Summer 2024 You, your community, and your city
Your Summer Tenant LOOP
Recognizing Black history 365
Tenants share their perspectives on what Black history means to them
August is Emancipation Month. It is a time when the City of Toronto commemorates the abolition of slavery in Canada and highlights its ongoing commitment to eliminate anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination.
Earlier this year, The Centre for Advancing the Interests of Black People (“The Centre”) held a Black History and Me contest. Tenants were asked to submit their interpretations of what Black history means to them. The Centre encouraged participants to share their perspectives through art or poetry.
One participant shared that “Black History Month evokes a number of layered emotions, including happiness, reflection, pain, tribulation, and hopefulness.”
City of Toronto Emancipation Month activities
In recognition of Emancipation Month and to celebrate the rich contributions that people of African descent have made to our city and country, various events took place during August. They included the Underground Freedom Train ride and the official Black Liberation Flag Raising at Nathan Philips Square.
To learn more about Emancipation Month and how you can get involved, visit toronto.ca/emancipation-month.
To find out more about The Centre team, you can email TheCentre@torontohousing.ca or visit torontohousing.ca/cabr.
The Centre selected two winners from this year’s Black History and Me contest. We want to thank everyone who participated, and congratulate the following winners:
• Sanitra (East region)
• Edwin (West region)
The art pieces from our winners are available online. Scan the QR code from your mobile device or go to bit.ly/4fIywdl to view their work and the stories behind them.
Visions of Science CEO Eugenia Addy
Growing up in the Capri Road community in Etobicoke, Eugenia Addy was always a curious child. She loved to experiment with things around the house to see how things worked. She also had a large appetite for science-related books, TV shows, and programs.
“The opportunity to explore science outside of school was really important for me,” Eugenia said. “From an early age, science wasn’t really about a subject I had to take, but it was more about this incredible world I could discover. Like many kids, I had many questions about how the world works. I felt like science was an opportunity to get answers.”
Today, Eugenia has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto. She is also the Chief Executive Officer of Visions of Science. It is an organization based in Regent Park that provides free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programming to youth from lowincome communities.
Eugenia was a graduate student when the idea of community involvement first came
A vision for the future
Visions of Science teaches important STEM-based skills to TCHC youth
to her. “I started thinking to myself ‘What’s going on in the city in terms of science programming and the community?’, and I couldn’t think of anything,” she said. “I decided if someone hadn’t made anything yet, then I would.”
Opportunity knocked during Eugenia’s first year of her Ph.D. program. Visions of Science had visited the Toronto Metropolitan University campus, and she met with the Executive Director who wanted to improve youth outreach and attendance. This was a subject Eugenia knew a lot about. In addition to being a tenant, she had been a youth programmer with TCHC.
“You need to actively participate in the community and build relationships.”
“Unless you’ve grown up in a TCHC community or worked in one, it’s very hard to build connections,” she said. “You can’t expect people to come to your program just because you showed up. You need to actively participate in the community and build relationships.”
Impressed by Eugenia’s knowledge of community programming, the Executive
Director told her that “you’re going to end up running this organization one day.” Shortly after, she joined Visions of Science as a volunteer. Within a year she had moved into a leadership role, just as the Executive Director predicted.
These days, Eugenia is actively building relationships by attending community events and knocking on doors to meet tenants in their building. Under her leadership, the organization has continued to improve its programming and outreach. To date, Visions of Science has impacted and engaged over 30 communities and more than 19,000 young people (about 3,000 annually) across the GTA.
“I want us to be positioned in a way that we can be a permanent institution.”
Visions of Science tries to be visible to youth by maintaining a presence in other community programs that aren’t necessarily focused on STEM. Eugenia talks about having workshops in Rookie League, TCHC’s summer-long day camp for kids, as an example.
“There’s always programming you need to develop to fill their day,” she said. “So that’s the perfect opportunity to expose them to science.” According to Eugenia this kind of outreach is critically important. STEM skills are mostly only taught to youth in a classroom setting. If they don’t have a great teacher, it risks turning them off from science as a potential career path.
Currently, Visions of Science has two main programs (which branch out into several sub-programs). STEM Catalyst is focused on
engaging and building confidence in youth through workshops and programs to ignite that “spark.” STEM Journey is focused on nurturing that spark and supporting youth at every stage of their academic career.
In the future, Eugenia hopes to add more programming and reach out to even more communities. She also wants to make the organization more sustainable. “Growing up and working in TCHC, I really hated seeing awesome programs come and go,” she said. “I never want that for Visions of Science. The program requires a lot of work and investment, and I want us to be positioned in a way that we can be a permanent institution.”
