Tracey Kayy came to George Brown College (GBC) studying general arts and science courses.

She would return to GBC later on to continue her studies, this time, focusing her attention in the Behavioural Science Technology program.

She recalls much of her time being spent in the library, solely focused on achieving excellence in her education.

“Some of the classes there like for each quiz that we would have like once a week, on each quiz, you would need 80 per cent and above and if you got less than 80 per cent there was a threat of you getting like removed from the program and then you’d have to wait another year. So, I was just like, always at the library,” said Kayy.

Noting the need for balance in her academic life, Kayy started to spend time taking part in activities around the campus. Leaning into her love of arts and music, she started joining open mic nights to showcase her skills as a musician.

It was here where she started to catch the dream of becoming a solo artist.

There was a lot of opportunities, like open mics, or different things like that at George Brown. So, there was, I think, one or two times that like I auditioned and performed for one of the events. So that was very interesting. And I think that also kind of pushed me to pursue a solo career, but I just wasn’t ready at that time.”

While she has not taken the step towards a full-fledged career in music, Kayy has used her experience as both a skilled artist and her background in psychology and behavioural science, to help people in her job.

“One thing that I do right now is I’m an equity diversity inclusion program facilitator. And I work for a nonprofit called Harmony Movement. And we go into different schools and organizations. And we essentially do these training workshops. And also do an anti-racism conference, where we empower,” said Kayy. “I always loved writing, I always loved music. I’ve always loved poetry, but I think I was too shy to kind of like, even envision what I would do with it. Until I really looked from the perspective of ‘oh, I could use this to help people.’ Looking at it, people were like, ‘oh, how healing it was.’ Back then I was kind of just thinking about me and how shy I was, as opposed to, ‘Oh, I could help people through music or poetry, and things like that.’”

One such poem is titled Midnight. In it, Kayy talks about how she tackles colourism and how it affects more than just people with black skin.

“In that poem called Midnight, I speak from the perspective of colourism. I talk about a story about how I didn’t know that it was only, let’s say, black people who are facing colourism. I spoke to some of like my Asian friends, some of my Chinese friends, some of my Indian friends, and they’re like, ‘oh, no, like they experience colourism, too.’”

Her artistic career has also pushed her to release several songs, the most recent of which is titled Don’t you Lie to me.
She notes the song comes from a dark place but evolved to empowerment.

“Essentially, it comes from two perspectives, it’s one of those dual kind of meanings. Don’t you Lie to me can be just meant for anybody. And it’s just kind of like when you’re tired of being lied to manipulated, whatever, and you’re going through the motions of that. But then at the end, you finally gain your power [back], you remember who you are.”

With the new song released, Kayy expects to continue along her path to bettering people’s lives with her work.

Find her music on all major streaming platforms, and her poem Midnight on YouTube.