Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Tory was active in the Estonian community by participating in Girl Guides, and attending Jõekääru and Kotkajärve camps. Though they admitted they aren’t as active anymore (given their busy school and work schedules), Tory still participates in the community through volunteering and participating in other groups, including Ööbik Choir and Jõekääru Alumni Camp.
In our interview, Tory mentioned that their peers weren’t as active in the community as they once were, which seems to be a common trend among younger generations. “My friends and I noticed that once you get to this age when you’re in university, or you’re working—once you’ve finished Estonian school, guides or scouts, or what have you—there’s no Estonian groups or organizations geared towards your age group,” Tory said. “A lot of people go their different ways in life, and it's hard to stay in touch when there’s nothing bringing you together in one place,” they added.
Tory, alongside their peers Genevieve Perron and Liivi Sermat Cooke created Noored Eestlased Torontos (or NET), a youth organization that brings together young Toronto-based Estonians…
In an effort to foster a greater sense of community, Tory, alongside their peers Genevieve Perron and Liivi Sermat Cooke created Noored Eestlased Torontos (or NET), a youth organization that brings together young Toronto-based Estonians by hosting fun events and community projects, specifically geared towards the 18-35 age range—though anyone can join if they like.
Last winter, the group hosted a bar crawl with a far bigger turnout than expected. NET also helped co-organize A Night At The Movies: The Baltics Stand With Ukraine with the other Baltic communities in Toronto.
“We aren’t as active right now since our members are busy with work and school, but we hope to pass NET on to another generation who can continue our work,” said Tory.
Today, Tory is busy pursuing a career in event photography. As we wandered through Toronto’s bustling Yonge and Dundas Square, Tory explained how they got started in the field. “The first event I professionally photographed was Estonian Music Week a few years ago… It’s so cool to see the Estonian community out and about.”
Living in England also gave Tory the opportunity to volunteer at some of the UK’s most popular music festivals: from Reading and Leeds to the Isle of Wight…
Since then, Tory’s career has gone international. “I’ve travelled to the United States to photograph concerts… when I lived in England last year, I was also going around different European countries.” Living in England also gave Tory the opportunity to volunteer at some of the UK’s most popular music festivals: from Reading and Leeds to the Isle of Wight, they were at the heart of it all.
But what's especially interesting about Tory’s work isn’t just their keen eye for the artist performing on stage. They often prefer turning their lens towards the fans, capturing what they call concert culture and fan behaviour. “I did my photography final thesis on fan behaviour [at Toronto Metropolitan University]… I approached people in the crowd and took their photos. One time I drove down to Detroit to see Kiss play; those fans were crazy. There were people [as young as two and old as 90, it seemed], all united by the music.”
To learn more about Tory’s experiences photographing live music and other stories, be sure to check out the video below.
This article and video were created by Natalie Jenkins as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.
Stay tuned for the next edition of Where Are They Now: Community Unwrapped, available on eestielu.ca