Eugenia also has some advice for TCHC youth who have an interest in science and want to explore it. “There will be a lot of opportunities that come your way, like a flyer or an email talking about science programming. Take advantage of those and get involved. Be open to forging new connections. Those are things that helped me.”
To learn more about Visions of Science and their STEM programs, you can visit their website at vosnl.org, email them at connect@vosnl.org or call them at 416-366-4774.
Explore job opportunities with TCHC
Are you looking for a career where you can make a difference? Do you want to create change and have a positive impact on your community? Would you like a job where your unique experiences and fresh ideas are valued?
Consider working with Toronto Community Housing!
We offer: flexible work/life balance opportunities to grow and develop your skills job stability a rewarding and collaborative environment
Areas you can work in:
• Community Safety Unit
• Development
• Facilities Management
• Finance and Procurement
• Human Resources
• Information Technology Services
• Legal
• Operations
• Strategic Planning and Communications
Ready to build your career with us? Scan the QR code with your mobile device or visit torontohousing.ca/careers to find a job opportunity that’s right for you!
Bringing harmony to St. James Town
Giving back through music
Cliff Martin has a rich musical history. This jazz musician and tenant of 200 Wellesley Street East has performed in some legendary Toronto venues, like Massey Hall and the El Mocambo. Not only has he played with big acts like Muddy Waters and Ronny Hawkins, Cliff’s music has been featured in commercials for McDonald’s and Molson. He has also toured all over the U.S. and Europe.
Even with such a busy schedule, Cliff has found the time to be actively engaged with his community. Cliff is a former TCHC tenant board member who served in the early 2000s. He’s currently Chair of the St. James Town Resident’s Association, which does a lot of great things. The Association puts together food hampers, loans out wheelchairs and walkers for tenants with mobility issues, and gives pet carriers to tenants who need to take their pets to the vet.
The food hamper program was particularly well-received. “My concept for the program was not so much to provide food as it was to help tenants save money,” said Cliff. “We scaled it up from 75 hampers to over 300, so that they filled the lobby of the building at one point. We provided food to 550 tenants monthly: 450 here and 100 at 240 Wellesley.”
A graduate of the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in music, Cliff’s influences include jazz greats like Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson. While he can play harmonica, trumpet, piano, and guitar, harmonica is his passion. He’s currently channeling his expertise and experience into creating a music program for kids and adults in his building.
In the future, Cliff would like to see the city invest more into communities and thinks it’s important for people to get involved in making this happen. His advice to youth looking to get into community development is to stay in school and take advantage of programs that provide education about advocacy, like those offered by Social Planning Toronto.
After taking a break, Cliff has started to play music again. He shares that he wants to put together a café in his building featuring well-known poets and musicians. He mentions this initiative had success in the past, particularly with tenants suffering from mental health issues. “They enjoyed the music and the company, which can be tough to get in this environment,” he said.
To learn more about community advocacy in Toronto, visit socialplanningtoronto.org.
Tenant musician
Cliff Martin
Contest: Sign
up and you could win!
Did you know TCHC has a monthly email newsletter for tenants called Community Corner? Did you know that you can also sign up to receive important updates, news about opportunities for youth or adults, and more via email?
Sign up to receive Community Corner and emails from TCHC before Monday, September 30 and you could win a $50 Amazon gift card. If you’re already signed up to receive emails from TCHC, you’re automatically entered to win. This contest is only open to tenants of Toronto Community Housing.
To sign up, complete the form on our website at torontohousing.ca/email-updates. You can also scan the QR code on this page with your mobile device to access the form.
Congratulations to Zulma, the winner of our “Favourite Spring Events” contest from the spring issue. Zulma’s favourite spring events are Easter Fun Fest at the Markham Fairgrounds, the annual Mac and Cheese festival, and Victoria Day fireworks at the Beaches.
Tenant medical information form
In
case of emergency, call 9-1-1
This medical information form is a helpful tool for you and for first responders entering your home in an emergency. Please remove this form, fill it out, and display it in an easily-visible place, like on a wall or on your refrigerator.
Personal contact information
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Tenant medical information form
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Tenant medical information form
Life-threatening allergies (most important and recent at top)
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Tenant medical information form
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Address: Phone: Last seen [yyyy-mm]: -
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List of pets and pet care instructions:
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The stars of Mornelle Court
How residents rallied together to transform a community
When Angela Brackett talks about her organization, All Stars Community Outreach, you can hear the passion in her voice.
