The netWORKING Mentorship Project is supported by the brilliance of diverse African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) young women across the Greater Toronto Area. Our tribe of leaders support our initiative through planning, advising, and facilitating programming for young Black women.
AMMA GYAMFOWA
netWORKING Project Coordinator
Amma Gyamfowa is a Ghanaian-Canadian, feminist, creative, and social justice advocate. Engaged in the field of social work for last 7 years, her work has been rooted in supporting women and queer-centered organizations within the Greater Toronto Area. More specifically, her work has been embedded in supporting young women, survivors of violence, and addressing reproductive and sexual health rights/education. Amma holds a Master of Social Work and is extremely passionate about documenting diverse stories of Blackness, through dialogue, art, and poetry. Currently, she works for Women’s Health in Women’s Hands (CHC) as the Program Coordinator of netWORKING: A Young Black Women’s Mentorship Project.
PHYLICIA ADDISON MEEK
Youth Peer Facilitator
Hi my name is Phylicia, I’m Jamaican-Canadian based right here in the city of Toronto. I’m currently working as a Mutual Funds representative at one of Toronto’s largest financial institutions , providing investment, home financing and everyday banking services to clients all over the city. When I’m not working I’m finding ways in which i can build and uplift the community, black women especially and this year i have the honour of working as a Peer Facilitator for WHIWH 2021/2022 program . My goal this year is to help encourage and support the next generation of inspirational and up and coming black women in a way that will strengthen them inside and out as well as help them to take on the world by storm ! Some of my favourite hobbies are travelling , trying new restaurants and making memories with my friends .
LAUREEN ADJETEY-SABOKA
Youth Peer Facilitator
Hello hello! My name is Laureen and I am a recent graduate of Ryerson University with a degree in Retail Management. I was introduced to WHIWH during my final year and haven’t left since! With me being 24 years old and on a path of discovering who I am as an individual, I find it important for young women to find spaces such as this to help with our independence and growth. Being intentional about creating a healthy environment for myself is one of the main reasons I took a great interest in being about this year’s Peer/Mentorship Program. I am truly honoured and excited to see how myself and my peer’s efforts are showcased during this journey.
THERESA SINCLAIR
Youth Peer Facilitator
Hello everyone! My name is Theresa Sinclair, I’m so excited to be part of the netWORKING team this year as a Peer Facilitator. The netWORKING program means so much to me, I really enjoyed my experience as a mentee in the program just a few short years ago. I am looking forward to being on this journey with all of you! A little bit about me, I’m Jamaican-Canadian, I’m a nail tech..I love everything to do with nails, and I loveee to cook! I would definitely say Jerk Chicken is my signature dish and a crowd favourite among my family and friends.
CALISTA NYEMBWE
Youth Peer Facilitator
Hey everyone! My name is Calista Nyembwe, and I was born and raised in Ottawa with Congolese and Zambian parents. The support I got last year as a mentee in the netWORKING program motivated me to become a peer facilitator for the current cohort.
I wanted to become a lawyer and completed my college diploma in Paralegal Education at Humber College. After working for an immigration lawyer in Toronto, I decided to continue my education in Diaspora and Transnational Studies and African and Caribbean Studies at the University of Toronto, where I currently attend.
I love music, reading books, and learning. I look forward to meeting another great group of Black women and sharing our experiences!
ASIYAH JABARI
Advisory Committee Member
My name is Asiyah Jabari, born in Markham until I was 9 and raised in Whitby Ontario into a large family with 4 brothers and my 2 parents. I now live in Scarborough to pursue a university level education at Seneca College in Business Administration Entrepreneurship as a Degree Program. In High School I knew that I wanted to study business because the sky is the limit in a business field and I knew that I had the spirit of an entrepreneur, although then I wanted to be a salon owner. The decision to go to Seneca after much comparison with Centennial’s paid co-op was a hard one but I now recently entered my sixth semester of Business Administration Entrepreneurship at Seneca where I currently am President of Seneca’s West Indian and African Association(SWIAA) for the third year in a row.My dream is to be a highly successful event planner putting together absolutely any kind of events from concerts, weddings, conferences and fundraisers. Currently I do many gatherings for myself and SWIAAto gain experience and a reputation. My passion would be having events and gatherings as I love seeing the plan come to life and watch all those in attendance have a good time. I hope to build of team of predominantly black staff: photographers, caterers and DJs so we can all work together and make money in our community. My passions of having a good time, bringing people together and watching my plans come out accordingly are all major keys to knowing that I will be eager and happy about my career choice because everyday I would be doing what I love.
ZAKIYA ABDULLAHI
Advisory Committee Member
I’m very happy to be part of the Youth Advisory Committee here at Women’s Health in Women’s Hands for our new mentorship initiative! It makes me proud to work alongside women for an organization that makes such a great and fortifying impact on so many minority/racialized women here in the city of Toronto. I am a part of the demographic who this organization caters to, as I am a black, African woman living in Toronto. Coming from an immigrant background and being of the 1st generation, there are various challenges and barriers that hindered me from opportunities afforded to others from more privileged backgrounds. Being the first person in my family to pursue higher education at the post secondary level alone is deemed a feat for me because of these types of opportunities not being afforded to my family previously. I also come from a home with a background of depression and mental health as the oldest child where these medical terms were once never understood. I’ve had to do a lot of learning, and adapting given my circumstances, but I’m so grateful for my path in life thus far. I completed a social sciences degree at the University of Toronto, and have been working in Finance for the latter part of my 20’s. I enjoy being a part of community; to bring about ideas and change, cultivate relationships, and most importantly spark inspiration for others and myself. With all that being said, I am currently in a transitional space on my vocational trajectory. I’m very passionate about mental health, psychology, and law. As a result, I will be challenging myself in the upcoming year to acquire new skills and add educational requirements to my resume in order to be a candidate in those said fields. Its been challenging finding mentors along the way for career and life, all while navigating being a black women due to the lack of being equipped with the tools and resources. This is why I have always been an advocate and campaigner for closing in on the gap for social and spatial inequalities at large. I believe mentorship is an imperative and beneficial relationship that every individual should have the opportunity to be awarded with. In my leisure time, I enjoy engaging with community at events, am a social activist, promote enterprise and creativity, and I believe in enriching my life through travel.
FATIMA HIRSI
Advisory Committee Member
Fatima Hirsi is a strong believer in people-centred advocacy that works with people and communities to define their needs and drive towards positive outcomes. Fatima is an active and tenacious young leader with more than five years of experience in engaging hundreds children and youth, particularly from underserved communities, to bolster their educational, social, health, and employment outcomes. She hopes to continue her work in improving the social determinants of health for marginalized populations in Canada. Through her role as a member of the Youth Advisory Committee for Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, she hopes to contribute meaningfully to the health and wellness of young Black women in Toronto and create spaces where people can envision and achieve their academic and professional dreams.
SOPHIA ALI
Volunteer
Hey hey! My name is Sophia Ali and I’m currently a 4th year Biochemistry undergrad at YorkU. I’m planning on pursuing further education and a career in public health, as I’m a firm believer that healthcare is a human right and that everyone should have access to it. I hope to some day become an epidemiologist and be able to provide information and medical resources to underprivileged communities across the world. As a young black woman I understand there are a lot obstacles to overcome, in order to get closer to my dream. Which is why I’m ecstatic to be apart of this group of black women excellence ! This space where black women are able to uplift one another and share their experiences is truly amazing , and I’m excited to help and watch it grow!! “
The netWORKING Mentorship Project! 