The Other Wave

02/02/2023

It’s been a whirlwind start to 2023 — here are my highlights so far:

✨ After several years of lockdown, I was so happy to be able to finally celebrate Lunar New Year with family and friends in person again.
✨ My dear friends Paul Dore and Stefan Hostetter host a fantastic storytelling event series called Stories We Don’t Tell. At their most recent event on Sat. Jan, 28, we had the added bonus of celebrating Stefan’s birthday!
✨ My adorable baby niece Galia discovering her newfound love of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room at the Art Gallery of Ontario (or more likely, her ongoing love of ball pits).

01/02/2023

Join me at THE GREEN LINE’s Winter Marketplace in Riverside!

RSVP to have a tasty and free community meal catered by a local vendor, dance to live music and experience Riverside, an east-end gem in downtown Toronto. You'll also get to discuss community action on food insecurity in the neighbourhood, and help brainstorm local solutions.

See you today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Ralph Thornton Community Centre (765 Queen St E, Toronto). RSVP now for our free event:
https://riversidewintermarket.eventbrite.ca

30/01/2023

With Lunar New Year celebrations in full force, what better time than now to celebrate journalists of East Asian descent in Canada’s media industry?

I’m shouting out five people who’ve not only made a personal impact on me, but also on our industry at large:
📣 Joanna Chiu is a stellar China correspondent who’s work I’ve been following for years, and who’s supported me since my Canadian Journalist of Colour days.
📣 Mayuri Mei Lin was one of my favourite colleagues to collaborate with at the City University of New York’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, where I teach and where she used to work as a program coordinator.
📣 Amy Chyan interviewed me about my career journey for her engaging podcast, Eggnana, which aims to inspire through representation.
📣 Karon Liu was my fellow co-panellist at the Asian Arts and Culture Trust (AACT)’s Food, Nostalgia, and the City community roundtable, where he shared insightful thoughts on local cuisine.
📣 Steven Zhou wrote the feature for The Green Line’s first-ever Action Journey on living with COVID-19 in Toronto, which came out in April 2022.

Spread the love by dropping another name in the comments, below. 🖗

28/01/2023

Don’t forget to register for my panel called “Measuring impact to foster transformation in funding” on Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. ET at the 2023 Lenfest Institute for Journalism News Philanthropy Summit, a free virtual gathering focused on the work of fundraising in sustaining quality journalism.

Register now:

The 2023 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit will be held on Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1, 2023. It is fully virtual and free to all.

26/01/2023

If you’re looking for a late-night show recommendation that’ll help you wind down after a long day, I highly recommend my new obsession, a British comedy panel game show called Taskmaster created by the brilliantly hilarious Alex Horne.

25/01/2023

to last November when I spoke at CIVIX's , alongside my co-panelists Joel Westheimer and Eric Merkley, as well as moderator Sanjay Ruparelia.

I found this conversation inspiring and invigorating, not least because of the phenomenal teachers in attendance who were so passionate about delivering civic education to their students. The group shared and crowdsourced solutions for incorporating civics into public school curricula in a way that would resonate with kids and teens.

As a big philosophy nerd, one of my favourite solutions was to move away from framing school as an institution that helps you get a job, and instead as a place that teaches you how to live a good life.

What was your civic education like? How do you think it should be taught in Canadian classrooms? Sound off in the comments!

23/01/2023

We went into 2023 at full speed, and can’t wait for what’s to come. 🏃‍♀️

After a cozy holiday break in Bracebridge with family, I’m ready to hit the ground running this new year. Here are a few goals I have in mind…

💚 Review The Green Line as a whole to figure out which news products are getting the most traction, and more importantly making the most impact for our members and community.
📰 Focus on improving and refining those core news products to better serve our audience’s needs.
💵 Prioritize pay equity in order to continually improve compensation for my employees and freelancers (this will be an ongoing effort).
🌞 Lean into my fave activities, which help me manage stress levels (they can get pretty high as a news entrepreneur!) and stay grounded. They include: reading philosophy, going for long walks, listening to live and prerecorded music, and working out regularly.

