Aïssatou Odia Barry
Montreal,QC
Summary
Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Staff Writer
The Medium
02.2023 - 04.2023
- For The Medium, I wrote for the Arts, Opinion and Features sections where I redacted articles about personal topics such as Blackness, fan culture, and fashion while, once again, working closely with the editorial team to edit, conceptualize, and finalize articles aimed towards our large student readership.
English Language Learner Peer Advisor
The University of Toronto
10.2022 - 04.2023
- As an English Language Learner Peer Advisor, I teamed up with the chair of the Visual Studies Department of my university to provide drop-in sessions for International Students struggling with language barriers and/or with issues with adapting to a new environment. I also helped the department with developing more impactful methods of outreach.
President/Founder
ADHD Awareness Club UTM
09.2022 - 04.2023
- In September 2022, I founded a U of T recognized student group that supports students dealing with ADHD symptoms (procrastination, distractibility, emotional dysregulation etc). My goal was to create a safe space that allows students with ADHD to share their experiences and receive tips and tricks on how to manage ADHD symptoms.
Staff Writer
The Varsity
11.2021 - 04.2023
- As a freelance writer, I first became a regular contributor for the Varsity : my university's official student newspaper since 1880. I contributed to the Arts & Culture section where I discussed cultural and artistic matters that students could identify with. Every month, I worked closely with the editor to polish my articles and meet tight deadlines.
Magazine Writer
Hopeful Romantics
02.2021 - 04.2023
- With the Hopeful Romantics, a student-run cinema club, I wrote reviews and think pieces surrounding romantic comedies, in particular Hollywood classics. In my articles, I focused on analyzing their hidden messages about certain feminine archetypes of our time.
French Tutor
Beyond The Classroom
11.2021 - 01.2023
- Thanks to the experience I had gained from my earlier tutoring job at Inspire Tutors, I developed sharper techniques with my students at Beyond the Classroom, thus adding interactive methods such as virtual French games, French music, and themed sessions. In addition, I built a system for reporting progress in students as well as assigning them homework to ensure that they engaged with the learning material outside of our weekly lessons.
French Tutor
Inspire Tutors
08.2019 - 01.2023
- In 2019, I used my fluency in the French language to begin a career in tutoring. From crafting customized lesson breakdowns and lesson sheets to conducting one-on-one sessions with students, my time at Inspire Tutors allowed me to connect with the youth, parents and build relations within the ever-expanding world of French teaching in the Greater Toronto Area.
Summer Camp Leader
GCC La Violence
06.2022 - 08.2022
- During the summer of 2022, I led a summer camp in Hochelaga, one of Montreal’s most underprivileged and dangerous areas. My approach with the summer camp was built upon creating a non-violent, safe, and gracious environment that promoted social mobility and self-improvement for the enrolled children.
Finalist
Miss Canada National Pageant
01.2022 - 05.2022
- Given my love for pedagogy and children, I decided to take my advocacy to the national stage and competed in the 2022 edition of Miss Canada. During the ceremony, I spoke for the importance of equity in education which led me to place in the top 10.
Lobbying and Advocacy Team Member
Amnesty International
01.2022 - 03.2022
- In the Lobbying and Advocacy meetings, I learned about possible methods of political lobbying and effective campaigning. As a team, we have received training from the national action coordinator herself.
Intern
Dare to Innovate
07.2017 - 08.2017
- In the summer following 11th grade, I interned for Dare to Innovate – an NGO focused on ending unemployment in West Africa by supporting vulnerable business owners in Conakry. For a month, I helped the directors of Dare to Innovate assess the financial and logistical needs of past beneficiaries by elaborating a tracking system they use to this day.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Cinema, And Education Studies
University of Toronto
Mississauga06.2023
High School Diploma for Economic and Social - Social Sciences
Lycée Français Albert Camus
Conakry, Guinea07.2018
Skills
- Language teaching
- Project management
- Pitching ideas
- Sourcing information
- Writing (both formal and creative)
- Reporting progress in students
- Organizational skills
- Presentation skills
Awards
— High School diploma obtained with High Distinction (Mention Très Bien)
— UTM Entrance Award of $1000
Publications
– «Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – A magical portrayal of true love», As You Wish, The Love-Hate Edition, 2021
-«The Future of Cinema», Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2021
-«You probably won’t be Famous, and that’s Okay», Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2021
-«New Year, New You»?, Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2022
- «A reflection on being Black and Neurodivergent», Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2022
-«I entered a beauty pageant – and I’m a feminist», Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2022
- «As a Black woman, here’s what I think about that Will Smith slap» , Arts&Culture, The Varsity, 2022
– «Lyfeboat Prototype – Blackwood Gallery’s thought-provoking exhibit», Arts, The Medium, 2022
– « Fanfiction is the new (day)dream factory», Opinion, The Medium, 2022
– «Audrey Hepburn, Paris, and American Francophilia», As You Wish, The Backdrop, 2022
– «An Ode to the Student with no Style», Opinion, The Medium, 2022
– «Bringing Accessible Support to International Students and English Language Learners with ELL Peer Advising», Features, The Medium, 2023.
– «When Black Excellence Backfires», Opinion, The Medium, 2023
–– «ADHD and Salat : Four Tips to Help You Pray Consistently», Soul, Amaliah, 2023
Timeline
Staff Writer
The Medium
02.2023 - 04.2023
English Language Learner Peer Advisor
The University of Toronto
10.2022 - 04.2023
President/Founder
ADHD Awareness Club UTM
09.2022 - 04.2023
Summer Camp Leader
GCC La Violence
06.2022 - 08.2022
Finalist
Miss Canada National Pageant
01.2022 - 05.2022
Lobbying and Advocacy Team Member
Amnesty International
01.2022 - 03.2022
Staff Writer
The Varsity
11.2021 - 04.2023
French Tutor
Beyond The Classroom
11.2021 - 01.2023
Magazine Writer
Hopeful Romantics
02.2021 - 04.2023
French Tutor
Inspire Tutors
08.2019 - 01.2023
Intern
Dare to Innovate
07.2017 - 08.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science, Cinema, And Education Studies
University of Toronto
High School Diploma for Economic and Social - Social Sciences
Lycée Français Albert Camus
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