the-york-report-blog

[the-york-report-blog]

The People’s Champion Reflection

Hello Everyone, 

This is T.J. York, of York University reporting in - 

You know I wanted to write up something about my experience this year with the duties I had as a student representative with a lot of important people, a lot of important meetings. I’ve seen the challenges that the University faces, in fact, I’ve seen the challenges that you as students face.

I’ll always say to you its an honor and privilege to be your representative, because together we can make it through this. 

As I’ve stated before, as T. J. York, I’m here to show the impossible is possible. I’m simply one of those kinds of people with determination, persistence, a fighter for only the values I stand by. I know many of you out there are exactly this, you must be. It’s part of who we are as students. This is why I believed being a fighter, having perseverance, overcoming the impossible, It’s entirely something rightfully portrayed in a sense of the anonymously ordinary Jon or Jane Doe, that is, any ordinary T. J York of York University, it’s something attainable by anyone.

I’ve come to understand many of the challenges students of York University face in their studies, and life. What I will say about my experiences with committees, petitions, councils for now is these issues largely reflect society and the issues we study at the University.

Many people who get into positions like mine may go along with the status quo of things, making typical insight to various issues, claims, and problems of the University. I’ve always been a reasonably dissenting voice for the students. I stayed true to my claims - I’m the people’s champion because I naturally have power to be one against the many in the establishment.  

I know that what I need to do in order to help students gain the quality experience I believe every student should have at the University institution. This goes beyond Student Politics and the Establishment. There’s some things I believe are incredibly important for students like our Health and Families.

There’s one thing I didn’t mention to my colleagues in Student Politics that I’m going to mention to you: This isn’t right, I’ve seen some of the challenges that many students face, and although sometimes its just simply life challenges, I believe those life challenges are reflective of larger systemic issues in society.  

It goes back to how much I value the education experience for the student and this is why it hurts me. I would always, I always want the best education experience for all students. It should be that the very enlightenment of education that shines through to eliminate suffering of the human being. The education experience for the student must be one of joyful intellectual exploration, suffering can only hinder the learning experience. 

What can you do ?

After all, the inherent nature of this material reality we inhabit is naturally imperfect. This is why we’re here after all to try and make things better, or at least this is partially my belief. We all face challenges in life we’re strong enough to overcome.

Can the education experience be free of suffering ?

No. We’ll always face imperfection, a challenge, in our journey of learning within this materialistic realm. What we can do as human beings however is gradually bring change to such imperfections, become the countervailing forces to challenges of the human race and human being. We can selectively overcome attainable challenges that we experience, but only with perseverance, determination, and strength in our human character. It takes time.

I’ve chosen a long time ago to share challenges many students face out there. I believe a deeper part of myself chooses to do this because I don’t believe many of you should have to face that challenge. It isn’t fair or right because you're being scammed by “trusted” institutions. I’m not talking about the education institution. In 100 years they’ll say everyone got scammed, but by then it will be too late because everyone from 100 years ago will be gone.

Know this: I’ve shared some of the worst burdens York students have faced, threatening your very future and life, and I’ve overcome those burdens to lead as an example so that anyone can overcome the worst burdens society tells you about. I’ve seen the paths many students have taken, but I did not take them, because I knew where they led, where students and other before me ended up. 

I stayed true to my values and beliefs, once again, in my own independent strength, intelligence, determination, will, and perseverance. I would never let anyone take these things away from me, and I will always tell you never let anyone take these things away from you as a human being. As I’ve often iterated, those values are eternally and inherently part of me, this is one of the things they can’t take away from me ! 

I want you all to succeed like I have, and to become even better in your own ways, because that’s the truth of becoming better people. In truth when we better ourselves its not that we become superior or better than another. Its that we truly define our individual qualities, talents, character, that complete the picture of a society, and humanity.

It especially pertains to my studies in economics - we all have the power of choice. What bothered me in my job as student politician is that people are misled into making not the best choices in life. Greed and unethical behavior in society leads to various levels of fraud and scams that influence people to make the wrong choices. 

I’ve not made it public yet, but I’ve already started calling out these frauds and scams. This was in fact long before I learned about how students face these very same scams and frauds that threaten their futures and lives. To reiterate: I’ve indeed faced some of the heaviest burdens that you as students face, but I overcome it on my own power and ways of being to set an example, to send a warning to the fraudsters, because such scams are an annoyance like spam mail. 

Many students, we need to make the right choices in life, especially when presented with frauds or scams. You got the power, I got the power, We got the power, never give it up. Life, your work at the University, health, does not have a band-aid solution to your situation, don’t expect instantaneous results despite social norms of our consumerist-consumption society. These things rightfully always require determination, perseverance, hard work, for real results, and don’t rely on others to provide for your needs - YOU have the power to provide those needs yourself, and this is what people need to learn. I want you all so badly to take back the power for yourselves like I have. It’s truly the state of activism I feel needs the most attention - yet doesn’t fill a particular niche in today’s popular political scene, now does it ?       

