WHO IS SELINA MCCALLUM?

 Selina McCallum doesn’t just tell a story, she captivates audiences with powerful visuals and weaves together words that leave a long lasting impression. She is a leader, a digital award-winning storyteller and a social media specialist.


Selina was born in Toronto, Ontario and raised by her Tanzanian mother and Jamaican father. She attended the University of Windsor where she double-majored in Digital Journalism and Communications, Media and Film.


During her time in Windsor, Selina worked on two thought-provoking and compelling short documentaries. 'Marley’s Journey' won second place for videography at the Emerge Media Awards in 2018, and was featured on CBC’s Absolutely Canadian series. Her second documentary, 'Traffick on 401' has over 95K views on Youtube, and had educational community screenings in Barrie and Muskoka. 


After moving back to Toronto, she was accepted into many creative programs to expand her portfolio and enhance her digital skills. Selina is a proud alumni of the OYA Emerging Black filmmakers program, Being Black in Toronto film program, ArtworksTO program, the NIA Centre’s Creative Catalyst program, and CEE Centre for Young Black Professional’s VFX and Mastermind Program.


In December 2022, Selina directed her fifth short film, Fitriya: Muslim On and Off the Court. The 13 minute film follows Fitriya Mohamed, the Executive Director and Founder of Muslim Women's Summer Basketball League, and takes a deep dive into what it means to be a female Muslim athlete on and off the basketball court. The film had a successful festival run as it was accepted into festivals in Canada, India, Turkey, and Australia. It also won two awards. 


Selina is highly skilled in marketing and social media management. In 2023, she interned at Warner Music Canada in the Marketing and Social Media department. Today, Selina works as the Communications Coordinator for the Toronto Arts Foundation and Council where she oversees all social media platforms and communications strategy with her team. She is also the Social Media Manager for Street Voices and has been working for the organization for 10 years.


Selina founded her own organization in early 2024. Leverage Lens is a dynamic social enterprise that specializes in producing impactful documentaries, organizing engaging storytelling workshops, and curating insightful panels. Her focus is on promoting and advocating for stories centered around human experience, ​human interest, and human rights through the transformative lens of the arts. 
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Selina brings fresh ideas, positive energy and a strong work ethic to every team she is a part of. She believes that storytelling is the key to uplifting youth, community and one self.