Roots & Resilience: A Leadership Podcast by DBNC: Recent Episodes
Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre
Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre proudly presents, "Roots and Resilience", a podcast celebrating diverse, non-traditional leaders in our community.
This month's ELEVATE episode talks about DBNC's new Financial Empowerment program and all it has to offer! Alena Denderys, DBNC's Financial Empowerment Facilitator, stopped by to share an overview of the program and what to expect from it in the future, as well as Alena's opinion on what Financial Empowerment means for the community.
Alena is a new employee of DBNC, with a background in social services and community work. Having worked in a financial empowerment program at another organization, Alena is excited to bring her expertise of taxes and financial literacy to DBNC and its clients. She is currently in the works of becoming an accredited financial counselor. She is passionate about connecting low-income families and newcomers to resources that can help build their financial future, and hopes to implement a variety of programs into DBNC's Financial Empowerment program.
Gloria O'Koye a.k.a Glowz. author and podcaster, stopped by ELEVATE to talk about her writing as well podcasting and how they were all shaped by her lived experiences.
Gloria touched on the challenges in her life such as the grief that comes from losing a loved one, the dehumanization of inmates in the prison system, and the highs and lows that come with writing and self publication.
Gloria is a dedicated short story writer for 20 years and has written poetry for 10 years. She is an author of two self published books- ‘A Kintsugi Memoir’ and ‘Hood Chronicles’. Her writing reflects on her personal experience and the lives of people surrounding her. She is passionate about building relationships with different communities and has been an active member in community engagements across the GTA since 2010.
Gloria had recently become a reporter for the Toronto Caribbean News as of 2021 and has had her poetry showcased in the newspaper from 2020 and ongoing
Bill Sinclair form The Neighbourhood Group in Toronto stopped by ELEVATE to talk about TNG and the wide variety of services that they offer. Bill and I chat about TNG's growth over the last 100 years and his journey from summer student to CEO of TNG. Bill gets personal and shares his own experience being a gay man during the AIDS crisis.
About Bill Sinclair
Sinclair is a social worker and the CEO of The Neighbourhood Group Community Services a large charity in the City of Toronto. Bill’s career has focused on neighbourhood services such as York Community Services, St. Stephen’s Community House, and Central Neighbourhood House. Bill practices a community development and human rights approach that supports the lived experience of our community members and partnering widely to get the best solutions.
TNG is social agency that strives to help low income people and families across the the city of Toronto. They have over 1,000 staff and 600 volunteers to help make sure that people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, conflict, and substance abuse get the support that they need.
Giselle Orozco from DBNC's EarlyON's program stopped by ELEVATE to tell us a little mor about the program. EarlyON is a high-quality, free drop-in child and family program that supports early learning and development for families with children from birth to 6 years old. It offers a range of programs that support children’s early literacy and numeracy development as well as their physical, social and emotional development.
EarlyON Child and Family programs are offered in accordance with provincial health and safety direction. EarlyON services include indoor, outdoor programs, virtual adult and child programs.
Peter Grant is a seasoned law enforcement professional with 22 years of dedicated service to Peel Regional Police. Currently assigned to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Bureau, Peter is committed to fostering an environment of equality and understanding within both the police service and the community it serves.
Outside of his work in law enforcement, Peter is an avid sports enthusiast. Whether he's cheering on his favorite team or hitting the field himself, his passion for sports shines through. Peter believes in the power of sport to bring people together, develop imperative life skills and bridge divides, reflecting his broader commitment to fostering unity.
Peter stopped by ELEVATE to discuss his work furthering principles of diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion within the police force. You can directly contact the Countering Hate Initiative by emailing counteringhate@safecitymississauga.on.ca or dei@peelpolice.ca
What drives McKie Richards? Flexing her creative prowess and carving out her own space to shine, of course! McKie is the owner and CEO of Canadian based production company McKie Rich Productions. She specializes in photography, videography, and graphic design. She has facilitated entrepreneurial workshops and has helped others to start up their own thriving businesses. McKie has also been a guest speaker at a few events where she shares her expertise about entrepreneurship in a way to help future generations build wealth with fundamental skill. She is very involved in her community and doesn’t miss an opportunity to support other businesses by highlighting them on her platforms and participating in community events.
Rachel Luke is currently the Instructional Coordinator for African, Black and Afro-Caribbean Student Success at the Peel District School Board. Prior to this, she taught English, Dramatic Arts, English as a Second Language, Black Canadian History and was a Teacher Librarian at Glenforest Secondary School for 20 years.
She is always actively engaged in community work that supports Black Youth. She loves to travel and has visited 75 countries to date. In 2021, she was a recipient of the Prime Minister’s National Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2020 she was awarded a Regional Certificate of Achievement for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence. She values spirituality, integrity and social justice.
Rachel stopped by the ELEVATE podcast to talk about the importance of sharing a variety of stories and viewpoints because the Black experience and community is not a monolith! Listen to our latest episode in celebration of Black History Month now.
Sharon Douglas has worked in the Human Service Sector for over 25 years. She has held a variety of leadership positions and more recently as Director of Community Investment, United Way of Peel Region (UWPR) and as Consultant to United Way Greater Toronto.
