Design, Dance and Community Organization CV

 

Jaicyea Smith 

jaicyeasmith@gmail.com 

jaicyea.com 

 

Education 

2020 Master of Inclusive Design, OCAD U, Toronto, CA 

2017 Honours B.A.A & Diploma from University of Guelph-Humber, Media Studies and Communications 

2012 Earl Haig Secondary School, Claude Watson Arts Major: Theatre

 

Design Projects and Installations 

August 2020 Black Women Paint Baldwin Street “A vision of the future without oppression”, Mural Curator, Friends of Kensington Market, Toronto, CA

May 2019 “Interactive Poster”, Grad exhibition, OCAD, Toronto, CA

June 2019 “LED Planter Prototype” Acrylic, Wood

July 2018 “Multi-sensory expo: A modular skatepark for the blind”, International Association for Cognitive Semiotics Conference, OCAD, Toronto, CA 

February 2018 Lunar New Year/Valentine’s Day Showcase, Toronto, CA 

August 2017 Bossy’s Rooftop Diner menu and service design, Toronto, CA 

July 2017 “Safety Rules” Brick, Aerosol Paint, Alexandra Park, Toronto, CA

June 2016 “Mama Ping Grip Tape”, Toronto Skate Stop, Toronto, CA 

April 2016 Converse Cons Project, Toronto, CA 

 

Dance Performances, Commissions and Exhibitions

August 2020 “Darrouni” music video by Fethi Nadjem, Ancaster, CA

February 2020 Moskitto Bar Album release, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, CA

February 2020 Moskitto Bar Album release, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, CA, Toronto, Canada

December 2019, “Saharan Splendours 2020 New Year's Eve Celebration”, The Aga Khan, Toronto, CA

December 2019, “Aga Khan Museum presents Mughal Magnificence”, The Aga Khan, Toronto, CA

August 2019 Art Starts, Street Art festival, Toronto, CA

April 2019 Moskitto Bar Masquerade, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, CA

September 2018 Egyptian Dance Academy “Winter Gala”, Guest Performer, Winchester Street Theatre Toronto, CA

August 2018 Raqs of Course Participant Cairo, Egypt, Toronto, CA

August 2018 Rhythm of the Nile Participant Cairo, Egypt, Toronto, CA

August 2018 Toronto Black Out Festival, Moskitto Bar, Toronto, CA

June 2018 Dundas West Fest, Toronto, CA

April 2018 Lemon Bucket Orkestra Fundraiser, The Opera House, Toronto, CA

April 2018 Moskitto Bar Lula Lounge, Toronto, CA

November 2017 Moskitto Bar The Cameron House, Toronto, CA

January 2017 “Ala Babi Waef Amarin” Arabesque Canada Fleck Dance Theatre, Toronto, CA

September 2016 Culture Days, Flemingdon Park Library, North York, CA

July 2016 Youth Day Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, CA

May 2016 Sirens of Shanti, “Sajina” DesiFest Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, CA

March 2016 Her Buddha Belly Regent Park Drop-In Lessons, Toronto, CAAugust 2015 DanceOntario Lakeshore Arts Culture Days Guest Artist, Toronto, CA

July 2015 Her Buddha Belly “Celebrate your Inner and outer beauty”, Artscape, Toronto, CA

February 2015 Her Buddha Belly “Lady Bugs” Lawrence Heights, Toronto, CA

January 2015 Private performance Monteverde Beer House, Monteverde Costa Rica

August 2014 Scotiabank Buskerfestival, Toronto, CA

August 2014 Scotiabank Buskerfestival CTV Commercial , Toronto, CA

August 2014 Taste of the Danforth, Troupe Performer, Toronto, CA

August 2014 “One World” Afrofest, Toronto, CA

August 2013 Taste of the Danforth, Solo Performer, Toronto, CA 

March 2013 “Runaway Bride” music video Honey Cocaine, The Sultan’s Tent, Toronto, CA

 

Community Organizing, Event Curation and Animation

June 2021 “Kensington Market Safety Town Hall” Organizer, Friends of Kensington Market

