For inspiration, Wendy returned to Underpass Park, the site of her winning photo from last year. "Last year I took a picture of the mirror," she explains. "This year, I happened to see the bench reflected in the mirror. It’s half about people enjoying life in the new parks they’ve built for us in Toronto, and half about people that may be homeless and hang out or sleep on those benches."

"I had many years of violence and abuse and that was the first 30 years of my life. It’s hard to get out of poverty and stay out of poverty in that environment," Wendy says. She’s been taking photos for a long time. (During high school, she learned how to develop film at a workshop at Trent University.) Wendy also sings and dances and has been involved with Workman Arts for over 10 years.

What’s her next step as an artist? "I'm looking into getting an agent for my acting and modelling. This has been my dream since high school."