Community News
Elevating their voices, and fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment; first ever live taping of Life Outside the Box
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
Let’s be real; it is a challenging time for our young people. For a lot of our young people, the impact of the pandemic will have their residual effects, and this only adds to the unique challenges and pressures they face: academic stress, social media influence, and peer pressure are just a few that I can mention off the top of my head. It is why prioritizing mental health services and support systems are necessary in helping them navigate these issues and assist with their overall well-being and resilience.
On Tuesday, May 30th, 2023, the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper joined KBI Inspire for Mapping Futures’ an epic social evening that brought young people from diverse backgrounds together for a live podcast and social event that included: youth artists, poets, singers, and other creatives to reflect on managing anxiety about the future.
Young people from marginalized communities, including those from low-income backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals, face additional barriers and discrimination. Events like this are unique because they focus on issues of social inclusion and equality especially on the topic of mental health.
Taking a Strength-Based Approach to Mapping Your Future” with Hailey Hectman, was a special pre-event workshop from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm. In this workshop they dove into some key strategies and tools to help reframe a person’s perceived weaknesses into strengths, identify what their early dreams could tell them about their needs and aspirations as well as how they could translate their living expertise into transferable skills. This workshop presented attendees with an opportunity to reflect and reimagine who they are and what they are capable of!
Guests were then included in life curated art, as well as delicious vegan treats, giveaways and of course, music. It was then time for the first ever-live recording of the ‘Life Outside the Box’ podcast, co-hosted by Asante Haughton and Abbigail Kernya joined by panelists: Matthew Dawkins, Arissa Roy, Dancia Susilo and Tosan Tosanwumi.
Life Outside the Box is a youth mental health podcast that takes a deeper dive into the issues that affect youth – from a youth perspective. On this podcast, no topic is off limits, and they are back for a second season! It is a series of interviews with young people from all walks of life: from students and athletes to artists and activists. Asante, Abby and guests explore every topic with grace and remarkable insight.
The night was all about our young people. I sat and listened to our younger generation engaging each other, elevating their voices, and fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment. I definitely was witness to how community initiatives like Mapping Futures helps shape a more inclusive and responsive society. By involving young people in finding solutions and addressing these issues, they have found a way to harness their energy, enthusiasm, and provide fresh perspectives.
After such a successful, and empowering night, I had to find out about the magic behind all of this, so I reached out to Gillian Smith-Clark, Editor in Chief, at KBI Inspire Magazine and she provided the low-low on Mapping Futures.
“I suggested an online magazine to an organization (Kaitlyn Bates) that I was working with. My background is writing and photography. I wanted to focus on youth; it was taking off and doing well, so I decided to take it on as a private project,” Gillian shares with me.
A little background for readers. Kaitlyn Bates is a seven-year-old girl who died from her injuries suffered in a car crash in Cobourg, Ontario on Monday, July 11th, 2011. Kaitlyn Bates was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with another vehicle on Dale Road in Hamilton Township about one kilometer west of Burnham Road. She was airlifted to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children where she died of her injuries.
“Her father started the organization around her,” Gillian continues. “The initiative itself became dormant, so I started to run the magazine separately. KBI Inspire is a bi-monthly digital publication that aims to inform, empower and inspire young people.
The podcast (Life Outside the Box) started about two years ago. We applied for a grant the first year, and got turned down, so the second year, we were more specific. We brainstormed and came up with a podcast.
We intentionally keep the magazine cross-cultural. We wanted the stories and articles to be coming from the youth. We want their stories, not us as adults telling them what to do.”
Young people possess immense potential, creativity, and innovation, and what KBI Inspires has done is address their concerns and provide them with opportunities to unlock their talents and enable them to contribute positively to society.
This investment in youth empowerment helps build a strong foundation for the future. I am looking forward to the second season of Life Outside the Box, and if there is a young person who will benefit from KBI Inspires, send them over to https://www.kbiinspires.com/.
Every ticket purchased for this event is automatically entered into a draw to win door prizes, and we have some great stuff including signed copies of our panelists’ books, and merch from our sponsors and partners.