By Sarrenah. A

By Sarrenah. A

by | Jun 11, 2026 | Humans Animals Planet

How I Found Community 30 Minutes Away From Home at Studio.89’s Summer Block Party

Hey there, welcome to Studio.89! 

I’m so glad you made it to our Summer Block Party! 

Come take a stroll with me through the lovely vendor market on our patio. The warmth of the sun seeps into our skin as we flow from table to table, taking our time smelling the candles and admiring the jewels of the hairpins glinting in the light. As we approach the doors, they magically open (with the help of a most courteous volunteer) and we’re drawn in to the even warmer and lively fair-trade youth-run non-profit cafe of Studio.89. The chords of a guitar accompanied with singing reaches our ears over the hum of happy conversations. We turn to see passionate singers singing nostalgic and upbeat summer tunes, a gallery displaying the art of local Mississauga artists, a table set up with crafting materials galore, a henna artist spreading creativity through intricate swirls and patterns, and kind youth volunteers offering lemonade and mushroom risotto balls. 

This is only a glimpse into the Summer Block Party at Studio.89 on May 30th, 2026–an afternoon of bravery, introductions, and conversation-starters. It was also an afternoon of smiles, connection-building, and friendship-making. I had the pleasure of meeting people as soon as I stepped foot on the patio–such as the hardworking photographers, cafe workers, vendors, and volunteers. Once the party began, I really had the opportunity to get to know the diverse Mississauga community–artists of wonderfully different mediums, leaders of eco-friendly workshops, and  lovers of perspective-changing books (which I’ve now added to my unending “to be read” list). 

This is where spaces like Studio.89 are essential. Welcoming spaces that “empower youth to engage in social impact dialogues through art and culture” connects us with others who strive to create positive change. Powerful, changemaking ideas can be daunting tasks when they’re shouldered by one person. Studio.89 provides volunteers like my wonderful team and I with a platform to highlight social impact activities. It’s very encouraging to be surrounded by dedicated and friendly people–so much so that our ideas become actionable goals.

The Power of Our Community

As mentioned by our lovely Operations Manager, Aryanna, and Program Coordinator, Christina during their speeches, our “youth-run, fair trade café and community hub” empowered youth, provided leadership opportunities, encouraged collaboration with community partners, and have always advocated for humans, animals, and the planet.” 

“Back in 2006, Youth Troopers for Global Awareness — YTGA — was born right here in this city through our founder, Zehra Abbas, her younger siblings and their friends as an organic, grassroots, youth-led non-profit.”

  • Aryanna, Operations Manager at Studio.89

As of 2014, when Studio.89 “launched our revenue generating arm, we’ve been a free physical community space for everyone advancing community good.” For example, “tackling trauma through the arts, using neuroscience principles to build empathy and fight hate, tackling senior isolation, opening doors for neurodivergent youth, newcomers, refugees, and any young person facing a barrier : social, economic, or otherwise.”

“Before COVID, in our old location, we were running over 650 events a year, multiple events a day, because we had full access to that unit, which really speaks to the demand in our community. 

Today, we are at 250 events here as this space is only available when it is not in use as a sales centre in the evenings. Imagine what an incredible full-time community hub we could build here.”

  • Aryanna, Operations Manager at Studio.89

Through The Daniels Corporation, Studio.89 was able to reopen in our current location. 

“The challenge before us is that Daniel’s Corporation is leaving this unit in a few months. If we want to preserve this community hub and expand it into a full-time arts and culture hub, we will need our community’s help.”

  • Aryanna, Operations Manager at Studio.89

Our community is strong and dedicated to positive change. There’s no doubt that we can do so much more with your help. We’re happy to have you!

How Can You Join?

(Information presented by our lovely Instagram team @studiooo89)

  1. Become a Monthly Donor!

Studio.89 became a charity as Kind World Charity is officially becoming our parent organization. Get a charitable tax receipt when you donate $15 or more every month. Start today at studio.89.org/donate/

You’re donation will go towards tackling senior isolation, training neurodivergent youth with important job skills, and empowering newcomers, refugees and marginalized youth. 

  1. Become a sponsor

“Market your company or pay tribute to a loved one”

  1. Become a Community Ambassador

That has a nice ring to it! You can help us fundraise and connect with local stakeholders

  1. Collaborate With Us

We’re happy to connect!

Finding Calm in the Kitchen: How Baking Changed My Mental Health for the Better 

by | Jan 22, 2026 | Humans Animals Planet

CO-OP Placement 2025/26 | Creatives Corner Entry

Ever since I was little, I would always see my mom working passionately in the kitchen to create a unique dish that always was a source of comfort, no matter what the food was.

During the pandemic, I never truly understood how special that comfort was, at least not until I found myself in the kitchen at least thrice a week trying to recreate that same comfort in my own special way. Looking back, I feel like recreating that sense of comfort I found in my mother’s cooking was my way of detaching from my problems and stress created by the pandemic, by indulging in the quiet peace that came along with baking. 

As time passed, baking had turned into my coping mechanism. On days when school would be too much, or when things felt too out-of-control, I just happened to find myself in the kitchen making a dessert with anything I had on hand. It soon became clear to me that the structure and organization of the recipe brought me comfort; I thought that so long as I followed the recipe, nothing could go wrong; It helped me regain my sense of control when I felt I didn’t have any. The slow and methodical process of measuring ingredients, mixing them in the perfect order, then getting to watch it all slowly come together in the oven felt so comforting to me; it was almost similar to watching my mom make her iconic dishes in the kitchen. 

Additionally, baking taught me the art of patience. I feel like patience is often overlooked in the healing journey of one’s mental health, as that was one of the things I overlooked almost constantly. However, I noticed that the whole process of baking mirrors the healing process: starting from scratch and carefully measuring each ingredient with care and intention, mixing all the components together, personalizing the flavours, then finally putting it in the oven for it to be ready to enjoy. This mirrors the idea that healing shouldn’t be rushed; it takes care, time, and consideration, all in a way that is catered to oneself. 

 One of my favourite aspects of baking is the idea of when a dessert is “ready” can be entirely objective depending on your desired taste or texture. This is similar to how the healing process will never take the same time as it does for other people, as two people’s idea of “ready” is almost never the same. Once I realized this, it helped me understand that I should be patient and open minded with not only other people, but myself. Before baking, I would often push myself to constantly do better, but never let myself catch a break. Similar to how you make bread, I needed to let myself rest in between the process before pushing myself to the extreme. 

As I shared my baked goods with others, it helped me realize the deep connection between food and mental health. People weren’t just enjoying the taste, they were finding comfort in the familiarity of the flavours and warmth. Once I realized this, it changed my perspective on food and its extraordinary ability to connect with people. This motivated me to share my desserts with as many people as I could, which led me into making my own business: Minchu’s Munchies. My business soon became my way of creating new connections, and expressing my creativity into making new flavours that my customers would enjoy. Though it wasn’t always successful, the occasional comment about how amazing my desserts made my customers feel was more than enough. 

Studio.89 is a reflection of everything I’ve learned about food, as it acts as a unique centrepoint for the community to enjoy food that not only generates real impact, but helps create connections with people. I’m so grateful that I was given the opportunity to use the skills I’ve gained from owning my business to help develop fun and creative drinks that helped contribute to a larger purpose. 

I hope hearing about my journey inspired you to try out a new hobby, especially if you’re struggling right now. You never truly know the impact of something as simple as baking until you try it out!!”

Studio.89 | By: Saanvi (AKA Minchu’s Munchies)