Here's to Strong Women

Justine is starting her psychotherapy practice as a pre-licensed professional under supervision this year. She looks forward to integrating bottom-up and top-down modalities within an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, trauma-informed, and relational framework.

“My experience as a second-generation Jamaican-Canadian woman gave me an awareness of interlocking systems of oppression growing up. Additionally, my degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies enhanced my understanding of feminist, anti-oppression, post-colonial and critical race theories. My position as a volunteer and intern at a constituency office gave me the opportunity to assist with a wide range of concerns including, but not limited to mental health, (dis)ability, housing discrimination, and incidents of racism at school. More importantly, I have learned that community and support are vital pieces to health and wellbeing. And, representation for BIPOC girls, in particular, is so important. For myself, growing up in spaces that lacked healthy representation deeply impacted my self-esteem and self-worth. There is so much power in feeling seen, understood, and supported in a safe space. Having the opportunity to be part of this program as a mentee would have been so meaningful to me as a young girl through early adulthood”.

Faith is a 1st year post graduate student in York University’s Teacher Education College. Through her academic experience, she has become well versed in equity-based teaching and promoting social justice within the classroom. She is knowledgeable in lesson planning, organizing, and preparing activities for youth. She holds a position at a dance studio in Brooklyn, Ontario where she is responsible for managing several dance classes and creating competitive routines within a short period of time. She held a position as Competitive Director on York University’s competitive dance team and successfully led the team in competitions throughout Western Ontario.

“My passion for Arts Education stems from a desire to provide a safe space for youth to express themselves through the arts. I have completed a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Education and am currently completing a Bachelor of Education at York University. I have designed and developed a framework for the post-secondary next steps program which was created to help students navigate their next steps within the arts post-secondary. I have hosted and organized a community dance workshop in support of a local charity called Dancing with Parkinson’s Canada. I am incredibly passionate about mentoring black youth and being the role model, I wish I had as a young artist. My combined education and the acquired experience have equipped me with the skills to be an asset to this project”.

Adrianna is a 3rd year Global Health Student at York University. She is an active volunteer with 30 Elephants, Human Trafficking Group, BOSS dance company. She is passionate about Black women’s health and equity. She is the president of I.E, a competitive dance program at York University, inspiring hip-hop dance culture in the University and in the GTA.

“This project is unique to me as I learned about the power of mentorship after traveling with 30 Elephants to a village in Kenya. The girls in the program had a similar mentorship, where the older girls in grades 11 and 12 were considered “mamas” to the new girls entering the school program. The girls had a similar bond and connection with each other, and it helped the younger girls transition well into adulthood. By creating a similar approach here, I hope to create greater representation and support for our Black girls who lack the mentorship and guidance that they require to be successful. My experience within social justice, health sciences, and personal life skills will help to navigate and overseas the program and ensure that the programs’ fidelity remains the same. As well, the leaders within the program are also undergoing a similar process of transformation to become stronger leaders in their lives”.