You see I could rail on about how there’s corruption in capitalism or greedy obscure groups controlling industry/society/depopulation, but I’ve arrived at a moment of clarity in the challenges I’ve shared with the heaviest burdens of students. It’s because I’ve realize the only meaningful way we can make change is bringing awareness to the larger number of people these sorts of issues affect, and empowering “the people”. This is the true challenge we face !

More importantly I’ve realized the power it returns to people. Where it’s a whole social and timely process protesting industry and “capitalist elites”, what’s more influential is changing power of the actual people who define the majority. This is what I care about and want to focus on. Together I want us to start making the choices and finding the spiritual, mental, and physical power in ourselves to overcome any challenge. I’m going to slowly bring awareness to the choices we make in habits, lifestyles, environments, our mental states, how we have the power in ourselves to use these things to overcome anything.

I’ve done this in so many ways for myself, for my family, for the people I love, and when I see you all as students face the same kinds of challenges, there’s something in me that calls out, you have to do something Trev. 

These people are like you, they’ve faced challenges like you, but they didn’t know what you knew, and if only they knew, they wouldn’t have to suffer, this is what gets to me. It’s an inescapable feeling and spirit.

It’s one of those reasons I’ll always be here for the York Community in the many different issues I believe the campus, student body, and society at large can overcome. 

[the-york-report-blog]

My Opening Statement:

Hello everyone, 

T.J. York, of York University here,

It's true that at some point I have to graduate and prepare for greater opportunities. Perhaps I enjoy being a "radical" outsider who challenges the status quo too much. Being T.J. York, I believe it's inherently part of who I am in character. You better believe I have spectacular plans for next year with our community in all the achievement we've made together this past year. Even beyond next year after my graduation, no matter where I go, I will always be committed to the York community - naturally.

My pursuits in life and education has always been consistent with my values that one pursues merit, an education, or greater economic compensation in life, because you should care about the people you love, your family, your friends, and the community. One of my goals as you may be able to tell, is to become an icon of Education because I fully understand the importance of education in the betterment of the human race. I strongly believe in power of the education institution to ignite and uplift the human consciousness so together the human race can make almighty and awesome achievement - forging a new Golden Global era. 

What are my plans for next year ?

I plan to remain consistent in my role as icon of education - I believe this is one of my strongest qualities and values defining me when it comes to my outlook on the world. Naturally my hope for the world is in the power of education to change human consciousness towards our spiritual, mental, and physical emancipation. Currently I seek no extraordinary positions in life, popular executive positions, involvement in extraordinary number of councils on campus, etc. 

I'm more of the kind of guy playing it cool in the background, scoping things out, opting for a more "low-key" profile carefully observing society, ensuring it meets my, and your expectations of quality and character. I believe political roles require genuine dedication to values. I fully realize, and I want you all to know this is only one small part of my own journey. In this there's a greater lesson for everyone. Here at the University, or anywhere, is only one part of our journey and, if you can make it, together we can become stronger and better people for tomorrows world. Together we can bring great things for the people we love. Today I do some student politics for education, tomorrow I do perhaps the Law or Business. I am a Law & Society/Economics double major after all. As I've mentioned before, I have lot's of interesting opportunities before me and I like to share my story to inspire others. There's going to be a day when I get to fully tell my life story to the public and I don't think people will believe all the challenges I've faced to get here. This is why I've started a foundation to this narrative starting here: The People's Champion. 

But to be honest it's all been part of my grand plan.    

Along time ago it was entirely my intention to show people, anyone can go from being nothing, from the metaphorical bottom of society, to great and mighty achievements, and if I can make it, anyone can. It was entirely my intention to make people believe that all hope was lost, to test their belief, to later reveal  true intelligence, and ways of being. 

I've always had confidence in myself that I'm spiritually, mentally, and physically strong enough for the task after all. This is how I care about the world. I want people to see through my very own being that anything is possible, the spiritual, mental, and physical being of the human race is limitless in positive and constructive achievement, perhaps one of the most classic lessons for the human race. The range of experience for the human being must naturally be most constructively diverse, to build the strongest person. Of course it's no biggie to me because I understand the secrets of the Universe. 

What's a biggie to me of course, is development of the human race ! 

I strongly believe I hold these values, beliefs to my perspective not just because of my namesake, but also for it's consistency with my heritage. My belief is my Ojibwa Ancestors provided colonial society, a place for the human race to make the most positive and constructive achievement together.

Colonial society, Modern society is ultimately a collection of people who are learning and making achievement, not too different from a University in some ways. Always remember that naturally what I stand for at the University in many ways will always be a part of me no matter where I go in society, no matter how far my achievements take me. 

This is another reason I naturally can't help but become in being what these things are. I always knew I had the opportunity to show people, lead as an example that yes, we as individuals and a human race can achieve what seems to be impossible, we can all do great, the almighty, in achievement  !   

You better believe I have great announcements, plans for the near future, and beyond !