New Year’s resolutions are overrated, so what are your goals for this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

19/01/2023

My recent co-panellist, University of Toronto political science prof Eric Merkley, shared with me his latest research on polarization in Canada.

Interestingly, Eric finds that levels of social polarization are low in Canada but that people tend to heavily exaggerate social differences between left- and right-leaning parties. He says these factors heighten hostility towards people with opposing political beliefs.

16/01/2023

I’ll be speaking on a panel called “Measuring impact to foster transformation in funding” on Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. ET at the 2023 Lenfest Institute for Journalism News Philanthropy Summit, a free virtual gathering focused on the work of fundraising in sustaining quality journalism. Register now.

Register for the 2023 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit, a free virtual gathering focused on the transformative work of fundraising in sustaining journalism.

14/01/2023

🚨 Paid opportunities: THE GREEN LINE producers and freelance pitches 🚨

The Green Line is currently hiring Associate Producers for our community show with CityNews Toronto; applicants s who specialize in TV broadcasting and have experience in news production. We’re also interested in long-form pitches that tackle a systemic housing issue in the city through a solutions lens, especially from experienced investigative and/or feature reporters based in Toronto who specialize in housing issues. We offer competitive freelance rates. If you want to learn more about any of these opportunities, feel free to contact me for more information. Or if you’re interested, please send me your resume, cover letter and links to three clips (multimedia is preferred for Fellowship applicants, longform is preferred for housing-reporter applicants and edited photos are preferred for the photographer applicants).

11/01/2023

2023 is for sharing knowledge and growing together. ✨

In ’s first edition of the new year, I share 13 lessons I’ve learned on my entrepreneurship journey that are constant reminders of the standards I want to meet as a leader and entrepreneur in Canada’s journalism industry.

Read tips for how to stay confident in the workplace, become a good boss and more: https://theotherwave.substack.com/p/13-lessons-news-entrepreneur-2023

10/01/2023

I reveal the numbers behind my Toronto-based indie startup journalism outlet.

31/12/2022

👇👇👇

Today’s your last chance! ⏳

Don’t miss out on your chance to help redefine Toronto as you see it by contributing to ’s December fundraising campaign. You can make a one-time donation or become a monthly member.

Our team is incredibly grateful for every individual donation and monthly membership to The Green Line so far! We can’t wait to work together to produce journalism that reflects your Toronto in 2023.

https://thegreenline.to/

29/12/2022

You might remember that I got married several months ago…But even though I’m a writer, words fail me when I try to do justice to this monumental, soul-stretching day on May 7, 2022 when I married my best friend.

So, instead, I leave you with these gorgeous photos. They capture moments that I'm sure will fill me up and hold me down for years and decades to come.

Sometimes I can't believe I'm living this life. I'm so grateful for my dearest family and friends. I'm so lucky to call Lucan McRandall my husband. Who knows where this journey will take me, but I must be doing something right if these are the people walking by my side. ❤️

27/12/2022

26/12/2022

This month, I participated in “The Food, Nostalgia, and the City Community Roundtable,” organized by the Asian Arts and Culture Trust.

It was a cozy gathering that took place at Tâm Vietnamese Street Food and Café near Dundas Street West and Keele Street, where artists, chefs and writers chatted over warm food and heartwarming conversation. We explored topics ranging from Toronto’s evolving restaurant scene and the contribution of Asian immigrants to the city’s culinary landscape, to the impact of food on cultural and social representation, and the relationship between food and local communities.

I helped kick off the conversation by sharing my favourite dish: chicken and salted fish fried rice — or as I’d say in Cantonese, 鹹魚雞粒炒飯. I consider this fried-rice recipe to be the ultimate comfort food, as it’s a dish that my maternal grandma made for me as a kid.