She is a founding member and past Chair of the Regional Diversity Roundtable (RDR). Sharon has consulted, delivered training, and facilitated many community discussions and consultations with and for the non-profit sector.
Sharon stopped by the Elevate podcast to talk about the unique barriers of being Black in the industry and why it is so important to never compromise who you are and to be courageous in the battles you choose.
Welcome to our newly refreshed podcast! Formerly known as Roots & Resilience, DBNC is proud to present ELEVATE: A DBNC Leadership Podcast.
This month's episode brings to you Deb & Darlene, two women who are actively involved with DBNC's Seniors Tight-Knit Knitting Club. Deb and Darlene speak about the joys of community & connection; removing barriers for seniors; mental health; and stereotypes around ageism.
Darlene is a long-time Mississauga resident who has lived in this community for over 50 years. She loves to craft and enjoys knitting, quilting, and cross-stitching. Darlene is enjoying the company of her fellow knitting companions in the Tight-Knit Seniors' Club project.
Deborah is a resident of Mississauga by way of Montreal. She is a retired daycare provider who ran her own business for 32 years. She loves to knit as it keeps her focused and sharp. She teaches knitting both in-person and online and is one of the two facilitators at Tight-Knit.
For more information on the Tight-Knit Knitting Club for Seniors, get in touch with us!
We often highlight inspiring leaders from the community. And as much as we love doing that, we have also wanted to show love to our own staff who work in the background, ensuring our amazing programs are running smoothly for the community.
Enter Sonia, Jonathon, Wendy, and Bruce! Each of them has a unique and interesting story about their involvement with DBNC and what they are hoping for in 2024. Times are tough right now and people are struggling, but the passion and dedication our staff has for the community we serve, is nothing short of incredible! We hope this episode inspires you to be proud of yourself and your accomplishments this year.
Rebecca Pacheco (She/Her) is the Development & Education Manager at Embrave: Agency to End Violence and the Coordinator of the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse (PCAWA). She is driven by her passion for gender equity, intersectional feminism and ending gender-based violence. She is a strong advocate for the policy and system-level change that is necessary to prevent gender-based violence and properly support survivors of violence.
Rebecca stopped by DBNC's Roots & Resilience Podcast to share the importance of activism against Gender-based Violence, ahead of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.. This campaign is an annual international initiative beginning November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until December 10th (Human Rights Day.)
Lilian Liang works as a Family Support and Outreach Worker with DBNC's EarlyON team.
Lilian stopped by DBNC's Roots and Resilience podcast to discuss what Gender-Based Violence is and how to recognize the warning signs. She also touches upon why it is crucial to believe people when they come to you for help and how best to support them in their need. DBNC was proudly involved with Take Back The Night - a movement that aims to end all forms of sexual violence and to support survivors in their healing journeys. One note, host Cristian Fox incorrectly refers to Lilian being on the Take Back The Night Committee.
For more information on Gender-Based Violence: https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/gender-based-violence/ and Take Back The Night: https://takebackthenight.org/
Folashade Okomayin is a self-motivated and progress-driven professional with an extensive background in the Social Service industry. She sat with DBNC's Cristian Fox to discuss the challenges that come with accessing and securing Housing.
Folashade spoke candidly about her experience navigating the Tenant/ Landlord relationship and the process for Government Housing.
Janine Ayoub recently moved from Turkey and Lebanon to Canada to start her new life. She sat with DBNC's Cristian Fox to discuss the challenges with being a newcomer and the power of resiliency.
Janine spoke candidly about how she burned out due to all the difficulties she faced and how she reframed it as an opportunity to start over and chase her dreams, in her new home in Canada.
Priyanka Sheth, DBNC's Executive Director, was our guest for our June episode, where she spoke candidly and openly about intersectionality, as it relates to one's identity.
Priyanka has been with DBNC as the Executive Director since February, 2021. In her short time with the agency, she has started the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee because she is passionate about creating a culture of belonging. Priyanka has a varied history in the industry, having worked in organizations like Sistering and Family Services of Peel. She is thrilled to continue shaping DBNC’s future with her leadership experience and vision.
Rosalyn from EMBRAVE stopped by Roots & Resilience to speak candidly about Gender Based Violence, with a focus on newcomer, racialized communities.
A woman of colour who was born with Transexualism, Rosalyn walks with several identities. She is a single mom of two beautiful daughters. A woman living with chronic pain. A woman loving woman femme. An activist. A Pagan. An Educator. A Caregiver.
Currently, Rosalyn works with EMBRAVE, a GBV agency in Mississauga as a Counsellor/Advocate with the Community Outreach Program. She also works at East Mississauga Community Health Centre working with the Greater Trans Communities.
Saïda Ouchaou-Ozarowski is a Canadian filmaker who immigrated from Toronto to France in 2001.
With family roots in Algeria, Saïda is interested by human migrations and the impact of colonialism on racialized groups.
Her latest film, In Full Voice, produced by the NFB, debunks common prejudices about Muslim women in Canada. Population movements, multiple identities, and the status of women are at the heart of the filmmaker's work.Saïda stopped by Roots and Resilience to speak about the art of film-making and her inspiring ability to tell women's stories.
