Winning writer

More than 100 exceptional graduates from Ontario’s 24 public colleges were nominated for the six prestigious Premier’s Awards, one each in the field of business, community services, creative arts and design, health sciences, recent graduate and technology. Emerging the winner in the Recent Graduate category was Missi­ssauga’s Teenaz Javat who graduated from the Sheridan College in 2008, her program of study being Canadian Journalism for Internationally Trained Writers (CJITW). The award was presented at a gala function on November 28, 2011.

Currently employed as part-time faculty at Sheridan as also as a senior writer at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Javat’s "research and leadership has garnered recognition from news organizations and community groups including the Radio Television News Directors Association of Canada and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) police forces,” as notes the Premier’s Awards website.

Teenaz Javat (center) receiving Premier’s Award

Whilst working as a senior writer and researcher on the CBC News Desk, and backfilling as a producer and researcher for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, the journalist’s work is considered to have "shone a light on the pressing issues facing the diverse communities in GTA,” states the website referring to her success in 2008 when she was featured in an exhibit celebrating Toronto’s 1,000 creative women at the Luminato Festival. Among the publications where Javat has served as reporter are Toronto Star, Dawn Group of Newspapers, The Observer of Business and Politics. Besides serving as editor of the ZSO Newsletter, she has also made time to contribute articles to the FEZANA Journal, the publication of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, and Hama­zor, published by the World Zoroastrian Organi­sation.

After studying at Bom­bay’s Queen Mary School and St Xavier’s College, Javat did her postgrad­uation from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics before working as a professional journalist. After migrating to Canada in 1997 she did not make a career transition directly for she had a young daughter at home. Once she pursued the Sheridan College program for foreign trained professionals, she was able to relaunch her career. "I don’t think I would have achieved even half as much as I have without Sheridan,” Javat was quoted on Mississauga.com Realizing the importance of meaningful connections, Javat declares, "you’re only as strong as your network as a journalist.”

Joyce Wayne, then coordinator of the CJITW program, commended Javat’s persistence in learning the industry in a new country. "She was the most determined person I’ve ever met to re-establish her career in Canada,” said Wayne who hired Javat as a part-time faculty shortly after graduation. Wayne also commended Javat’s meaningful contribution on CBC Radio: "Violence in South Asian families wasn’t on the news. She made it a subject that people wanted to hear about and brought it to the forefront.”

As lead researcher and producer for CBC Radio’s "Turning Point” feature she brought into focus "several high profile domestic murders of South Asian women as well as other South Asian community issues,” it was reported in Hamazor, Issue 4, 2011. More rewarding than the award it earned was the knowledge that "something I did on radio has made such a big impact on the community,” she commented. In early 2011 that discussion turned into government action when delegates from four GTA police forces assembled for a conference at Queen’s Park on violence in South Asian community where Javat played and integral role as the emcee.

Married to Mahveer, they have two children Sherezade and Hormuz. In addition to her journalistic commitments, Javat also enjoys writing scripts for radio and television productions.