📸:

22/12/2022

If you’re interested in why organized religion and modern liberalism no longer provide the structure and guidance they used to, watch this episode of Big Think with Jamie Wheal, called “Why the world is going crazy — and how to win back our minds.”

I’m a big fan of Big Think, so if you have similar recommendations, please share them below! ☟

Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►► https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthinkCheck out Jamie Wheal's latest book "Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, S*x and De...

20/12/2022

📰Life lessons in journalism📰

It’s been one year since I shared candid insights from my time in the journalism industry in , so I figured now is a good time to look back and reflect.

Here’s an excerpt from that newsletter about how moving to New York City helped boost my self-confidence:

“That time, two years in New York, were life-changing beyond measure in the sense that it was the first time at the time as a woman of colour that I felt genuinely validated and seen. I got promoted really quickly, and people were just like, ‘She's smart.’ And I never had that experience at all at prior publications. Even though we were validated through getting The Globe and The Star internships — they were the best internships — it didn't feel like my work was valued. So that totally changed the game for me. And it was the first time I was promoted to a director position.”

Read on for more insights: https://theotherwave.substack.com/p/anita-li-career-journey-journalism

16/12/2022

🚨 Paid opportunities: THE GREEN LINE producers and freelance pitches 🚨

The Green Line is currently hiring News Innovation Fellows who specialize in TV broadcasting and have experience in news production. We’re also interested in long-form pitches that tackle a systemic housing issue in the city through a solutions lens, especially from experienced investigative and/or feature reporters based in Toronto who specialize in housing issues. We offer competitive freelance rates.

If you want to learn more about any of these opportunities, feel free to contact me for more information. Or if you’re interested, please send me your resume, cover letter and links to three clips (multimedia is preferred for Fellowship applicants, longform is preferred for housing-reporter applicants and edited photos are preferred for the photographer applicants).

15/12/2022

Please consider becoming a monthly member of THE GREEN LINE or making a one-time donation to our December fundraising campaign! 👇👇👇

https://thegreenline.to/

12/12/2022

, last month I spoke on ’s panel — "How to Recession Proof Your News Business" — with Qcitymetro.com's Glenn Burkins, inewsource's Justin Rushing and The Pivot Fund's TM Powell. Here's a quick recap: 👇

This panel was outside of my comfort zone, as I hadn’t yet spoken about The Green Line’s progress on the biz side — but I’m so glad I agreed to join! I had a blast swapping stories from the news startup trenches with Glenn and Justin who are also seasoned media execs, so I learned a lot from them, too. One tip Glenn gave was to hire an accountant or bookkeeper early on in your company’s development because it’ll save you financial headaches down the line.

Shout-out to Tracie and moderator Zuri Berry for inviting me to this super interesting conversation. Hopefully, there'll be many more to come…

09/12/2022

Last month, a polarizing Nieman Journalism Lab op-ed titled “Are journalism intermediaries getting too much foundation money?” made waves in journalism industries worldwide.

Check out this tweet thread, which is among the most thoughtful responses to this piece, from my fellow LION Publishers board member Jay Allred.

“So, I've read this piece twice. It's off by a mile. 🧵 https://t.co/hu8pPnzbjB”

08/12/2022

If you believe in THE GREEN LINE and want to support our mission, here’s my pitch to you: This is an early opportunity to invest in a growing news outlet that’s making a real impact on the lives of people in Toronto. Our Action Journey model is recognized around the world, and our team and journalism have earned the respect of the Canadian media industry at large. If you’re interested in investing in one of Canada’s hottest new media startups, email me at [email protected].

There’s also another way you can support The Green Line financially: Contribute to our just-launched December fundraising campaign. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of this month. You can become a monthly or annual paying member, or make a one-time donation.

The Green Line is a local news outlet that investigates the way we live to help young Torontonians survive and thrive in a rapidly changing city. Together, let’s breathe new life into Toronto’s conversations so we can build a livable city for all.