Sumbel, Kiran, and Mansi stopped by Roots and Resilience's to record a very special episode in honour of International Women's Day. They spoke with host, Cristian Fox, about why it is so important for more women to enter the Technology space and how they overcame challenges related to being women of colour.
Meagan Dogra, DBNC's Community Resource Coordinator, stopped by Roots and Resilience to speak about the importance of safe and dignified access to much needed necessities for our community. Touching upon stigmas surrounding food insecurity and period poverty, Meagan explains how DBNC's newest initiative, the Community Care Closet is so important and how she hopes to expand Closet operations for the future.
For more information on how you can support the Community Care Closet, please contact Meagan Dogra (meagand@dixiebloor.ca) or visit https://www.dixiebloor.ca/community-care-closet/
Geetha Balaganthan is a 2nd generation Tamil Canadian, born and raised in Toronto. She has a medical education background and focuses on health and wellness, as well as mental health advocacy. She constantly strives for balance in a chaotic world.
She loves watching true crime documentaries, is a music junkie, gym lover ,and enjoys writing on her free time.
Geetha started her instagram page @geetsjourney to keep herself and others motivated to prioritize their health in their busy lives.
Geetha stopped by to discuss her wellness journey and what balance has looked like for her over the years.
Founder and President of ESD Global Inc., Yudit Sidikman is a thought leader, speaker, and educator on Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) with over 20 years of experience in the field. She is a fourth-degree black belt in Judo and holds an MBA with a background in psychology.
Yudit is committed to making Empowerment Self-Defense training, a proven Violence Prevention Education program, accessible worldwide. She is also co-founder and CEO of El HaLev, an award-winning Israeli non-profit organization dedicated to providing Empowerment Self-Defense and martial arts training to thousands of women and girls, that has reached over 80,000 people, and is the director of IMPACT Self-Defense in Israel.
Listen to hear what Yudit had to say about empowering women and girls!
What is an eating disorder? What is considered disordered eating? When does eating healthy become concerning? Emily Huynh, from NEDIC, and Ivana Grabez, from DBNC, share their insights and how to better understand when it is time to get help.
CW: please be advised that this episode contains discussions about eating disorders, symptoms of disordered eating, diagnoses, and weight trajectory.
Oluyinka Oso, author of children's book, N for Nigeria, stopped by DBNC to chat about how she maintains a balance between her work life and her creative pursuits. Tune in to hear what she said about her love of Nigeria and how she advocates for the beauty of her homeland.
When his daughter was diagnosed with autism at the age of 6, Baljit Ghuman was thrown for a loop. He did not know what the diagnosis meant and how it would affect his family. As a result, he was inspired to start Sikhs For Autism. On this month's episode, we speak with Baljit about how he navigated this challening time and what he hopes for the future of Autism awareness, especially from a cultural lens.
Hello and welcome back to another episode of Roots and Resilience. In this month's episode, Cristian Fox sits down with DBNC's very own Alia, Meagan, and Richard to discuss their work as the NYCE facilitators, as well as the important role that youth will play in the future. Enjoy!
Hello and welcome back to another episode of Roots and Resilience. In this months episode, Cristian Fox sits down with Cee Straus from LEAF to discuss LEAF's mission to fight for the rights of women and the LGTBQ community. Cee also shares their personal experience identifying as non-binary at home and at work. Enjoy!
Welcome to another episode of Roots & Resilience: A Leadership Podcast by DBNC. In this week's episode, host Cristian Fox sits down with Olympian and CEO; Arlene Limas to discuss her work at PAVE Prevention, her experience being the first the American to win a gold medal in Taekwondo and what leadership means to her . Enjoy!
Welcome to another episode of Roots & Resilience: A Leadership Podcast by DBNC. In this week's segment, host Cristian Fox sits down with Hameed and Jaspreet of COVID-19 Community Outreach Program to discuss the challenges and lessons for the team during this unprecedented time. Enjoy!
Welcome to another episode of Roots & Reslilience: A Leadership Podcast by DBNC. In this week's segment, host Cristian Fox sits down with Sumaiya Matin, author of the The Shaytan Bride, to chat about her book, the trauma that lead to creation of the memoir, and how she navigated balancing her Muslim faith with her own desires and needs. We also get into the challenges experienced by Sumaiya publishing the work.
On our inaugural episode, we speak with Marlon Merraro. Marlon is the Executive Director at Peacebuilders Canada, and was recently appointed Chair of the Board of Directors at the Children's Aid Society of Toronto. On the last day of Black History Month, we want to share our discussion with Marlon on what Black leadership means to him today and how we can actively empower and support future leaders. #mydbnc #dbncpodcast #leadersoftomorrowtoday
You can be a leader at any age! Just ask the superstar brother and sister team, Nathan and Milonie, who already embody leadership traits. Thoughtful mentorship at a young age creates a foundation of positive life skills, that youth can take with them into the future. Nathan and Milonie stopped by to chat about their experience being black leaders and some of the challenges and successes they've experienced along the way