Salty Western was created by islander Taira Barron Cran. She grew up on the North Shore of Oahu and surfed before she could walk. Everyday revolved around the ocean, though her love for horses and the country life grew just as strong. Eventually, she moved to a 35,000 acre cattle ranch on the Big Island of Hawai’i. In her new little cowboy house, she started to use her creativity through leather. Experimenting with it, she began wetting it, dying it, cutting it up, and carving it. She drew inspiration in from her versatile lifestyle; from coming out of the Pacific ocean with dripping salty hair, to sitting by a fire with dirty cowboy boots, sipping whiskey after a long cattle drive. Much like living through an old western movie, though this one is surrounded by Hawaiian salt in the air.

The Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT) began when a dedicated group of Indigenous women recognized the need for a gathering place in Toronto where Indigenous women could share resources, support one another, and practice their traditional ways. In 1985, this vision resulted in the downtown basement office that affectionately became known as “The Pit.”

Today, the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto provides a safe and welcoming environment for all Indigenous women and their children in the Greater Toronto Area. Our programs fall under six broad categories: Housing, Families, Advocacy, Employment, Education, and Youth. We also host a variety of Cultural Activities for our clients and the general public, including the annual Minaake Awards, Sisters In Spirit Vigil, and Winter Solstice .

We honour the vision of our founders as we support urban Indigenous women and children from all walks of life. We build self-sufficiency and develop collective capacity to make positive change. We provide individual support, group programming, and cultural initiatives.

In 1985, Na-Me-Res began offering emergency shelter to Toronto-based Aboriginal men who were without a place to live. The 26-bed shelter grew quickly to accommodate the growing needs of the community and as a greater understanding of the underlying reasons for Aboriginal homelessness emerged, Na-Me-Res implemented support programs to address those causes.

Portraits for various assignments for the University of Toronto including: Office of Indigenous Initiatives Annual Report, First Nations House, Faculty of Dentistry, St. Michael’s College, etc.

Rebecca has over a decade of experience in design. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University she lived and taught in the beautiful south of Spain. She returned to Canada where she completed her design training in Vancouver. Upon returning to Toronto, Rebecca had the privilege to work for several years with Stephen Taylor, one of Toronto’s top high-end residential designers. She has also worked in the engaging and high-paced world of television, as a designer on HGTV's “Income Property”, as well as “The Property Brothers”. Her design aesthetic is approachable and classic while creating homes that are unique and fitting to their owners.

RNJ, formerly Registered Nurse Journal, is a flagship digital publication of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). It reflects nurses’ ever-changing roles within the health system. RNJ produces thoughtful, attractive and informative articles and columns, always striving to include something of interest for everyone. It tells the personal stories of members as they relate to the policy, practice and professional development work of the association.