“You’re just one person, but you can make a significant difference in somebody else’s life,” she said. “You have to believe that you can.”
Although Angela is reluctant to call herself a community leader, All Stars started in her living room in 2008 as the Mornelle Court Residents Action Coalition. “The coalition’s programs started from the needs of the residents, not from my ideas,” she recalled.
The coalition of residents first formed a Safe Walk Program in response to a tragic and violent incident in the Mornelle Court community. Some residents expressed concerns about security at a community meeting. Angela spoke up and said, “We shouldn’t allow other people to stop us from loving our community or cause us to run away. Let’s do something about it.”
Seeing the success of the Safe Walk Program and how it was received by the community, the growing team of volunteers started offering programs for children after school. They branched out to summer camps, programs for seniors, newcomers, and more. The coalition then became All Stars Community Outreach, which is now
a registered charity.
“The name itself signifies the greatness that’s within these kids,” said Angela. “We wanted the kids to know that they are stars. We fill these kids with assurance and the courage to believe in themselves and to know how amazing they are.”
The program, Angela stresses, would not be possible without the help of its dedicated team of volunteers. Some of the volunteers, like local resident Shanti Chand, have been involved for over six years. “Through my volunteer work with Angela, I rediscovered my passion for working with and helping individuals,” said Shanti.
Despite the need for more funding and the difficulty of accessing the community space as needed at Mornelle Court, All Stars continues to be a shining light in the community.
When asked about her vision of what All Stars might look like in the future, Angela believes it can grow beyond Mornelle Court.
“Our vision for All Stars Community Outreach is to duplicate it all over. We’re here to empower, to make a difference, to challenge people,” she said.
You can learn more about All Stars Community Outreach at AllStarsCommunityOutreach.ca.
Angela Brackett (r), and Shanti Chand
Bridging the gap
Trades in the 6ix attracts hundreds of TCHC youth interested in the trades
Attendees visited several stations to learn about various trades
With youth unemployment on the rise, it is challenging for young people to find jobs. As of June 2024, the national unemployment rate for youth hovers just above 13 per cent, indicating just how hard it is for young people to access the job market.
Mokhadas, a tenant youth from the St. James Town neighbourhood, shared with us some of the realities youth face when landing jobs in the city.
“We live in a city where [many] youth are unemployed,” he said. “Especially those living in low-income neighbourhoods. They are facing financial difficulties and challenges in getting work experience.”
Recognizing the above challenges, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) brought together trade organizations, unions, and education institutions to participate in Trades in the 6ix, a skills
fair event connecting youth directly to career opportunities. This summer, two events were held in June and August at Metro Hall and hundreds of TCHC tenant youth attended.
The idea of Trades in the 6ix started with feedback from youth who were interested in getting into the trades but did not know how or where to start.
TCHC Community Service Coordinator
Stacy Golding spearheaded this initiative. “Young people came to us wanting to know more about the trades,” she said. “We connected with local partners and discovered there was a strong interest in bringing people together to discuss various opportunities available in the trades and the requirements to get there successfully.”
Philip Auguste, TCHC Program Coordinator, explained that Trades in the 6ix is an initiative that contributes to TCHC’s goal of
providing free, accessible opportunities for tenants based on their interests and needs. “One of the things that TCHC is trying to do is build a solid socio-economic and academic infrastructure in all communities that will help youth find meaningful and sustainable employment,” he said. “Securing these opportunities will benefit not only the youth’s lives but also their communities and the city.”
“The beautiful thing that we’re trying to show is the representation.”
This year’s event was organized in partnership with the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario (CDC). Rokhaya ‘Rok’ Gueye, the Ontario Chair of Sisters in Brotherhood, shared that the CDC was excited to partner with TCHC for this year’s event. “We connected and brainstormed how we can create an event that will benefit those who live in TCHC by learning more about the trades and unions,” said Rok.
The skills fair also had another purpose: to remove barriers preventing youth from entering the trades. Many organizations that participated in the event shared a common goal of making the trades more accessible to youth and other underrepresented groups.
“Representation does matter. Most of the time, [youth] do not see people who look like them,” said Rok. “The beautiful thing that we are trying to show is the representation. If they can see that
someone who looks like them can do it, they can do it too.”
Quoc Troung, a business representative from Central Ontario Building Trades, also recognizes some of the systemic barriers affecting racialized and other equitydeserving groups from entering the trades.
“There is a huge demographic of Indigenous, Black, racialized, and women who are not getting access to good, meaningful jobs,” said Quoc. His organization is participating in the skills fair to connect with more youth and, in turn, increase the representation of these groups in the trades.
