Diverse solutions

Original article from the Toronto Star. Click here to see the accompanying video.

TORONTO, October 7, 2008 – These nine community leaders have been recognized by the Toronto Community Foundation with a Vital People grant for their work or volunteer efforts. Their creative solutions help address some of the diverse challenges identified in Vital Signs.

Suhail Abualsameed
After arriving from Jordan in 2001, Suhail Abualsameed has volunteered to help other newcomers adjust to Canada. He co-founded Salaam - a Muslim-identified organization that supports gays and lesbians and helps reconcile their faith, culture, relationships and sense of self with their sexual identity. He also established Supporting Our Youth, a Sherbourne Health Centre program that assists at-risk newcomers who identify as gay, lesbian or trans.

Dayna Browne
Two years ago, Dayna Browne, with a group of women she met at an anti-violence forum, started Sistahs on the Move, which teaches self-defence to community leaders and women of colour. More recently, the political science major formed Say Word, where she mentors youth leaders to use drama, music and visual arts to inform others about sex education and anti-racism. She is also a member of the City of Toronto's Youth Cabinet, a political advocacy group.

Kelsey Carriere
Kelsey Carriere is a co-founder of Streets are for People, which developed and implemented Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market and other city neighbourhoods.

Five years ago, when the idea was first conceived, residents and businesses feared the idea would ruin the market, but Carriere, an unpaid volunteer, found a way to make Pedestrian Sundays - a series of community, culture and ecology festivals - the successful events they have become.

Kofi Frempong
A native of Ghana who grew up in Jane-Finch, Kofi Frempong works at the Black Creek Community Health Centre and recently oversaw the production of a violence-prevention video that will be used as a province-wide teaching tool.

Frempong also brought two youth groups from rival neighbourhoods together to promote safety and mentorship, and organized an anti-violence talent show and job fair. With his support, more than 150 youth have found jobs.

Paola Gomez
A human rights lawyer who was dedicated to stopping domestic abuse and violence against street children in her native Colombia, Paola Gomez was persecuted for her advocacy. Since arriving in Toronto four years ago as a refugee, she has learned Canada's refugee and immigration laws and currently works as a legal advisor. As a support worker, she has been sponsored to participate in a York University program in Refugee Studies.

Amber Kellen
A volunteer and employee with the John Howard Society for more than a decade, Amber Kellen co-authored a research paper, which examined the relationship between homelessness and the criminal justice system, identifying a strong correlation between incarceration and homelessness. Some of the report's recommendations were highlighted as priorities by city council and due to her research, a housing program for ex-prisoners has been created.

Andrew MacDonald
A manager at Eva's Phoenix, Andrew MacDonald has developed one of the city's most successful social enterprises: the Phoenix Print Shop. MacDonald and instructor Bill Kidd turned a one-man, one-room shop into Foundations of Print - an award-winning program for homeless and at-risk youth.

In less than six years, the shop has employed and trained more than 100 at-risk youth. Of these, more than 80 per cent have gone on to gain employment elsewhere.

Halima Saad
Since emigrating from Somalia in 1991, Halima Saad has volunteered to help new-comers adjust to their new country. Saad was the executive director of the Somali Canadian Women's Association, founded and is the current executive director of the Madbakh Women's Initiative, which provides support for female African immigrants in Toronto. Identifying education as a barrier to success, Saad also started a literacy program to help parents and children.

Kevin Zhang
Kevin Zhang emigrated from China in 2001 and works as a clinical research associate. He has become a key volunteer at the Hong Fook Mental Health Association, where he provides support to immigrants facing mental health issues. Zhang's work at the association began after a rash of suicides in the Chinese Canadian community. His experience as a recent immigrant and ability to speak Mandarin has made him an invaluable source for newcomers.