Black Lives Matter

My name is Jason Burke.

I am a Masters of Inclusive Design, candidate at OCAD University.

On August 1, 1999, I was Racially Profiled by the Toronto Police Services.

Since that time, I have focused on overcoming the trauma associated with being Racially Profiled, by building a career that has driven and empowered me to focus on Social Injustice through Art and Expression.

Somewhere between 2009 and 2010, I began losing my hearing which quite possibly is a direct result of my encounter with the police the night of August 1, 1999 and/or 18 Years of playing football at Lakefield College, Peterborough Collegiate and Wilfrid Laurier University. Regardless, having graduated high school with the highest award in the visual arts combined and the male athlete of the year award, I am uniquely prepared as a thought leader of The Black Aesthetic.

“Visual culture is the aspect of culture expressed in visual images. Many academic fields study this subject, including cultural studies, art history, critical theory, philosophy, media studies, Deaf Studies and anthropology.” – Wikipedia

The purpose of my research is to build awareness of Anti-Black racism in Canada and show how The Black Aesthetic can be a catalyst for change on the Path to Purchase. By exploring Social Justice through Art and Expression, I intend to create a marketers playbook for change using addressable media, big data and human rights messaging.