From July 2022 to September 2023, a 20-member Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) Advisory Group came together to share with the City of Toronto their ideas for and experiences with community engagement, city-wide networking, information sharing, skill building, and community leadership development.

Between August and December 2022, the members of the Advisory Group worked with Social Planning Toronto to carry out community consultations on best practices for resident engagement. The collaborative outcome, “A Resident Engagement Workshop Toolkit: Exploring Power, Participation, Communication and Decision-Making,” is a resource for community leaders and facilitators.

Interested in learning more about this work? Read about the Advisory Group, the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy, and SPT's role in this project, or email Community Planner Rima Athar at [email protected].

Viji Pal Viji Pal is the founder of the E-Heroes Group, a grassroots group with members of all ages and diverse backgrounds who connect residents of Thorncliffe, Flemingdon, Bathurst & Finch, and Victoria Park. Inspired by completing the Home Efficiency Animator Training program at Humber College, Viji has facilitated climate actions, receiving various grants (mostly from the City) since 2019. She is the Community Climate Champion for Don Valley East for TransformTO, teaches about climate change and climate actions for sustainable living, and serves as the Green Champion in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park. She serves as a member of Toronto North Local Immigration Partnership's Newcomer Community Action Table, is an active member of the Local Champions Network (an autonomous group of passionate community builders), and a resident member of the Steering Committee for Flemo Farm. Viji is an internationally trained educator and has completed the Human Rights course in the Community Worker Program at George Brown College and the Workplace Communication in Canada Program at Toronto Metropolitan University.		Annisha Nickesha Stewart Annisha is a resident leader in Rexdale and a resident in Elms Old Rexdale. Her mission is to create safe spaces for Black families to connect, build relationships, gain knowledge, and heal by participating in culturally relevant activities that help to foster the building of a thriving community. She has thrived in the face of adversity and her lived experiences gave her the drive she needed to build her capacity and make positive changes in her life and the lives of others. Her aptitude for learning has helped her complete a Community Developmental Service Worker diploma. Annisha has founded some amazing grassroots organizations: Queens Leveling Up, Mama’s Healing Garden, and Next Level Association. She is grateful that she was able to start these organizations and is excited about their growth and development. She is thankful that this is her life path and is grateful for her experiences that have become a backdrop for her success!
Ijaabo Mohamed Ijaabo is a recent graduate of the Master’s of Social Work program at the University of Toronto, and holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from York University. Ijaabo has a strong background in youth and community engagement, having worked with the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit at Toronto Community Housing to develop their 2021 Anti-Black Racism Strategy, as well as with landowners introducing redevelopments in the Downsview area. Ijaabo is looking forward to contributing to meaningful change across Toronto’s vibrant social housing neighbourhoods through this Advisory Group, and continuing to advocate for her community.		Ismail Afrah Ismail Afrah is passionate about learning and creating changes in the City and for his community of Regent Park. While his preferred areas of study have been philosophy and religion, in the last three years he has fallen in love with community building. Ismail’s first role was volunteering with the Regent Park Neighbourhood Association. He later worked as a part-time community worker, and most recently has become a Community Coordinator for a frassroots group working on equitable access to recreation. With so many changes and opportunities, Ismail attributes a lot of his progress to the power of relationships and social networks. Ismail is a twin who learns by thinking out loud; he invites others to think out loud with him for the purposes of learning from each other and together.
Janel Simpson Philanthropic, dynamic, empathetic, and understanding are just a few words to describe Janel. Janel holds a degree in Sociology and a diploma in Law and Security. She is fascinated and passionate about serving humanity and her community at large. Within a few months of moving to her new neighbourhood, she courageously navigated her way to becoming a three-time recipient of a Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 grant. Janel’s vision to see changes and community engagement was made possible when she began hosting events that address diversity issues — bringing families and young people together — and community building — bringing schools and businesses together. As the founder of Emmanuel Life Management Center (ELMC), her vision is “To see young people liberated and hone their God given purpose to serve their families and community.” She is an extraordinary mother and possesses a unique ability to engage with all people regardless of their situations in life.		Jennifer Robinson Jennifer Robinson is a resident of North Scarborough, living in Malvern since the late 80s. She is passionate about volunteering and supporting residents in and around her neighbourhood, and has been involved in supporting community initiatives throughout Malvern for several years. Jennifer has been involved in community activism for a long time, beginning with participation on parent councils for elementary and secondary schools for her three children. She continued her engagement as a resident organizer and trainer for Action for Neighbourhood Change through the United Way. She is currently on the Stewardship Committee for Scarborough Civic Action Network and is an active member of 42 Voices, a civic resident engagement group that advocates for its residents in the North Scarborough and Rouge area. Advocacy is an important part of her community engagement, as well as helping others to advocate for themselves. Using her skills as a trainer Jennifer has conducted deputation training for residents, enabling others to advocate for themselves and their community.
