CivicLabTO Discussion Series: Stronger, Safer, More Just Communities

This discussion focuses on a better understanding of the youth justice system and community well-being. Starting with the relationship between colonialism and racism on the youth justice system in Ontario, the discussion explores the impacts on Indigenous, Black and Equity-Deserving Communities in Toronto. Whether it's about violence prevention, policing, courts, government-run or community-led safety programs, we ask what needs to be put in place for stronger, safer and more just communities for Toronto's youth.

Moderators:

Laura Arndt, Chief Operating Officer at the Survivors’ Secretariat, Six Nations of the Grand River, former Chair of Indigenous and Access Program Innovation at Centennial College.

Laura Arndt is currently on a one year secondment from Centennial College to assume the role of Chief Operating Officer at the Survivors’ Secretariat, Six Nations of the Grand River. Formerly the Chair of Indigenous and Access Program Innovation with Centennial College and the Director of Strategic & Community Development at the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children & Youth, she was a co-author of Feathers of Hope, Justice & Juries: A First Nations Youth Action Plan for Justice. The forum and resulting report were a response to Former Justice Iaccabucci’s report on First Nations Jury representation in Ontario. Additionally, Laura has led the work of Hairstory on Black youth in systems of Care in Ontario. She has 16 years of experience working in the justice system and more than 20 years of advocacy tied to creating change.

Clara Ganemtoré, Policy Development Officer, Social Development, Finance and Administration, City of Toronto. 

Clara Ganemtoré is a Policy Development Officer with the Social Policy team at the Social Development, Finance and Administration (SDFA) division at the City of Toronto. Clara brings extensive policy development, research, service planning and performance measurement expertise, having worked both at the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario on social assistance modernization, as well as with community organizations. Clara is supporting the implementation of the City of Toronto's Community Benefits Framework, working with diverse stakeholders to maximize workforce development opportunities for Black, Indigenous and equity-deserving communities in Toronto.

Panelists:

Rawle Elliott, Faculty at Centennial College – Indigenous Studies, former community board member at the Afro-Canadian Legal Clinic and Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth.

Rawle Elliott is a part-time faculty at Centennial College in Indigenous Studies. After receiving an undergrad degree (Sociology & Psychology) at the University of Toronto, Rawle embarked on and recently completed a career of 30+ years in the Ontario provincial government and various transfer payment (NGO – Non-Government Organizations) agencies. Rawle served as management (at various levels including Boards of Directors) and at the front lines dealing with disadvantaged children, youth and adults from various marginalized communities. Rawle has been described as an active and committed participant in social policy and legal reform relevant to individuals and communities with unique needs. He is a genuine supporter of responsive program development and policy formulation, with experience in resolving complex service issues arising from individuals and groups with a range of diverse, cultural, legal, socioeconomic backgrounds.

Miriam Henry, Assistant Crown Attorney, Crown Lead, Toronto Northwest Justice Center, Ministry of Attorney General.

Miriam Henry has been an Assistant Crown Attorney for over 20 years specializing in youth work. For ten years, Miriam enjoyed her role as team lead of the 311 Jarvis Street Crowns office, the dedicated Youth Court in Toronto.  She has recently left her position to be the Crown lead for the Toronto Northwest Justice Centre, an initiative of the Ministry of the Attorney General to create a centre of justice for youth with cross sectorial collaboration and supported by local community service providers.  While at 311 Jarvis, Miriam Henry case managed young people through such specialty courts as the Aboriginal Youth Court and the Community Youth Court — enabling young people to reconnect with their heritage and get much needed support for mental health and addiction issues. Her work reduced incarceration rates for youth in the Toronto courthouse. Miriam also specializes in the intersection of Child Welfare and Youth Criminal Justice and has worked extensively to facilitate better outcomes for this particular population of youth. Miriam has been recognized for her contribution to youth justice and has won a number of awards for her innovative approach to youth justice. 

Joanna Duarte Laudon, Policy Development Officer, Social Development, Finance and Administration, City of Toronto.

Joanna Duarte Laudon is a Policy Development Officer with the Social Policy team at the Social Development, Finance and Administration (SDFA) division at the City of Toronto. During her time on the Social Policy team, Joanna has contributed to several initiatives at SDFA and has led Equity Responsive Budgeting as well as the Youth Services Review, which includes the development of the game-changing Youth Outcomes Framework. Joanna is currently overseeing the implementation of the Youth Outcomes Framework, among other priorities. Prior to joining SDFA, Joanna led several policy projects at Municipal Licencing and Standards, including the development of an apartment building registration and inspection program to improve living conditions for Toronto tenants.

Olusola Olumogba, Founder & Executive Director, Direct Your Life / Critical Period Interventionist.

Olusola Olumogba is an entrepreneur, non-profit founder, community leader, and speaker. He founded Direct Your Life in 2015 with the goal of creating a safe and supportive environment for formerly incarcerated individuals. Direct Your Life has supported close to 300 formerly incarcerated individuals with resources and job opportunities to get back on their feet. Olusola is also a Critical Period Interventionist for individuals with high risk behavior and those impacted by gang activity. He regularly speaks at schools, halfway houses, and prisons. Olusola Olumogba also runs an organization InstantScouting, a platform that connects athletes, agents, coaches, and trainers, for which he was honoured with the Top 30 Under Thirty Award by Sports Launch Magazine in 2014. He has helped over 200 athletes secure professional football opportunities. Olusola has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Media Studies from the University of Western Ontario as well as a YouthREX Critical Youth Work: Bridging Theory and Practice Certificate completed at York University. He is a former collegiate athlete, ex-CFL agent, and has also held several leadership positions at non-profit organizations throughout his career.

Information Collection Notice:

Thank you for registering for CivicLabTO programming. Please note the event will be digitally recorded. The information collected for the event will be used to determine the number of attendees and institutional affiliations for research and reporting purposes, and infrastructure creation as we build our network. It may be used to deliver CivicLabTO information on future events, updates on the research progress we're making together and to ask you for related feedback. All data is held within Canada by Humber College as the event producer. Any questions about the collection of this data can be sent to Jennifer Gordon, CivicLabTO Steering Committee Member and Director for the Centre for Creative Business Innovation, Humber College, by e-mail at: Jennifer.Gordon@humber.ca