as finding Arab, Persian and South Asian coffee drinks. Impact can be achieved by making a Toronto slang listicle — or six — because it highlights the origins of words that influence our city’s culture. 

There are so many resources and organizations in Toronto that encourage people to join their fight and help others in the city. I wouldn’t have learned all that without TGL. 

For every single story, our team asks ourselves, “How will this help Torontonians?” That question drives everything for us. 

Good journalism isn’t measured by the frequency of outputs. It’s measured by impact. And in order for us to keep producing resources for you folks, we need your support. How? By making a one-time donation or by becoming a TGL member. As a Green Liner, you’ll get perks such as event discounts, plus stories and resources tailored just for you. Plus, you’ll be the first to know about our game nights, screenings, panels and so much more. 

I experience a different Toronto than I did before because of The Green Line. Help us help you find that same good throughout the city.