Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to introduce myself as the new managing editor of Yonge Street. I am ecstatic to join a team that is committed to reporting on the cultures and communities that define our city. Yonge Street's mission is to provide deeper context into the future of our city by covering what's new and what's next. We do this by publishing a weekly online magazine that focuses on the talent, innovation and diversity that drives change and growth. This means reporting on not just companies and industries, but the people behind the ideas.

This week, we feature a story by Jaime Woo about how the National Film Board has become a leader in the future of documentary filmmaking by adding interactive elements into its films. The piece profiles producer Gerry Flahive and director Katerina Cizek's innovative project Highrises. The award-winning project features an interactive documentary component centered on a Kipling Avenue highrise. An interactive replica is designed to reflect current weather patterns in Toronto. In doing so, the film is able to create a greater connection with its audience.

Film is an area where Toronto has seen significant innovation. The NFB's interactive documentaries, combined with the advent of the TIFF Bell Lightbox and the Hot Docs theatre, have transformed a city known for its annual film festival into a year-round cinema epicenter.  Our campuses pride themselves on their film and television programs, and the expanding film landscape provides greater opportunities for the people in our city. 

This is a good example of the kinds of stories I look forward to bringing to you in Yonge Street. I like that it challenges conventional notions of what defines an industry and shines light on local and newsworthy initiatives that are reframing our perspectives. The arts focus is reflective of my early roots in journalism. I started with a heavy concentration in music journalism, writing for numerous publications and launching my own platform, Toronto Music Scene, more than five years ago.

I became fascinated with technology and entrepreneurship about three years ago when I joined a non-profit as a content producer. My role was to profile and interview innovators within the technology sector, and then write about it in a fashion that appealed to teenagers. The organization's mantra was to introduce youth to careers that mashed technology with other industries. I realized just how underrepresented women in the technology sector, and began to learn of the growing number of female entrepreneurs that are changing that. I became passionate about startups such as Ladies Learning Code, a company designed to encourage more women to learn coding by providing fun, instructor-heavy workshops in a predominately female environment. Before I knew it, I was writing almost exclusively about small businesses and entrepreneurs for publications across the city.

In January of 2012, I was contracted by Toronto Standard to report on startups in Toronto and began editing the business and technology sections shortly thereafter. In the winter, I began to look for an opportunity to tell more of these stories. I found Yonge Street and the rest, as they say, is history. 

It is my mission to help advance Yonge Street's role in the narrative, widen the audience, and increase the dialogue. 2013 is a new year and I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the publication. I look forward to working with our talented team and reporting on the communities and cultures that drive our city. Join me as we celebrate the stories that are transforming Toronto.

Thank you for reading and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Sheena Lyonnais

Managing Editor