07/12/2022

Let’s walk down memory lane together in the latest edition of . ✨

I began dreaming of The Green Line — which was then known as “TOmag” — back in early 2020 and started laying the groundwork for my hyperlocal, independent, Toronto-based news outlet as of July. Back then, it was just me.

Today, more than two years later, I have a team of nine (including reporters/producers, fellows, a social media manager and a comedian) plus two interns. Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time.

Check out our numbers and more milestones here:

I reveal the numbers behind my Toronto-based indie startup journalism outlet.

04/12/2022

🚨 Paid opportunities: TGL producers and freelance pitches 🚨

The Green Line is currently hiring News Innovation Fellows who specialize in TV broadcasting and have experience in news production. We’re also interested in long-form pitches that tackle a systemic housing issue in the city through a solutions lens, especially from experienced investigative and/or feature reporters based in Toronto who specialize in housing issues. We offer competitive freelance rates.

If you want to learn more about any of these opportunities, feel free to contact me for more information. Or if you’re interested, please send me your resume, cover letter and links to three clips (multimedia is preferred for Fellowship applicants, longform is preferred for housing-reporter applicants and edited photos are preferred for the photographer applicants).

02/12/2022

Last week, I was invited to speak at Pollution Probe’s 2022 Conference and Gala with David Suzuki Foundation's Julius Lindsay, Maytree’s Elizabeth McIsaac and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business’s Paul-Emile McNab.

I do a lot of public speaking but this conference, called "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow: Greening Canada in an Uncertain World" was quite different from the events I usually attend because the focus was on taking an intersectional approach to finding solutions for systemic environmental issues. I spoke specifically about how disinformation and polarization creates barriers to productive conversation about environmental sustainability, while my co-panellists touched on economic stressors, social change and equity, and Indigenous reconciliation.

Thanks to Pollution Probe for hosting a fun and engaging conversation!

26/11/2022

23/11/2022

🚨 Share this opportunity with your network 🚨

My colleague Chad Lubelsky at the McConnell Foundation / Fondation McConnell passed along a job posting for his former role as Program Director of the foundation’s Communities portfolio.

Apply here by Nov. 30:

La version française suit About the Foundation Located in Montreal, the McConnell Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that strives for a resilient, inclusive and sustainable society that can successfully address its complex challenges. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team that

21/11/2022

All journalism leaders should read this thought-provoking Noema Magazine Q&A with philosopher Byung Chul Han, who argues that “the torrent of accelerated time without narrative is disorienting our society and fragmenting community.”

Share your thoughts on this interview in the comments, below — I’d love to read your perspectives!

https://www.noemamag.com/all-that-is-solid-melts-into-information/

19/11/2022

I’m excited to give a talk on disinformation at the 2022 Pollution Probe Conference on Nov. 22 at the Toronto Reference Library! I’ll be discussing the polarization of mass media and the politicization of non-partisan issues, specifically looking at how both phenomena have impacted the way we discuss environmental crises.

Register now:
https://www.pollutionprobe.org/gala/

November 22, 2022 In Canada and around the world, there are many examples of progress being made to tackle issues like climate change, clean energy, transportation decarbonization and plastic pollution. We still have a long way to go, however, on our journey to a net-zero, circular economy and a gre...

16/11/2022

You’ve seen THE GREEN LINE’s coverage of Toronto’s 2022 municipal election. Well, in this edition of , I’m diving deeper into the impact of our reimagined election coverage. 💥

Despite being a 7-month-old indie media bebe, we profiled and interviewed the three top mayoral candidates about topical issues ranging from police reform to the housing crisis, and also hosted a well-attended event that brought out Torontonians from across the city and across party lines to brainstorm solutions to declining youth voter turnout.

Get all the details here:

“Anita, how *is* The Green Line doing?”