Rokhaya ‘Rok’ Gueye is all smiles in front of their booth
Foshia, a tenant youth from Scarborough, said the event provided her with the information she needed to get into the trades. “We need more resources,” she said. “Not only youth but young adults are seeking employment. Organizations can help guide us in how to get a job in their field and move forward.”
TCHC will continue to host job fairs throughout the year to connect youth and tenants to new employment and educational opportunities.
To learn more about upcoming job opportunities or if you are interested in partnering with TCHC in a future employment event, email economic.opportunities@torontohousing.ca.
Tenant Notices
Please review this section for important updates from TCHC
Have you ever wondered how Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) makes decisions about the work we do and the projects we undertake? The Strategic Plan is our roadmap, it sets out our priorities for how we will support tenants and what our focus will be as an organization for the next five years.
We’re currently developing our Strategic Plan for 2025 to 2029. It’s really important that this plan reflects the voices and perspectives of the people who live in TCHC communities.
We started by looking at input we’ve received over the years from tenants, our Board of Directors and leadership, staff, and the City of Toronto. We also looked at insights from the 2023 Tenant Survey to help inform our priorities for the next five years.
In June, tenant leaders gathered for their quarterly Tenant Community Action Table (TCAT) meetings. We took this opportunity to hold workshops focused on the new Strategic Plan. These workshops were facilitated by TCHC’s Strategic Planning team and our consultant KPMG. After a quick introduction, everyone got into breakout groups where they discussed: what does the ideal future for your community look like, what does your community look like today, and finally, what ideas and strategies can help us move from where we are today to where we want to be in the future? Thank you to all the tenant leaders who participated!
You can view a copy of the KPMG report by visiting torontohousing.ca/information-tenant-representatives.
To learn more about our Strategic Plan development, visit torontohousing.ca/strategic-plan-2025-2029.
The creative force of Natalie “Rare”
Chattargoon
Empowering marginalized voices through the arts
Natalie, who goes by the first name “Rare,” is an Arts and Mental Health Facilitator and Event Coordinator for several non-profit organizations around the Greater Toronto Area.
When we interviewed Rare, we got the sense that nothing holds her back. She’s confident in her talents and has big dreams. Rare grew up in the East Mall area of Toronto, and experienced some tough times with bullying, making ends meet financially, and surviving a devastating car accident. It’s this second chance at life that drives her ambition. “Every day I wake up, I’m grateful for life. I’ve got to go hard regardless of how I feel,” she said.
As a writer, photographer and social worker, Rare is passionate about incorporating social themes around poverty, resilience, and empowerment into her work. You may have already seen some of her pieces in various areas of Toronto. Last year, Rare designed a collage of photos that was displayed at Spadina subway station, and created an art display that has been installed at two terminals at Pearson International Airport. She owes a lot to Vibe Arts, an organization that provided funding for those projects and gave her some valuable
mentorship with established artists. “Vibe Arts really supported my development as a creative exploring Toronto” she said.
Rare created a newcomer creative writing workshop to help recent immigrants settle in. But Rare’s current love is the pop-up open mic sessions she’s been organizing across the city. “I love being a host and engaging and communicating with people,” she said. “These sessions give people an opportunity to be heard. I’m setting the stage and creating a safe place for anyone to share anything they want.”
As for upcoming projects, Rare has an impressive number on the go. She wants to publish a children’s book, host more open mic nights, and record reggae, R&B, and jazz songs. She also wants to open a women’s shelter or foster home. Her personal motto, and one that she wants to inspire others with is “Never make your circumstances determine what your future looks like–you’re capable of everything.”
Rare reading her poetry onstage
Rare Chattargoon in the studio
Your comment Our solution
Your comment: I see lots of great community gardens around the city and was wondering how I can start one outside my building.
Our solution: TCHC encourages the growth of community gardens by providing information and resources to residents. There are more than 100 community gardens across the city! Community gardens are also spaces where people work together. They give new life to areas that have not been cared for and are a good way for tenants to stay active while engaging with others in the community.
If you would like to join or start a community garden, please contact your local Community Services Coordinator (CSC). If you are not sure who your CSC is, call our Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500 and they will help you find the right person.
TCHC has developed an interim policy and procedure to give tenants guidelines about how to access and use community garden spaces at TCHC. Visit the Tenant Policies page on our website at torontohousing.ca/tenant-policies to view the interim policy and other helpful resources.
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Would you prefer to read Tenant LOOP online, or do you still enjoy reading your hard copy? Scan the QR code or visit tchc.qrd.by/tenant-loop-survey to let us know.
