insideWaterloo is an independent media initiative that amplifies diverse voices and excluded stories in Waterloo Region, Ontario. We work with a community of writers and artists to publish investigative, critical, and personal stories in a variety of ways.
Our community-focused, solutions-based journalism fills gaps in the local media landscape. We lead critical conversations and make space for those most impacted by issues to tell their stories. Writers and readers come to us to see beyond the headlines and dive head first into the issues.
Who is behind this?
Teneile Warren
Co-founder
Teneile Warren is a writer, playwright and community advocate with a background in broadcast journalism and media communications. Warren brings their lived experience to their writing and creative work. Their writing sits at the intersection of race, gender, identity and migrant bodies. Their writing has appeared in ByBlacks, HuffPost Canada, CBC Parents, and Barren Magazine. They are partner to Rebecca, parent to Kelso and furmama to Goop, Oopy and Rae.
Fitsum Areguy
Managing Editor
Fitsum Areguy is a Kitchener-based writer, journalist, and shawarma poutine connoisseur. Voted Waterloo Region’s ‘Best Local Writer’ in 2020, he has published in Canadian Dimension, Waterloo Region Record, Briarpatch Magazine, The Community Edition, and Korea Expose. Areguy’s interests focus on identity, state violence, and community engagement. He is the co-founder and project director of Textile Magazine, a literary publication and mentorship program.
Phi Doan
Editor
Phi thought he would be sitting out the rest of the pandemic, before opportunity came knocking on his door. When he first heard of insideWaterloo, he was excited at its potential. When he was asked to joined the team, he couldn’t say no. Phi was raised in Kitchener, and graduated from the Conestoga College Radio Broadcast program. He later cut his teeth as a reporter at 570 NEWS before bowing out due to pandemic fatigue. That break was short lived when he was contacted by Fitsum. He now hopes to use his time at insideWaterloo to tell deeper, more in-depth stories from BIPOC and other marginalized communities. Despite being a huge film fan, Phi has been trying to get into reading more books lately.
Land acknowledgement
insideWaterloo recognizes that we benefit from the historical and ongoing colonization of this land and its First Peoples: the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee. It is this ongoing colonization that has brought us to this place and allowed us to write, mentor, and publish. We recognize the current and historical broken promises that have led to the creation of Waterloo Region. We are situated on the Haldimand Tract, which runs six miles deep on either side of the Grand River and was promised to the Six Nations in compensation for their role in defending the British during the American Revolution. This land and the surrounding area is home to many First Nations, Métis and Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island.
The erasure of Indigenous histories is deliberate. insideWaterloo resists this erasure and strives to always bring these realities forward in order to build stronger alliances and solidarity with Indigenous peoples. We actively support opportunities to restore Indigenous sovereignty, and make the collective commitment to realizing, in our communities, the promises and challenges of Truth and Reconciliation and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We must remember this as we continue to fight current oppressions and work towards more just futures for all.
