About Us - Here Magazine: Canada’s Voices

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 Operations Team

Fiona Bramble, Managing Editor

Before starting 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. After a near-death experience, Fiona brought her dream to life with Here In Canada. When she’s not leading the team, she enjoys spending time with loved ones and walking her dog, Ranger.

Kareece Whittle-Brown, Editorial and Project Management

Originally from Jamaica, Kareece moved to Canada to do her master’s degree in communications. With fifteen years of project management experience for international organizations, she keeps our events, programs, and partnerships running smoothly. In her spare time, she likes being outdoors, but—as a true Jamaican—only when it’s warm and sunny.

Mary Kaye Abellana, Director of Communications and Engagement

Kaye moved to Canada from the Philippines to do her master’s in communications. She is naturally detail-oriented, collaborative, and passionate about social involvement, and uses these skills to lead our communications projects. She hopes to have a positive impact on society through work, which is why she enjoys Here In Canada. Outside of work, Kaye loves reading comics and watching movies.

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.

John-Evan Snow, Director of Photography

John-Evan leads the photography for our magazine, events, and programs. He is professionally trained in photography and photo-art, having studied in major cultural hubs like Montreal and Toronto. He also runs a Victoria-based photography and print studio, FotoVie. When he’s not taking photos, he enjoys eating ramen and fried pork from a top-secret restaurant in Richmond.

Tracy Guinchard, Multimedia Director

Our 2021 intern through the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Tracy joined the Here team officially as Multimedia Director in 2022. With an educational background 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 Here In Canada. When she’s not designing, you can find her at one of Victoria’s many great cafés.

Carli Van Stolk, Consultant

Carli was our intern from Royal Roads University in 2021, completing her master’s in intercultural communication. With a degree in sociology and curious by nature, Carli has always admired humanity’s diverse cultures, traditions, and values. She loves Here In Canada’s work and is honoured to be part of it, doing anything from writing to building newsletters. In her spare time, find her with loved ones in B.C.’s beautiful backyard.

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.

Sponsors / Community Partners

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-speaking 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 ravages and 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 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 this time of truth and reconciliation.