Hibo Abdi, Alexandra Park
This future Arts & Contemporary Studies student at Ryerson University has been involved in sisterhood programs for young women and homework clubs in the community. Deciding to live the phrase “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you are from”, Hibo has done community development with NGOs in North Somalia and Djibouti working on women’s issues.

Romeo Wilson, Alexandra Park
Romeo is pursuing his dreams of a carear in hotel management working with people. Since the age of 13, he has been volunteering at Out of Cold programs to help street-involved homeless at various community churches. He sees his role in “creating zero-tolerance environments with regards to racism”. He has been involved in different programs at Scadding Court Community Centre through the years as a volunteer and participant.

Amina Chirwa, Glendower 
Amina is graduating from L’Amoreaux Collegiate and plans to combine her diverse interests in interior and fashion design, E-business, and computers. She has been involved in the Muslim Student Association and has helped with numerous community organizations and events.

Kendrick Shiu, Glendower
Is an active community advocate graduating from Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute who plans to attend Ryerson University. He is actively involved in promoting food security through his work at the local food bank and at organizing community gardens. As well, he has been involved in local anti-bullying programs in the schools. His skills in strategy also play out in his participation in his school chess club organizing city-wide tournaments.

Mariama Barrie, Lawrence Heights
Mariama Barrie is student body president at Sir Stanford Fleming Academy and will be attending Guelph-Humber University to pursue her goal of becoming an internationalist journalist. Her numerous school paper articles have created awareness among youths on HIV and AIDS. Her leadership roles have run the gamut of launching a student help line, peer mediator, part of the Fleming dance group, and volleyball team.

Nkrumah Murray, Lawrence Heights
Nkrumah Murray has been accepted at Humber college (accounting program). His passion for numbers has led him to raise over $1000 for Aids Society of Canada. He is currently enrolled in a City Of Toronto leadership program called YELL looking at community safety issues. He has organized student council programs, house leagues, and anti-racism workshops for youth in community.

Mehnaz Tabassum, Regent Park
Mehnaz has tackled different forms of discrimination head on as the vice president of “Riverdale against Discrimination” raising awareness of Homophobia, classism, Islamophobia and racism. She is a creative educator in her role as the President of the Muslim Students Association.
Her work has created awareness about Islam by creating fundraisers:like Eid-o-grams;a Fast-athon for the whole school to appreciate the challenges of fasting; and, the “Taste of Islam” event to eliminate misunderstandings of Islam and Muslims. She will be attending the University of Waterloo in their Honours Life Science Coop program.

Osob Mohamud, Regent Park
Osob, a Jarvis Collegiate student is involved in the Women Against Violence Program at Central Neighborhood House and has developed workshops for young women about healthy body image, violence against women and identity.
As the President of the Muslim Students Association, and a Black History Month organizer she has coordinated a fund-raising dinner to help build a school in Sierra Leone. Her activism has her involved in logistics, marketing, and sponsorship for a city wide conference for to encourage Muslim youth to pursue post secondary education.
This future Ryerson Biology student has a keen understanding of immigration and human rights. When a student in her school was faced with deportation of one its students, and Osob rallied the Muslim Students Association and helped campaign to keep this young man in Canada.  Through press conferences, rallying support in the student body as well as the community – her fellow student has now been granted status.

Nicole Davies, Rexdale
Nicole Davies is a Monsignor Fraser College student and a resident of Rexdale. Passionate about teaching and influencing young people, she has her Early Childhood Certificate.  As a volunteer teacher’s assistant at both Braeburn Junor School and St.Stephens, Nicole saw her role as more that a teacher – she sees herself as a mentor who acts as a positive role model for children.

Rhea Stoddart, Rexdale
Rhea Stoddart is a student at Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial School, who will be pursuing nursing studies at the University of Toronto. With her involvement in yearbook and leadership activities in high school, Rhea managed to balance it all – including maintaining an 85% average.

Micheal Cain, Symington Place
Micheal Cain has used hip-hop to talk about anti-racism, identity, Black History and human rights. As a member of Hood In Action, he created a youth body to take police complaints. He has organized and performed at Black History Month at his Church and at Davenport Perth Neighborhood Centre. He has been active on the community hip-hop scene through and has worked with youth to create a DVD. 

Igho Egbedeju, Symington Place
Igho is a star soccer player, writer and community volunteer. When he is not training to join Manchester United, Igho has been a founder and active member of Hood In Action a youth anti-racism group and volunteer at the Davenport Perth Neighborhood Centre. He will be pursuing studies to become a physical education teacher.

Haanan Mahamoud
Hannan is an active volunteer in the Davenport West community. She has organized Black History month shows at Afro-Can and volunteered in the local school cafeteria at Carleton Village. She plans to attend Ryerson University and study nursing.