York Region Food Network

As the Land Use Planning Working Group Lead for the York Region Youth Food Committee, I wanted to bring the topics of Food, Planning, & Affordable Communities to the 2022 Municipal Elections in order to mobilize youth across York Region.

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We partnered with CivicSchool GTA to launch this project. Our goal was to support youth in participating in local policy-making through leadership training, hosting local events, and vocalizing youth issues by engaging with candidates from across the GTA.

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As part of our Promotional Campaign, I had the opportunity to submit an Op-Ed to the Newmarket Era, which reached wider audiences through The Toronto Star. Leading up to the event, I advocated for youth voices to be heard when solving issues in the community, especially during the 2022 Municipal Election Season.

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With the COVID-19 pandemic still a concern, our first in-person event was also designed to be hybrid. With some support from youth tech experts, I coordinated a live stream of the event on YouTube. Through the use of accessible language, bright colours, & vector illustrations, the Slide Deck for our Youth Town Hall brought out a friendly, youthful, & interactive experience, while remaining educational. These decisions helped to familiarize attendees with the topic, provide a common vocabulary, & open up critical dialogues for the Panel Discussion.

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In the interest of meaningful engagement going beyond the typical Land Acknowledgement Statement, I also reached out to Indigenous educators & youth local to Treaty 13 for advice on how to design a Reflection Activity. During the event, we began with guiding statements & questions, providing a copy of the TRC Calls to Action & CBC's Beyond 94 educational tool. Attendees collectively examined how this context would impact their engagement with a discussion of affordable communities on Indigenous land, & critically reflected on the land & their positionality.

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Deliverables:​

• Social Media Campaign

• Opinion Piece

• Youth Town Hall Event (hybrid)

  • Slide Deck & Presentation

  • Land Acknowledgement Activity

  • Panel Discussion & Open Mic

  • Postcard Writing Campaign

  • Ballot Box Campaign

• Successful Partnership with CivicSchool GTA