Spotlight: Taylor Gorrie, Taylorpedia
Taylor Gorrie is an inspiring fifth grader working to make her community a better place. You can spot her around Thunder Bay, in one of her signature fedora hats, conducting interviews for her social enterprise, Taylorpedia. By exploring the city and getting involved in the community, Taylor is on a mission to find Thunder Bay's best kid-friendly establishments.
At this time, Taylor is becoming well-known in her community and already gaining a larger audience. Recently, she got to interview one of her heroes, Canadian rapper Classified. His song “Inner Ninja” carries a powerful message against bullying that resonates strongly with Taylor. After experiencing bullying at school, Taylor, along with the support from her mother Meg, decided to start something that would help turn her negative experience into a positive one. That experience inspired Taylorpedia to use the slogan “Be Different” as a way to spread the message that being different is what makes you unique.
Earlier this month, the tables were turned when we got the chance to meet with Taylor, in her hometown, at the Paro Presents Gift Shop, and ask her some of our own questions about her work.
Learn more about her story below:
Q: What inspired you to start Taylorpedia?
A: Well, actually it was Mikopedia. The Easter bunny gave me a Mikopedia t-shirt for Easter. Mikopedia was where Mike Sadavoy would say a question on the radio and the first caller to get the right answer would get a limited edition Mikopedia t-shirt. Also, when I was little I wanted to do park reviews, but I was too young to do that. So after I was inspired by Mikopedia, I decided I wanted to review kid-friendly places in Thunder Bay.
My biggest dream is that I really want to be on the Ellen Show. She is definitely kid approved. I’m a big fan because I like how she helps a lot of people and gives back. I really look up to her!
“I want people to know that it’s okay to be different. Everyone is unique; be happy with how you are.”
Q: Who do you hope to impact/reach through your social enterprise? Why?
A: Other young people in Thunder Bay and the community. I want people to know that it’s okay to be different. Everyone is unique; be happy with how you are.
I also care about my anti-bullying campaign (that’s a work in progress) because of my personal experience with bullying at school. My goal is to stop bullying. I want to put a center in schools with peer to peer counselling, so young people can learn about coping skills. Make it a safe place for kids. I want to help make things better at my school. It’s getting a little bit better….and I want to help make it even better for myself and other kids.
If people need to talk about bullying, then they reach out to me to talk about how to cope with it. Playing with them at recess, they talk to me. When I see someone crying, I go up to them and see if they are okay. I try to be a really good friend.
“Starting Taylorpedia helped build my confidence. I got over a lot of my fears.”
Q: Would you consider yourself a social entrepreneur? Why?
A: Yes! I’m showing the positive sides of Thunder Bay that people may not know about… some that I didn’t even know about.
Starting Taylorpedia helped build my confidence. I got over a lot of my fears through Taylorpedia, like being a perfectionist. It helped me to level out. Now when I screw up while filming an interview, we keep it for the blooper reel.
I used to suffer from a lot of anxiety and fears but doing this helps me realize that I am unique and that I can do these things. It helps with showing that my opinions matter and other kids’ opinions matter. That’s the reason why I wanted to start this, to empower other kids to feel confident like I do.
Q: What barriers/challenges have you encountered? How did you confront them?
A: At first, we weren’t taken seriously because of my age. A lot of places denied us or underestimated us at the beginning but as soon as we hit it off, it skyrocketed. But other than that it’s been really welcoming and people have also been really positive.
Some of my friends were amazed when I told them what I was doing. Actually, some of my friends on Instagram started doing their own reviews. I can reach so many different people online.
“At first, we weren’t taken seriously because of my age. A lot of places denied us or underestimated us at the beginning but as soon as we hit it off, it skyrocketed.”
I give out Taylorpedia certificates that can show that a location is kid-friendly. It’s a great way to show what spots in town are good for kids. I get really excited when I see a place that I have reviewed has put up their certificate!
I think the challenging thing would probably be the interview questions and making it a kid rated show.
Q: What makes a place kid-friendly? What is your dream kid attraction in Thunder Bay?
A: I look for things like kid stuff in a store. In a restaurant, I look for crayons. I think restaurants need more than just blue, red and yellow. They need more colours! Customer service is a big one. I don’t like it when they talk down to you, I like when they just talk to me as a person.
In parks, they put the fireman poles way too far out. Kids have to jump far to get on it.
I also look for interactive places, like farms where you can go up to the animal place and in the summer you can go into the barn and hold the bunnies.
MapleMoose did a good job; they have an indoor jungle gym there. It also has an arcade, games and a zip-line. It’s a place where you can have birthday parties. It’s a fun place for kids!
Q: Who is your community of support?
A: Mike Sadavoy who used to work with the radio station Magic 99.9 was a huge support system when I started out and still follows my Facebook page. And uhm … my Mom! She is my biggest support. And also, everyone else who I interviewed and the locations I reviewed.
Even with all the support letters that we got from friends and colleagues, and other organizations – we’ve gotten so much support! Taylorpedia has even hit Hollywood. We had an actor from the TV show Hawaii Five-0 pose with his Taylorpedia bracelet in front of the Hollywood sign. We’ve also made it to New Brunswick, to India, and to Kenya. It’s unreal how people were asking us for bracelets.
We got Taylorpedia business cards printed right away. And then we got 600 bracelets made. We’ve put out donation boxes around town with bracelets. People are donating without taking the bracelets so we started giving them away. Donations go towards getting more merchandise and Taylorpedia t-shirts that have the slogan ‘Be Different’ on the back.
“I also get involved at school by helping other kids if they need someone to talk to about bullying. I make sure to reach out to people who might need help.”
Q: What other community initiatives are you involved in?
A: I volunteer for certain events, like the food drive and stuff like that. I’ve been asked by Our Kids Count to do food collection drives. I try to help every charity known to man in the community as best as I can. Like with the Teddy Bear Drive and having a booth at the Community Centre’s market day for kids.
I also get involved at school by helping other kids if they need someone to talk to about bullying. I make sure to reach out to people who might need help.
Q: How did you hear about the work that the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise is doing?
A: We heard about PARO through a friend who started up a business and she told us to go talk to them to get some outside help on getting started. We wanted to take a negative experience and make it to a positive one. I want to continue to grow my social enterprise and be a marine biologist when I grow up. So far I have over 100 reviews. I’ve thought about taking Taylorpedia on the road since I went to Southern Ontario and fell in love with Walkerton, where I kid-friendly certified a place down there.
Thank you for being such an inspiring kid Taylor. We hope our interview skills measured up to yours and that we have what it takes to be Taylorpedia Certified! We can’t wait to hear about what you have planned next. Keep up the great work!
For more information about Taylor’s work with Taylorpedia, visit her Facebook page.
Originally published at www.seethechange.ca.
