The news media industry has faced its challenges this year, but now more than ever Canadians need credible, factual news. So just in time for National Newspaper Week (next week!), News Media Canada has launched a first-ever book entitled Champions honouring notable people in the Canadian news media Industry. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the charity First Book Canada. We interviewed the book’s illustrator, Rachel Joanis, to learn more.
Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.
Hi! My name is Rachel Joanis, I’m a digital artist and the founder behind Rachel Joanis Illustrations, an online print shop based in Toronto. I moved to Toronto in 2010 to study Fashion Communications and after graduating, found that illustrating was really what I wanted to do for my career. As a female artist, I am very passionate about representation and understand the significance of seeing yourself reflected in art and media, which is why I was thrilled to team up with News Media Canada for National Newspaper Week this year to illustrate the Champions book.
You’ve illustrated a new book, Champions, to mark the occasion of National Newspaper Week; can you tell us about the inspo/meaning behind this/your work?
The Champions book is a collection of 24 inspirational stories featuring notable Canadians from the news media industry, which is available starting on the first day of National Newspaper Week (October 1). The champions featured in the book are a diverse collection of hardworking individuals who have shown their commitment to championing the truth by providing people in Canada with trustworthy, accurate news to keep them informed and communities connected. I’ve always been a proud supporter and reader of local newspapers and National Newspaper Week is a chance to reflect on the essential service newspapers and their sites provide. So, when News Media Canada approached me to illustrate a book that celebrates the people behind the Canadian news media industry, I was thrilled! I created a custom illustration for each of the 24 stories in the book. Each illustration is unique to the individual and was inspired by their incredible stories, work, and contributions. I took many elements into consideration when developing the artwork, for example, where the champion in question grew up, worked, outlets they worked at, their role, and even the types of stories they helped tell throughout their career. The Champions book features an artist statement for each illustration to help bring them to life and share with the reader a bit of what inspired me while developing the artwork. The cover art specifically was inspired by a common theme I noticed in reading about the champions in the book – in one way or another they all raised their hands to help their community, country, and the industry at large – whether it be through their work or the connections they made when telling important, local news stories. The Champions book is available for purchase starting October 1 at championsofthetruth.ca. What’s great is that those who purchase the book will not only be supporting Canadian news media, but they’ll also be giving back to charity. All proceeds from the sale of Champions will be donated to First Book Canada. To make the book more accessible, a free PDF download and e-book are also available at championsofthetruth.ca.
Has a particular piece of Canadian journalism ever made a big impression on you? Please tell us about that.
Yes! Funnily enough, the particular piece of journalism that has stuck with me the most over the years actually involves myself and my family. In 1994, my family moved from Cambridge ON, to volunteer in Haiti for a year, where my parents assisted in building a professional police force within the country. Our unique journey caught the attention of the local newspaper due to my father being Haitian-born and a teacher working at one of the local schools. Notably, renowned children’s author Robert Munsch noticed the article and personally contacted our family. This led to an unforgettable visit to our home and an afternoon spent hosting him. Despite my young age at the time, I vividly recall the profound impact of journalism in bringing people together, as it connected us with an author whose books had been a cherished part of our home. This experience underscored the amazing influence of newspapers and news media.
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