This photo series was inspired by two things: the word "comfort" and the journey of finding security/acceptance within our bodies. 

“Chrysalis is a photo collection inspired by its concept, a transitional state; rebirthed, a reflection of personal development and growth, displaying colour and courage as our subject embarks on a journey to discover her authentic self and her true identity.”

A photoshoot to commemorate the start of fall.

This is the official music video for “Nyota” by Toronto artist Malaika Khadijaa (2021).

Furqan Mohamed is a writer from Toronto. Her work centers around culture and social justice, and is often inspired by her diaspora, community, and the stories that can stem from the shared human experience. Her debut collection of poetry and prose, “A Small Homecoming,” was recently published by Party Trick Press.

“This photoshoot is called ‘Stepping Stones,’ and is dedicated to me and my beautiful friend Jasmine Lyck’s personal and creative growth.”

Lady Falcon Coffee Club x If Only Creative: “This shoot was all about rebelling against the status quo while keeping it fun, engaging, and full of rebel girl attitude.”

“In the Desi community and culture, dark-skinned women are often left in the shadows, and yes, representation is growing but at a very slow rate. Instead of relying on other creatives to include and allow dark-skinned women to take up space, we took the initiative to create some magic.”

“Women often face stringent beauty standards, and this has commonly been heightened amongst women of colour. Asian women are frequently sexualized as ‘exotic’, but yet have to maintain the fantasy of being demure and pure. One of the main intricate links between beauty standards, identity, and colonialism is colourism…colourism not only is harmful in the construction of self-worth, confidence, and economic opportunities to women of colour, but also poses public health risks, as we shall discuss in this article.”

This is chapter two of creative writing major Jasmine Taylor’s poetry collection “Maybe the Beginning of Me.” This collection consists of eight original poems surrounding love, identity, relationships, and family through the lens of a young Black woman.

A sincere poem about heartbreak and self-love.

Canadian writer, Anne Claire Baguio, discusses the harm Western countries impose by ignoring the need for global health care and vaccine equity as they transition to a ‘post-pandemic’ society. Baguio dives further into the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and the discord among Japanese citizens wanting to cancel the international games.

Originally from Toronto, Mallika Chandaria is a 23-year-old multidisciplinary artist and freelance director based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the founder and artistic director of The 98. She graduated from Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Arts.

This short poem follows Ana, the narrator, as she shares the story of a man she once knew and his hasty goodbye. Her sadness is gossiped about throughout the universe until it reaches the trees of Earth through a breeze. There they tell her that her friend joined the stars and can now hear her. This poem was mostly inspired by B.K. on Hello Poetry’s “I’ll tell the stars about you”, and is dedicated to someone close to Ana who unfortunately died recently.

"Garden Sent" is a photo series created by freelancer Kacie Fraser that showcases a Godsent creation of effortless beauty that brings light to her garden. These magical moments capture the essence of how nature brings us the most bright and boldest colours.

“As a Chinese-Canadian girl, growing up I thought heroes could only be white because in all the books I ever consumed, there were rarely any admirable characters who looked like me. This piece explores the importance of diversity in youth literature and the need to spotlight BIPOC YA lit authors.”

“This poem is about a moment I shared with my lola (grandma) that changed the meaning of ‘morena’ for me. She didn’t remember this conversation when I asked her about it years later, but this specific interaction was the start of self-acceptance for me.”

This is chapter one of creative writing major Jasmine Taylor’s poetry collection “Maybe the Beginning of Me.” This collection consists of eight original poems surrounding love, identity, relationships, and family through the lens of a young Black woman.

“‘Intersectional’ presents a complex picture of intersectional difference and inequality that now characterizes the lives of many individuals in the twenty-first century. This poem seeks to question why social differences are constantly labeled but never truly addressed beyond piecemeal campaigns and often lacking legislation and widespread representation.”

“‘Commercial Idolatry’ presents a world that always appeared rather dystopian to me whilst growing up. Despite being half-Kuwaiti, I did not experience many of the societal norms that permeated the ultra-rich lifestyle of many I knew. From an early age, I knew that my middle-class roots left me at a disadvantage in terms of social and cultural capital that transcended any intellect or meritocratic ability.”