I met Tyler earlier this year. When we met I was instantly impressed by the level of trust I felt. Tyler is an active listener and collaborator. He is able to understand a situation and immediately adapt. Tyler is always positive and willing to lend a hand for all. Tyler is philanthropic.
What drove you to choose a career in philanthropy?
“There were two forces that pushed me into a career in philanthropy.
The first was growing up in a small town and having big city dreams, mainly involving dancing and creating artistic masterpieces. I always wanted to be a professional dancer when I was younger and in a small town community like the one I lived in that meant that I mainly found myself dancing in my room with the door closed and my headphones in. I always had a creative mind, which is why I also write poetry, but it was very taboo in that community to be a male dancer. Even when I tried to let loose at high school dances, though my friends applauded me I met with quite a bit of mocking and teasing because of it. It’s because of this, and the fact that there were very few dance studios in my hometown that I began to dream of more welcoming and accessible arts communities, regardless of their size, across Canada. I didn’t want other young artists to feel any strife for their dreams.
The second was my volunteer coordinator up at Nipissing University. I worked as a volunteer on the Residents’ Council as the Council Facilitator and my lead, the Residence Programming Coordinator often met with me on a one-on-one basis to discuss how work was going and where I was planning to go in the future. Making small talk one day I mentioned my curiosity with Grant Writing. My Programming Coordinator told me that the programming I was writing proposals for was very similar to Grant Writing and that she thought I would do a great job in communicating the impact of any organization’s programs. With her support and kind words I finally stepped forward and started research into Fundraising.”
Why is your work important? How does it fulfill you?
“The biggest reason I feel that my work is important is because I can foresee, and sometimes even witness the change that programs and support will make on a young person who is struggling to find their niche in the world. We all have that struggle and I believe when we’re older and wiser it’s our job to help point these young people in the right direction.”
What else would you be doing to make you happy?
“I had mentioned my dream of being a professional dancer earlier, that’s something I wish I were doing. Nowadays I’m focusing more on professional development, but my release and my outlet has always been dance and poetry. I try and find as many opportunities in Toronto to get out and dance, whether it be a formal class or just out with friends. I find it hard not to smile when I’m dancing freestyle.”
How have your travel experiences effected the way you view the world, the way you view philanthropy, is there anyone you met along the way that pushed you (with them knowing or not) into this field?
“I have traveled fairly extensively to places including: New Orleans, Quebec, Florida, England, France and Greece, but I do not believe that any of my travels have affected my view of the world. I’ve always had a very focused interpretation of philanthropic initiatives. I definitely believe that any organization with a philanthropic mandate and honest transparency is surely doing good for the world, but my passion has always been in creating change for the youth of Canada through the arts. Everyone has their own tint of knowledge that they shade with their own passions, that’s what makes the world so colourful and beautiful!”
What is your dream for your children’s world?
“All I can ask of the world for my children is to make sure that the conscious and technological world of today doesn’t create an overly cautious and passive world of tomorrow. I want them to be able to have the opportunities I missed in the past without the fears and threats of the present.”