16/11/2022

We are pleased to welcome Anita Li to our 2022 Conference Panel! A life-long journalist, Anita is the founder and editor-in-chief of THE GREEN LINE. Head over to our website for more info: https://lnkd.in/eJvUtq9

12/11/2022

Is a recession looming? The answer is up for interpretation. That's why is hosting an event to help community newsrooms prepare for uncertain times.

Register now for "How to Recession-Proof Your News Business" with Qcitymetro.com's Glenn Burkins, THE GREEN LINE's Anita Li, and inewsource's Justin Rushing.

07/11/2022

: In the latest edition of , I explain how THE GREEN LINE reimagined election coverage for the 2022 Toronto municipal election.

https://theotherwave.substack.com/p/how-to-reinvent-election-coverage

04/11/2022

Howdy! For the first time last week, I travelled to Texas — specifically, Austin — to attend a Board of Directors meeting and journalism summit hosted by the Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers.

After meeting new animal pals (including two goats, a giant tortoise and a black cat named Mars) at my cozy Airbnb, I kicked off my week with the board meeting at University of Texas at Austin. Later on, I joined other local news publishers at the 2022 Independent News Sustainability Summit at the Austin Marriott Downtown.

Hosted by LION Publishers, News Revenue Hub and Texas Tribune's , the summit convened indie publishers to help them connect audience-centred journalism to revenue, and to better manage their business’ finances. I had the opportunity to speak on two panels, “Measuring trust: How to build and track impact in divided communities” alongside Charlottesville Tomorrow's Giles Morris, Shasta Scout's Annelise Pierce and Richland Source's Brittany Schock, as well as “Selective news avoidance: Sustaining a publication during a time of overwhelm” alongside The University of Texas at Austin’s Talia Stroud, Prism’s Evelyn Crowley and Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas' Rosental Calmon Alves

I had a blast catching up with friends and colleagues at the summit, and completely fell in love with Austin’s laid-back but fun-loving energy. I’ll definitely be back soon… 🤠

26/10/2022

Plus! The Green Line is hosting a special Toronto election event in partnership with the Centre for Social Innovation and the Royal Society of Arts.

21/10/2022

🚨 Share this with your network 🚨

THE GREEN LINE is currently hiring News Innovation Fellows who specialize in TV broadcasting and have experience in news production.

We’re also interested in long-form pitches that tackle a systemic housing issue in the city through a solutions lens, especially from experienced investigative and/or feature reporters based in Toronto who specialize in housing issues. We offer competitive freelance rates.

https://theotherwave.substack.com/p/how-to-reinvent-election-coverage

If you want to learn more about any of these opportunities, feel free to contact me for more information. Or if you’re interested, please send me your resume, cover letter and links to three clips (multimedia is preferred for Fellowship applicants and longform is preferred for housing pitches).

https://anitali.me/page/contact

Plus! The Green Line is hosting a special Toronto election event in partnership with the Centre for Social Innovation and the Royal Society of Arts.

20/10/2022

😄🛫

It’s been almost a month since I was in Los Angeles for the Online News Association’s 2022 conference.

The venue, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, is an architect and a movie lover's dream. There were plaques all over the postmodernist hotel that showed where scenes from iconic movies like True Lies were filmed.

As for , it was incredibly inspiring to speak alongside my thoughtful colleagues – Aparna Mukherjee, Andrew Losowsky and James Slezak – about practices and innovation in designing for humanness, as well as how we as a society can foster new, potentially wholesome media habits together.

Until next year!

20/10/2022

Not posting, not scrolling or even peeking at social (especially here on IG!) has become enough of a purposefully mindful habit that recently, I’ve failed to share some wonderful moments.

Especially these days when gatherings and events are back! Apropos that I just received this snapshot of “No More Scrolling Alone: Retooling for Our Humanness” with my singularly *talented + thoughtful* panelists ✨🙌🏽🥂

More /(ONA) moments, plus a recap/resource guide to what we shared and learned TK…