Kayla Webber Kayla Webber is a Ph.D. student in the Social Justice Education Department at the Ontario Institute Studies for Education, University of Toronto, specializing in Women and Gender Studies. Her research interests are housing precarity, Black and Indigenous communities, models of wellness, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, Black affirmation, sexualized violence, and transformative justice through the lens of storytelling and Hood feminism. Webber’s ancestors and bloodlines are from Trinidad, Grenada, and Nova Scotia, but she was born, raised, and resides in the Eglinton West Little Jamaica community in Toronto. Webber is an 1834 Fellow Alumni, Co-Chair for the Indigenous Education Network, and Vice-Chair for FYI (nonprofit co-collaborating/co-dreaming with Black, Indigenous, Afro-Indigenous, newcomer, and racialized youth).		Ko Hosoya Ko Hosoya is an active member of the Parkdale community. She has been volunteering since she moved to Toronto. She joined the Local Champion Network in 2018, and is also one of the original members of the Parkdale Women's Leadership Group. She is always seeking the answer to how people can live happily together sharing limited resources. Her wider interests include food security initiatives such as community gardens, supporting local food suppliers, reducing food waste, and sharing recipes that celebrate diversity. She is interested in environmental issues. She started Parkdale Reduces, which promotes the "Bring Your Own Container" campaign to reduce one-time use of plastic containers. She has also specialized in assessing physical barriers that affect quality of life. She wishes to use her knowledge and skills to improve accessibility for all, and make the community a better place.
Charity Fejokwu Charity Fejokwu lives in the Jane and Finch community. She is currently a student of Humber College, studying to be Developmental Service Worker. She obtained a diploma in Culinary Management at Humber College 2016. In 2018, Charity joined the Local Champions Network. She is a founder of the Kids and Youth Cooking Challenge program. For the past 8 years in the community, Charity has been passionately committed to community development. She enjoys creating different opportunities and choices for residents to get engaged, raise awareness on community issues, and voice their needs to strengthen inclusion and belonging. Charity advances healthy lifestyle through community gardening and as an orchard leader. She also sees herself as someone who has the passion to advocate, model, facilitate, collaborate, fundraise and connect with others for the benefit of the community.		Murshida Mueen Murshida Samsun Mueen has supported the Regent Park community since her teenage years, and is passionate about community service. She currently coordinates and organizes a number of women’s support groups, and also co-chairs a communication table. Murshida understands the importance of compassionate communication as a tool to build connection, strengthen community, and resolve conflicts respectfully. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and talents, and as such volunteers in diverse community platforms.
Leah Yuyitung Leah Yuyitung is a long-time resident of Woburn, Scarborough. She is a founding member of the Woburn Local Planning Table (WLPT), a Local Champions Network member, and a Neighbourhood Climate Action Champion. She sits on the Woburn-Scarborough Village-Cedarbrae Safety Network, and for the past 14 years has been an active TDSB school council member. She defines her role in Woburn as a community advocate, a community connector, mentor, and collaborator.		Sophia Ellen Alexanian Sophia Alexanian is a member of the Armenian diaspora, born to immigrant parents and raised in Scarborough. She is currently a high school student, active within her school community in various clubs. However, her involvement in community collaboration extends past her local school. She has led province-wide initiatives for school safety amidst the pandemic through Ontario Students For COVID Safety. She has volunteered in support of transit, environmental justice, and queer issues. Beyond that, she remains passionate about the labor movement, self-determination rights, diaspora issues, and women’s liberation.
