Sheri Cohen serves as a Social Worker, Activist, Musician, and Philanthropist. From 1997 to 2005 she was the founder and Executive Director of the Adult Learning Disabilities Employment Resource (ALDER), a non-profit organization in Toronto. This organization was dedicated to helping youth and adults with learning disabilities by providing support in the workplace and securing employment.

Sheri herself was diagnosed with a learning disability in 1989. Despite her disability, Sheri graduated from Ryerson’s BSW program in 1996. She subsequently established two awards for students with learning disabilities. The awards were not based on academic standing but given according to contribution to anti-oppression work and commitment to social work values.

In September of 2008 she received the alumni Award of Distinction at Ryerson University for her work within the community. Since leaving ALDER in 2005, Sheri’s journey has brought her to a deeper understanding of how the arts can impact social change. Sheri believes that music, drama, and other aspects of the expressive arts can play a significant part in social activism.

Through Sheri’s philanthropic efforts, she met others with similar aspirations at Threshold – a progressive community of individuals united through wealth. Sheri’s involvement with the Threshold foundation has been to integrate class privilege with her desire to address oppression, justice, and freedom for all beings. Her journey has been one of opening to a greater understanding and embodiment of giving and receiving, one that reflects her spiritual and political values. Sheri continues to explore how philanthropy is interconnected with how she conducts her life. She believes that we must examine our inner lives and social responsibility simultaneously.

While Sheri has always supported the arts, she is now creating her own expression of music through mindful and intentional performances. Sheri’s involvement in music comes from a different approach than entertainment. She seeks to engage others through soundwork as a means of fostering commonality, community, and creativity.

For more on Sheri Cohen, visit http://www.shericohensound.com