YPI Student-Led Podcast Series: The Future is Talking
This podcast would not have been possible without the generous support of the Youth Take Charge Program.
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This podcast introduces The Future Is Talking! During the episode, three members of the YPI Student Advisory Committee (SAC) share the committee’s collective goals and hopes for this series. The co-hosts, Nicole, Sarra and Joshua, explore some of the challenges involved in relationships between adults and youth, mental health and belonging, as well as the critical role youth play in systemic social change. As you move through all episodes, Rosette and the co-hosts encourage audience members to take notes as you listen to the committee’s reflections and advice on what we can all do differently to support and promote student voice.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Anya Gwynne (they/them) is a first-generation settler from Nogojiwanong/Peterborough, and a non-binary, queer writer and educator who creates authentic opportunities for learning and connection. Over the last 12 years, they have engaged service providers, educators and community to build welcoming spaces and inclusive, accessible services for 2-SLGBTQIA+ people. anya is grateful for the opportunity to work with youth and learned from being in intergenerational spaces and witnessing stories of resistance and change. They have recently started a coaching practice to support parents and families of trans and non-binary youth to build bridges of communication and understanding.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Destine Lord (she/her) is a diversity and inclusion consultant actively working towards being anti-racist. Through her company, Demand Different Consulting, she supports organizations to access the tools and skills they need to fight racism and champion equity across a number of spheres. In addition to anti-racism work, she has facilitated sessions related to risk management, change management and Reconciliation. As a settler living on unceded Algonquin territory, Destine sees conversations, like the one we’re having today, as a key skill in building relationships centered on truth and the lived experience of others. You can follow Destine on Twitter: @DemandDifferent.
Kiya Busby (she/her) is a Grade 12 honour roll student from Mississauga, Ontario. Kiya is the founder, president, director, and social media manager of the Black Voices Lab at her school. Kiya founded the first Black Voices Lab in January of 2021 in an effort to reach out to her fellow Black students and provide them with a support system amidst a year of racial and social injustice. Creating a Black Voices Lab in her school allowed a spirit of activism and advocacy to be ignited as Black students and allies gathered together for enriching conversation that tackled those difficult topics. This past year, Kiya has worked with her school board to co-write a guide on running a Black Voices Lab for other schools across the board. As an aspiring medical student, Kiya hopes to continue to provide Black students with resources and support to exceed academic expectations and pursue their educational dreams. Listeners can stay up to date on Black Voices Lab through their Instagram page: @OLMCBlackVoicesLab.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Mobeen Lalani (he/him) is the Founder and Primary Consultant at Emerging Youth Consultancy (EYC). EYC works to partner with public and private organizations, as well as research groups in co-creating, developing, and implementing equitable youth engagement strategies. He is a Master of Health Informatics student at the University of Toronto with a passion for the areas of policy, evaluation, and assimilation of technologies in adolescent and youth health. Over the past 2 years, Mobeen served as co-Chair for the MLSE LaunchPad Youth Advisory Council and is an active member at the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health.
Loveleen Kaur (she/her) is a versatile non-fiction storyteller. She draws from her past personal, academic, and employment experiences in non-profit and community organizing to create multi-dimensional stories that highlight the voices of those that may be underrepresented.
As a self-taught documentary filmmaker, receiving $15,000 Access and Career Development Grant by the OAC (2015) kickstarted her first project and the selection of her documentary film, Behind The Fare, for the Hot Docs Pitch Competition and a screening at Mayworks (2016). She followed that up with Producing the Breakhroughs Film Festival Audience Choice winner, Worst Student Ever (2019). Loveleen is currently completing a music documentary for OutTV to be released in Spring 2022. Loveleen has also served as an artist-in-residence for TDSB Creates & Powerplant.
She holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science, and an MA in Cultural Studies. She most recently served as the Program Manager and strategist for Toronto-based arts-incubator, HXOUSE.
Nanky Rai (she/they) is a migrant settler from India-occupied Kashmir who is formally trained in public health and practices as a primary care physician in Toronto. They work closely with Black, Indigenous, and other racialized queer, trans and gender nonconforming people, people who use drugs, people who are unhoused and or undocumented and those living with the infectious complications of structural violence such as HIV and Hepatitis C. She has been active in anti-colonial and anti-imperialist grassroots movements for migrant and health justice for over 10 years. As the 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Theme Lead for the medical school at the University of Toronto, Nanky is committed to building anti-oppressive medical education and clinical practice. You can find Nanky on social media via twitter handle @NankyRai.
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Is the climate crisis the legacy we want to leave for future generations? In our closing episode, co-hosts Nicole and Sarra explore the urgency of climate change and discuss the different impacts on different people/groups, some common myths and misconceptions, as well as who should be held accountable in the fight for climate justice. The Future Is Talking every day, and there is no future without young people. As we wrap up the series we ask you to consider the following questions: How will you change the way you build relationships with and alongside students and young people? What do you commit to doing differently right now, to support youth voice, agency and leadership? As a young person, how will you move into your power to create social change? What are some social issues you want to learn more about and get involved in? What’s your idea of a future worth getting excited about?