Neisha Mitchell Neisha is the Advocacy and Accessible Community Engagement Program Lead for the CNIB and is a person living with sight loss. She is the daughter of immigrant parents from Trinidad and Tobago, raised and currently residing in Scarborough. Neisha is very proud of her Trinidadian heritage, a lover of audio books, basketball, live concerts, and travel. She is also passionate about diversity and inclusion, accessibility and advocacy. Her passion for helping the community led her to complete her Social Service Worker diploma from Algonquin College, along with co-chairing Black Voices United, a nationwide support group for members of the sight loss community who identify as Black. Neisha loves meeting interesting people and hearing their stories. When she is not snuggled up watching her beloved Toronto Raptors, she enjoys exploring all that Toronto has to offer with her family and friends.		Suganthine Siva Suganthine arrived in Toronto in 2000 as a young Tamil woman from Sri Lanka, living in Dorset Park Community. As a mother providing for her family, she felt the many social and economic barriers that newcomers face, including the social isolation. To get connected, Suganthine began volunteering with the Action for Neighbourhood Change (ANC) projects and attending monthly Dorset Park Neighbourhood Association meetings. From there she engaged in many resident initiatives, addressing issues such as cultural support, poverty reduction, food security, tenant rights, health equity, and more. She also founded an English Circle for Women, supported by the United Way and housed in the Dorset Park Community Hub. Suganthine’s journey has made her a passionate advocate for the importance of community engagement initiatives as a means to strengthen communities, creating environments where people can thrive.
Zuojun Han Zuojun Han is a community activist and resident leader. She likes to connect people by listening to their stories, opinions, and ideas. She has organized many community events and initiatives, and in 2021 she was a Toronto Neighbourhood Climate Action Champion in her ward. Zuojun is excited to be a bridge and bring the voices of residents to the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy Advisory Group. She believes in, and practices that by working together we can build a strong community and make it a better place for all of us!		Tanya Connors Tanya Connors enjoys bringing people together and learning about others through their stories. A social worker by training, advocacy and social justice are second nature. She lives in the Rockcliffe-Smythe Neighbourhood.
Tsering Norzom Thonsur Tsering was born in India to Tibetan parents who fled Tibet in 1959 when the country was occupied by China. Tsering is proud to be a Tibetan–Canadian and contribute to the multicultural mosaic of Canada. As a social worker, Tsering manages the Settlement Program at Parkdale Intercultural Association. Tsering has volunteered in the community in various capacities, including as President with the Tibetan Women’s Association of Ontario, board member of the South Asian Women Centre, Parkdale Community Health Centre and as Community Engagement Councillor with St. Joseph's Health Centre. Tsering is also an advisor with the Refugee Advisor Network Canada and advocates for meaningful participation of refugees with lived experience in decision-making process. By working on policies that impact both refugees and immigrants, she hopes more awareness can be brought to the complexities of family separation and its impacts of mental health, statelessness and uprooting, and attending to the root causes of refugees and displaced persons' issues.		Fateha Bin Hossain Fateha (they/she) is an emerging community development and food security leader. Their background in community-based project management, strategic planning, board and committee expertise, and stakeholder logistics comes together to bring an equity-based approach to their work. Having been recognized by the Future of Good (2019) as one of Canada’s Top Leaders to represent youth on various nonprofit governance boards, Fateha has also worked on cultural food scholarship, student food security initiatives, and local community food projects with partners such as FoodShare Toronto, the Malvern Family Resource Centre, Toronto Community Housing, Toronto Youth Food Policy Council, and the U of T Scarborough Business Development Office. They have helped to collaborate on a number of campaigns, mobilized stakeholders around concrete solutions to local food insecurity, and engaged with city-wide networks of food organizations. Her priorities have centred on building with community stakeholders through solidarity-based relationships to prioritize the needs of Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. Please feel free to connect with her at [email protected]!
Cynthia Hutchinson I am a retiree, and volunteer my time in various communities, helping others in any way that it is possible for me to do so. My biggest achievement was meeting our Prime Minister while doing volunteer work with the youths in my community at Thanksgiving in October 2019. That was my dream come true. My ultimate goal is to keep going for as long as possible, doing as much as possible. The pleasure and satisfaction that comes from being there for others in their time of need is a good feeling.		Tyrell Moodie Tyrell Moodie is a graduate of the Social Service program at George Brown and a community leader and youth activist in the Weston-Mount Dennis community. Tyrell prides himself on finding creative ways of giving back and strengthening his community as well as building bridges between youth.
Shakhlo Sharipova Shakhlo Sharipova is a resident leader living in Thorncliffe Park.		Alykhan Ladak Alykhan Ladak is a resident leader living in Scarborough.