We want to give the Editors Toronto members and student affiliates another way to get to know the executive and find out what is involved in being on the committee. So, we asked executive committee members to introduce themselves and their roles by answering a few questions.
Meet Raya P. Morrison. She has been a member of Editors Toronto for three and a half years and she is currently in her first year as a co-chair. Raya likes to make things better, and came into editing by combining her experiences in digital and music journalism. She’s also a tarot reader and an eco-minded minimalist.
What kind of editor are you? Tell us a bit about your experience.
I am a very versatile editor as I work in marketing and operate a literary journal. In my nine-to-five, I do primarily line and copy editing, as well as quality control for brand standards and accessibility. I have started a new job in January that focuses more on establishing processes for quality assurance in the marketing department. As the owner and editor-in-chief at Blood & Bourbon, I manage a team of editors and do all the admin stuff, as well as edit a few pieces per issue (mostly for my own personal enjoyment). I also take on freelance line and copy editing for novels, short stories, and poetry for clients in my spare time.
What is your favourite part of the role you hold on the executive committee (or the exec, as we call it)?
As much as I love the nitty-gritty of line and copy editing, I also crave having some control over the big picture. That’s why I love being in a co-chair position. I think the best part of it is working as a dynamic duo with Catherine Dorton. Having a co-chair I click with makes me feel like we can move mountains.
Give us an elevator pitch for your role.
Do you like seeing the bigger picture? Are you in tune with the needs of your team, and can you empathize with them while keeping things moving along? Then this role is for you! A co-chair gets to focus on bettering the operations of the branch and bringing in new ideas to freshen up the things we offer to our membership while also making sure that all the other chairs have everything they need to do their jobs well. Co-chairs also get to communicate with other branches and the Editors Canada national executive council (NEC) on a more regular basis.
What’s your favourite part of an exec meeting?
When we had in-person meetings, I loved that someone would always bring a snack for the table. But really, the thing that I love the most is that we go on tangents and make asides (even if it means that the meetings run late) because we are all passionate and dedicated to what we do. The passion, dedication, and sense of accomplishment are the potions we mix to make magic happen.
If you didn’t have your role on the exec, what role would you pick?
I was the communications chair in my first year on the exec, and I enjoyed that a lot. I was happy to flex my Photoshop muscle again, which I rarely get to do now, and it was a nice return to my roots as a web designer/developer. Now, if I had to pick another role, I would probably go for BoldFace editor-in-chief, but I would rather keep my role for a bit longer!
Editors Toronto holds elections to fill the executive positions every May. If you are interested in the positions and their availability, please contact us at [email protected].
This article was copy edited by Hitesh Thukral.
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