CTYA’s Blog has started a new Feature on Fridays, Thulirkal. Thulirkal meaning bud reflects the young Tamil youth we will be featuring. These youth are the buds of our community, and are growing into strong, achieving young men and women! Each week we will feature a Tamil youth of the week. For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!
This week, we’ve brought you Jessica Thyriar!
Jessica Thyriar is a student at York University studying Criminology She has been a very active student in the community. She has served as Vice President Events for the York University Tamil Students Association, and the following year as the Vice President Education. Having worked with YUTSA, she did a lot of solidarity work with the student union. She also served as the Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Director of the York Federation of Students and as the Vice President Campus Life this year. Jessica served as VP-Events for Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance in the previous year. This year in March she was elected to represent 55,000 students at York University as the President of the York Federation of Students.
CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Jessica for sitting down with us today. So, let’s get warmed up. Ok, now don’t think, just say what first comes to mind. 1, 2, 3…
- Favourite Sports Team? Hands down my home team Toronto Raptors!
- Favourite TV Show/Series? I can’t pick just one, there is Criminal Minds, Scandal, Pretty Little Liars, Law and Order SVU, Revenge and Whitney. They are all my favourite!
- Early Bird or Night Hawk? I like to sleep in late and go to sleep early, but if its for work you should always be earlier.
CTYA Blog Team: Jessica, you’re the first female TAMIL president of York Federation of Students, a pretty impressive accomplishment. How does that feel, as a woman, and being Tamil?
As a woman I would just like to empower more women to get more involved and never feel as if their gender is a reason to not reach their full potential. I always grew up seeing men in power, and society tends to dictate that to be the norm, so it’s about time we broke those norms. As a Tamil female, I’m excited to have achieved this accomplishment, but understand that this is not an accomplishment unless I get many more women and Tamil youth involved to reach their goals and full potential as well.
CTYA Blog Team: In university life, some students rarely get involved in extra-curricular activities, and just focus on their studies alone. You on the other hand, have been able to manage your studies, while being able to participate actively in extra-curricular activities, what’s your secret?
Jessica: I’ve always been in love with what I’ve been doing whether it be the program I’m studying in university or the extracurriculars I’ve participated in. The Tamil community is my identity, so having worked as an executive for the Tamil Student’s Association or the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance was a way in giving back to the community for me. You need to love what you are involved with to make a difference, rather than doing it for something to add on your resume. Everyday I’ve had work at York Federation of Students’ I’ve woke up excited, and that is truly the only secret for being involved.
CTYA Blog Team: Who has been your biggest role model in your life? If you could pick three of their traits to possess, what would they be?
My biggest role model would have to be our national leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Three of his traits that I strongly admire is his loyalty, determination and strength in upholding the Tamil struggle while the world was against him.
CTYA Blog Team: If a fairy godmother came to you, and said she would grant you three wishes, what would they be?
- Tamil Eelam recognized globally as a country, free of oppression.
- A world free from all forms of discrimination.
- The eradication of poverty.
CTYA Blog Team: Finish the sentence. “To me, Tamil youth are..”
Jessica: The future architects of our nation, Tamil Eelam.
For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org! Catch up with us next Friday where we’ll be bringing you another Talented Tamil youth story!
Tags: News