June 2021 “Skate for Solidarity 2.0” Juneteenth skate protest, Toronto Skate Stop

September 2020, “Cooler Fete Virtual Party”, Stage Manager. Event Produced by Bricks and Glitter and Unit 2 Community Space

August 2020 “Painting a Vision of the Future without Oppression”, Event Coordinator, Friends of Kensington Market

August 2020 Community Care Sessions, Skatepark Safety, Research Facilitator co-led with Muff Grove

July 2020 Community Care Sessions, Transformative and Restorative Justice, Research Facilitator co-led with Cassandra Meyers

June 2020 “Skate for Solidarity” Juneteenth skate protest, Toronto Skate Stop

April 2020 Inclusion, Accessibility and Accountability, Asmara Bellydance Initiative

June 2019 Skate for Sick Kids, Event Planning, Promotion, Visual Mapping and Wayfinding

August 2017 “Live and Direct at the Smiling Buddha”, Concert Organizer, We in the Pocket 

March 2017 Toronto Arts Council - Her Buddha Belly 2.0 Regent Park, Grant Recipient 

December 2017 North York Arts, Ephraim’s Place - Her Buddha Belly 3.0 

November 2016 “Art Starter Fundraiser” Event host. Event by Art Starts and KPMG

June 2016 Dunbat Saturdays - Homlesness and Housing Supports/Food and Clothes Donation

April 2016 Skate of the Union, Toronto Skate Stop & City of Toronto Parks and Rec

June 2015 Toronto Arts Council - Her Buddha Belly Lawrence Heights, Grant Recipient

May 2015 Website Developer and Journalist for We in the Pocket. Worked as accredited media for Canadian Music Week, SiriusXM Radio Indie Awards, Youth Day, the Mad Decent Block Party, and the Manifesto Festival. 

 

Research Experience 

January 2020 “Creative Practice as Protest Workshop and Placemaking”, Research Assistant, Employed by OCAD and Colloquate Design

December 2017 “Community-based Visualizations in Skatepark Planning”, Research Assistant, Authority: Immony Men

April 2017 Digital Inclusivity report, Intern, Art Starts

May 2016 “WCAG and AODA Guidelines” Media Intern, Art Starts

July 2013 “Shelter, Support & Housing Shelter System Feedback”, Administrative Intern, City of Toronto

June 2012 Programming and Events Assistant, Art Starts 

 

Selected Awards & Grants 

February 2020 BITS Bucks Business Bootcamp Grant Recipient, Business in the Streets TO

January 2020 Inclusive Design Community Engagement Award, OCAD University

May 2017  “Her Buddha Belly”, Toronto Arts Council & Art Starts Micro-Grant

May  2015 “Her Buddha Belly 2.0” Toronto Arts Council & ArtStarts Micro-Grant

June 2012 Shortlist Finalist TD Scholarship for Community Leadership 

July 2011 Viola Desmond Community Leader Award 

 

Volunteer

February 2016 DECA Desk Exchange Community Animator, Centre For Social Innovation,

March 2015 Toronto Skate Stop, Founder 

September 2011 Free the Children, Talent Escort

February 2011 Bayview Glen Day Camp, Special Needs Counselor 

October 2008 Black Cap, Roots of Risk Mobilizer 

January 2008 Belmont House, Events and Programming Volunteer

 

Selected Press and Publications

May 2021 “Jaicyea Smith, Alumni”, OCADU Career Stories, Interviewee. 

March 2021 "Kensington Stories, Jaicyea Smith", Here & Now Kensington, Interviewee

January 2020, Master Research Proposal, “The Intrinsic Value of Co-Designing Skateparks”, Author. 

August 2020 “Painting a future without oppression”, CityNews 

August 2020 Black Women Paint Baldwin, CBC News 

June 2020 “Toronto Skateboard Community Skate Solidarity Black Lives Matter”, BlogTO 

September 2015 “Her Buddha Belly Interview” CBC Metro Morning Radio Matt Galloway

September 2004 T Dot Griots: An Anthology of Toronto's Black Storytellers, Author

 

Teaching

February 2014 Egyptian Dance Academy, Instructor