Community Cultural Gathering

Hosted By: Susanne N.

Program For Ages: 5 to 60+ Years Old.

Through the mobilizing power of youth, we wish to host a Community Cultural Gathering in Hamilton, Ontario that fosters community networks, assesses the emerging needs of community members, and centers Kenyan and East African food and culture. This grant will specifically support accessing the resources required to execute this event and provide small prizes to incentivize community members to participate in a short community needs assessment survey. From recognizing the growing need for community connections to mobilizing the transformative power of youth, this project has the potential to inspire lasting change.

Contributing To An Inclusive Canada

Fundamentally, this project seeks to demonstrate to a diverse population of youth, who will make up our next generation of leaders, that we have the power and ability to enact change together. It will serve as a direct example that we have the power to actualize change and don’t have to rely on large research projects to connect with our community, understand their needs, and serve them. And while workshops around social and community change, might be able to deliver the same message, this project allows youth to genuinely get in the work and carry an experience with them. Especially by prioritizing the recruitment of youth from systematically marginalized communities, this project will support diverse young folks in developing the skills they need to be changemakers of tomorrow.

This project also contributes to an inclusive Canada by supporting the needs of a culturally and racially diverse population in Canada. Through this project, we are able to build a sense of inclusion and community support with newcomers who are settling in this country, often escaping difficult situations in their home country. We are also able to foster deeper connections within the Kenyan and East African communities in Hamilton while celebrating the rich culture and cuisine of Kenya with anyone interested in the Hamilton community. This project amplifies the culture of a diverse community while harnessing the power of community connections, and exploring the needs of the community to establish a data-informed approach to long-term community support. Through this project, we are celebrating the diversity of Kenyan culture, while ensuring the inclusion of all members of the community and facilitating a needs assessment to ensure that the needs of the community are addressed equitably.