SBL students and staff got a chance to go snow boarding and skiing in our own city at Earl Bales. This was a first time for many and a second run for some. Those that fell quickly got back up in order to be ready for the bigger hill to come. After the sun went down and the city lights shined bright, we all got a taste of the big hill. Check out the recap video below!
After an incredible night at the 1LOVETO DJ Skate Night at Harbourfront in December, we had an incredible time with a bus full of students. We thought that it was a one-time event. Through some online research, some of our mentors found out that Manifesto was doing another DJ Skate Night (featuring DJ Kid Capri) at Harbourfront in February.
So, we filled up a bus, took over the ice, and had what was one of the greatest evenings of SBL togetherness ever.
Thanks to everyone that put it on! This is what happens when we collaborate to ensure what youth bring forward happens!
Success Beyond Limits acknowledges the wealth of the various talents in the Jane and Finch community, as many of our participants in the summer program become leaders in their own right. The Remix Project is dedicated to bringing out the business mind in young artists as part of their mission is to teach their participants how to make monetary gain from their respective crafts. SBL is proud to share with SBLers that two of our students from the organization have been inducted into The Remix Project 2015!
Aliyah Suvannah-Burey and Sariena Luy who are both loyal affiliates of SBL, are well versed at what they do, as they perform in different artistic worlds. Aliyah, a former mentor of SBL is a spoken word artist, and is one of our facilitators for the Spoken Word program that we have after-school. Sariena, a grade 10 student is an up and coming photographer who is great at capturing the moment with her camera and has documented many of our SBL trips and events. Both Aliyah and Sariena have both been blessed with the opportunity to get involved with Remix as they will be able to invest in their passions, which can be a future source of income. When Aliyah was asked about how she felt about being inducted into the Remix Project she said that she realizes the hard work and dedication it will take to balance her job and studies at York University, but she is excited and is up for the challenge, when accepting the opportunity to be part of the Remix Project!
Aliyah and Sariena have worked hard to improve their skills through eagerly taking on any opportunities Success Beyond Limits brings their way. The SBL family commends the strides that they are making to get involved in the community, while utilizing their passions to inspire others. SBL also commends the empowering work of Remix, as they continue champion entrepreneurship and artistry in Toronto and beyond!
SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE A NEW GENERATION OF SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS
Reverb Jane-Finch is a spoken word poetry event taking place on March 12th, 6:00 -8:00 pm at York Woods Library and features up and coming poets from Jane-Finch, Regent Park and Malvern. Organized by the Art Gallery of York University in partnership with with Success Beyond Limits, The Malvern Spot and COBA (Collective of Black Artists), Reverb Jane- Finch is the second of three events that showcases the artistic development and growth of emerging performance poets, a number of whom take part in the AGYU’s weekly Reverb: Rhythms of Poetry program. Led by a team of lead artists including Britta Badour, David Delisca and Jordon Veira, Reverb has engaged emerging spoken word artists from Jane-Finch, Regent Park and Malvern in cultivating an ongoing writing and performance practice. We have also assembled a team of junior artists who collaborate with our lead artists, co-facilitating weekly workshops and teaching youth about the art and performance of spoken word poetry. Our team of junior artists include: Nadia Adow, Zeinab Aidid, Jacob Agustin, Berma, Destiny Henry, Moose and Suviana.
Admission is free. For information please contact Allyson Adley, 416.736.2100 ext. 88608 / aadley@yorku.ca
Support has been provided by a grant from the Honey Family Foundation, the Vital Toronto Fund at the Toronto Foundation and the Toronto Arts Council: Targeted Enhanced Funding. This event is made possible by the Art Gallery of York University and Success Beyond Limits
Previous SBL mentor shares his story of growing up in Jane and Finch. See the story below:
Abdul Nur, 19
Jane and Finch
I grew up in a five-bedroom townhouse in the Edgeley Village community housing complex. My whole life I had neighbours and friends who looked out for me. I have seven brothers and sisters, five older than me and two younger. My dad was a veterinarian in Somalia, but he now works in a shipping department. My mom keeps me on the right path.
When I was 16, I hung around with guys who would just roam the streets; we were like a flock of sheep, all following each other. Then one day in 2012, two of my friends got arrested on robbery charges. Police ransacked the community centre, taking them out in handcuffs, shoving them inside cruisers. And I’m watching this thinking, “Yo, these are the people I’m running around with.” I realized that would be me soon, getting carted away. I stopped hanging around with them after that.
Instead, I spent my time volunteering with a community group, Success Beyond Limits. Some of my older siblings had been involved in the program, which uses youth leaders to teach other kids about education and life goals. I worked with them as a peer mentor over four years. Today I teach a spoken word workshop once a week, and we’re taking a group from the community to perform at the Parapan Games this summer.
I graduated high school in 2013 but returned for another semester to improve my grades. I’m now in my first year at York—it’s a 10-minute walk from our house. I’m studying business management but thinking of switching to poli-sci. My mom always wanted me to be a doctor, but I want to be a teacher so that I can go back and teach in the community. I want to have a hand in how young people at Jane and Finch will grow up. They don’t have enough role models. If you’re a teacher, you’re going to be with them through some of the crucial points in their lives; you can have a huge influence. – as told to Lauren McKeon
http://www.torontolife.com/informer/features/2015/01/21/toronto-is-failing-me-i-want-to-teach-kids-that-this-neighbourhood-isnt-a-curse/
Yes! I am a citizen! Now which way to the welfare office? I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I work, I work. Bart, with $10,000 we’d be millionaires! We could buy all kinds of useful things like…love!
Rosmun Prescod is an outgoing young lady, who not too long ago graduated from Westview Centennial Secondary School. Rosmun is now a Post-secondary student at Humber College studying social work, where she plans on utilizing her passion and skills to support young people within her community.
Rosmun admits that she was very unsure of her career goals during her high school years. It was not until she was introduced to the “Promoting Excellence” program staff (prior to the Success Beyond Limits program) that she began thinking about her future. Her experience with the Success Beyond Limits Program provided the resources and support needed to explore various venues. Her experience within these positive spaces meant that she was able to experience diverse programing and be exposed to a variety of opportunities.
As she thinks back to what made her enrol into a Post-Secondary Program such as social work, it becomes clear that this passion stems back to the years when she was a just a mentee in the SBL program. These experiences ultimately shaped her decision to pursue a career closely tied to community.
Rosmun is currently conducting her Community Engagement Placement (a requirement for her degree at Humber College) with the Success Beyond Limit’s organization, employing her passion for community, formal education and her experiences within the SBL youth space. She has proven to be yet another example of how support through mentorship can positively help development. The organization recognizes Rosmun’s tremendous personal growth and encourages her to shoot for the stars!
In November, our monthly Toronto Foundation Vital Youth grant meant taking over World Bowl for a night of friendship and fun. See it captured here – so beautifully – by our resident filmmaker Sariena (15 years young!).
As a part of our ongoing Vital Youth series of monthly sports and recreation events, we took it outdoors with the 1LoveTO Skate Party at the Harbourfront Centre. On Saturday, December 21st we filled up a bus and hit the ice. It was an incredible evening, and a great way to kick off the holiday break. For those who missed, check out the amazing video. Believe me, you WANT to go skating with us.