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About Us

Learn more about our purpose, mandate, and the team.  

Our Purpose

Our parent organization, REP Here In Canada, is a British Columbia-based not-for-profit organization whose members are dedicated to helping newcomers, immigrants, and those with historical and/or current barriers to equity be equitably represented in multimedia and enjoy full and meaningful social, civic, and economic participation through community programming and events. Find out more on our organization site: rephere.ca

Here Magazine, one of our program areas, is an award-winning multimedia platform by, for, and with newcomers and immigrants to Canada. We believe that lived-experience storytelling, meaningful cultural exchange, and education are key to growing empathy and building bridges of understanding. By amplifying newcomer voices and experiences and welcoming people from all cultural backgrounds, Here Magazine has established itself as a positive messaging platform celebrating the Canadian multicultural mosaic, diversity, and inclusive communities.

Our Mandate

  • to give newcomers, immigrants, and those with historical and/or current barriers to equity the opportunity to see themselves and their experiences reflected in the media
  • to develop language skills and cultural and digital literacies in newcomer communities
  • to grow intercultural awareness by sharing the norms, traditions, and stories of all cultures
  • to introduce newcomers to their adopted communities and improve social, civic, and labour market participation
  • to support relationship-building and cultural exchange between newcomer and Indigenous communities

Creative, Communications and Contributors

fiona-bramble

Fiona Bramble, Managing Editor

Before starting REP Here In Canada in 2013, Fiona was an ESL teacher for fifteen years. She noticed a gap in the media where newcomer stories should be, and dreamt about creating a space for them. Fiona brought her dream to life with REP Here In Canada. When she’s not leading the team, she enjoys spending time with loved ones and walking her dog, Ranger.

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Alberto Cortes, Art Director

Alberto, affectionately known as Beto, is originally from Mexico. Beto leads our art direction, creating eye-catching illustrations for our magazine, programs, and social media. He is fascinated by how different cultures can be communicated through art and brings this mentality to his work. Beto lives in Sidney with his fiancée and two-year-old son/assistant, Jojo. Outside of work, he enjoys connecting with his Mexican roots through food.

Tracy Guinchard, Multimedia and Communications Director

Our 2021 intern through the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Tracy joined the Here team officially as Multimedia Director in 2022. With a degree in art history, Tracy later studied new media design and web development to pursue a long-time interest in graphic design. Tracy is passionate about the power of art as a form of connection and brought this perspective to her work with REP Here In Canada. When she’s not designing, you can find her at one of Victoria’s many great cafés.

kareece-whittle-brown

Kareece Whittle-Brown, Writer

avigail-olarte

Avigail Mendoza Olarte, Writer

mohit-verma

Mohit Verma, Photographer, 2023-2024 Volunteer Coordinator

Jesús Espinoza, Photographer

Articles:

Weaving in Our Culture, Our Stories

Noelia and Marco

Latin Chat

ramon-vasconcelos

Ramón Vasconcelos, Photographer

Karen Park, Writer, Videographer

Julie Valet, Writer

Kat Tzingounakis, Illustrator

qaeeza-ramji

Qaeeza Ramji, Writer, 2023-2024 Intern

Article: On His Terms

Sean Fenzl, Photographer

Article: On His Terms

kaye-abellana

Mary Kaye Abellana, Writer, Photographer

Editorial Team

Editorial content is developed in collaboration with community members, organizations, service providers, and newcomer and immigrant writers, illustrators, and designers. We welcome and provide media mentorship for newcomer and immigrant writers. We celebrate emerging and established immigrant writers, writers of colour, and Indigenous writers across Canada.

If you’re interested in writing for us, mentoring members of the community, or gaining mentorship yourself, please contact us at community@heremagazine.ca.

With funding support from:

Land Acknowledgement

In our continued effort to Indigenize our work and to meaningful contribute to decolonization, the Here Magazine family expresses gratitude to the original stewards of the land, and respectfully acknowledges that our work takes place on the unceded traditional lands of the Lekwungen peoples of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ Nations. We express gratitude for their ongoing stewardship of these lands, air, and waterways and hold deep respect for the language, traditions, and cultural practices of all Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.

We acknowledge the brutal inter-generational legacy of day schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the residential school system and are humbled by the resilience we are able to witness in First Nations survivors and their families. We accept unconditionally the findings of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and support all recommendations and Calls For Justice.

We express gratitude for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, which give our organization the guidance and opportunity to bring newcomer and Indigenous communities together with the hopes of thwarting re-colonization and starting somewhere new together.

The Here Magazine family believes cultural education and storytelling are key to the path forward and hopes that First Nations, Inuit, Métis and newcomer communities will continue to share cultural experiences and histories to deepen one another’s understanding, and to ensure that we move forward together in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.