We Rise By Lifting Others
Details
Wednesday, June 16, 4:30 pm, Free
For Youth Ages 8-15 and their Families
Register for this free event to receive the Zoom link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/world-changing-kids-17548400912
Panelists
* Gwen Madiba, President, Equal Chance
* Devlin Taillon, Co-Founder, HERA Mission of Canada
* Kahmaria Pingue, Founder/Artistic Director, Onyxstasia African Diaspora Productions
* Manock Lual, Founder, Prezdential Hoops
* Tony House, Founder, Canada Topflight Academy
Vision
We’re using this day to focus on the limitless gifts that Africa brings to the world, the greatest of which is their children. We believe that within these amazing children exists the scientist who will develop the cure for cancer or HIV, the next Barack Obama, the next Hakeem Olajuwon, the next Serena Williams, the next Andre De Grasse, and the next Wiz Khalifa. They are our future presidents, business leaders, lawyers, doctors and teachers. Their potential is boundless and immense. We want to help support and uplift the children of Africa so that they can become the leaders, community-builders, and change-makers who will make the world a better place.
Format
This beautiful event is intended to be a wide-open conversation led by the youth. We will start with a few prepared questions for the guest speakers, and then we will open it up to questions from the participants. The youth can ask their questions with their cameras on or off, they can write their questions in the chat to be read by the moderator – they can participate in the discussion in whatever way they feel most comfortable.
Logistics
The Virtual Roundtable Celebration will take place over Zoom. You can register for this free event on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/world-changing-kids-17548400912
You will receive the link to the Zoom meeting the day of the event.
The event will be recorded and clips from it will be shared on the various guest speakers’ social media pages.
Meet Our Panelists
Gwen Madiba, President, Equal Chance
Gwen Madiba is a human’s rights advocate and international award winning speaker who has dedicated her life to empowering women, young girls and the youth around the world.
A designer and former model, she has created spaces where all people can feel appreciated, valued, respected and equal regardless of their social background, race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and beliefs.
In 2019, she became the President of the Equal Chance foundation; an organization that advocates for equal opportunities for the black community in Canada while equipping black Canadians with concrete tools to succeed in society. Through Equal Chance, she developed various programs including the food security program “Meals for Hope” and an important program: “It takes a village” for black mothers and pregnant women. Gwen volunteers a great amount of time to support her community.
Devlin Taillon, Co-Founder, The Hera Mission of Canada
At first glance this quiet young man could easily be under estimated, you may even assume he’s simply shy or even unengaged. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Devlin is watching, taking everything in, reflecting and when he speaks, it is often, exactly what we need to hear, with tremendous insight that far exceeds his young life. Once he speaks, you understand that he is passionate about social justice, fairness and equality. When he speaks, it is clear and honest giving way to a pause, as he describes not simply that an injustice is wrong, but as he defines clearly how it needs to be addressed.
Devlin’s story is one of fate and resilience; born to a 14 year old girl living in intergenerational poverty in Western Kenya, devastated to learn that she was pregnant, orphaned at the tender age of one, her life had been a series of struggles. Her situation seemed hopeless until fate brought Peggy into their lives days before his birth, bringing them together when he was 17 hours old. Becoming a family led them into a 15 month journey laden with hoops, mazes and barriers and eventually to the Supreme Court of Kenya where they became the first adoptive family led by a single mother of a male child.
That day they made a promise that their life would be defined by giving back and being engaged. Their life would be connected to Devlin’s roots and to collaborating with partners in Kenya and Canada in many community development, social justice and human rights initiatives. Together they founded HERA Mission an organization and platform for their collaboration. Hera is Devlin’s middle name and means love in his tribal language of Luo.
We can’t speak of Devlin of course without reflecting on his passion or perhaps obsession for basketball, he understands the game changing power of sport and that they are a powerful medium for social justice. He has been shooting balls into nets since he was two years old. His love of the game is infectious and true to form, Devlin let’s his game speak for him. He is playing for Canada Topflight Academy in the Canadian Basketball Prep League.
At the age of 14 Devlin has participated in and used his voice for HERA Mission, World-Changing Kids, Giants of Africa, Black Lives Matters and is embarking on his first documentary HONOUR: Being Black to be released in 2021.
Kahmaria Pingue, Founder/Artistic Director, Onyxstasia African Diaspora Productions
Kahmaria Pingue is a Jamaican-Canadian, single parent of two teenagers, and the Founder/ Artistic Director of Onyxstasia African Diaspora Productions, which specializes in Afrocentric fashions, African-Inspired storytelling and West African dance. She is a board member of Parents for Diversity. She is employed as a Manager and Child and Family Worker with the Somali Centre for Family Services SNAP Program. Kahmaria is an Ontario College of Teachers certified teacher, who holds a BA in Psychology, (University of Saskatchewan, 2013), a BA.Ed (University of Ottawa, 2014), and a M.A. Ed. (University of Ottawa, 2018).
Manock Lual, CEO of PrezDential
Manock Lual is an inspiring community builder, passionate about social justice and inclusion. A former refugee from South Sudan, Manock has built a reputation for hard work and dedication to the community—mentoring youth in the priority neighborhoods through sports. Manock played Varsity Basketball at Prince Edward University and professionally in the United Kingdom, Ottawa and for his National Team. As the Head Coach of the La Cite College’s Coyotes Basketball team, Manock is leading by example and proving that hard work, talent and perseverance is instrumental in developing and creating space for people like him to flourish. His experience on the Basketball Court and passion for excellence propelled him to develop mentoring and coaching through Basketball as a way of giving back to the community he grew up in. Manock is now doing the work of mentoring and coaching as the CEO of Prezdential – a non profit that is dedicated to bridging the gap faced by disadvantaged youth in Ottawa.
Manock and his organization tailor their programming based on the location and the needs of the community they are serving in Ottawa. This passion to support youth was inspired after watching too many of his friends make self-destructive choices and fall into unsafe spaces, he is now focused on building safe spaces that allow BIPOC youth to flourish.
Tony House, Founder of Canada Topflight Academy
Tony House is a name synonymous with excellence in the Canadian basketball community. As a player he earned multiple championships over his career culminating with an Olympic team tryout for the 1988 games in Seoul, Korea.
House has been coaching for over 30 years and has coached several successful high school and club teams, winning AAAA City Championships, OBA Division 1 and a Final 4 spot in the CYBL with his teams. He has been instrumental in the development of numerous players going on and playing at the university/college level. Tony and partner Leo Rautins formed the Rautins-House Basketball Camp, a fixture in the community for 32 years and has coordinated the annual Ottawa High School Boys All-Star game for over 20 years.
Tony is the Founder of Canada Topflight Academy (CTA), the first Prep program in Ottawa winning back to back NPA National Championships and Coach of the Year honors. House has also founded the National Junior Circuit (NJC), National Senior Circuit (NSC) and NSC PLATINUM which are Canada’s premier HS/Prep circuits.