Rise Edmonton

Meet our Spring 2021 Ambassadors

	Abdel El Aoami (He/Him) An issue I care about is... racial economics.
	Anmol Nijjar (She/Her) An issue I care about is... the farmers protests in India. Why RISE? I really want to meet like-minded individuals who can enrich my understanding of issues in our community and collaborate with to bring about meaningful change.
	Anne Promesse Munezero (She/Her) An issue I care about is... Black Lives Matter Why RISE? The experience and the satisfaction of knowing that I did something useful in my community is one thing that I look forward to once the project has ended. The communication, leadership and teamwork skills will also help in future community projects that I will undertake. I am also looking forward to forming new and meaningful friendships with fellow ambassadors and community game-changers.
	Ava Gold (She/Her) An issue I care about is... Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People. Why RISE? I chose the RISE program as it felt like an invaluable opportunity to connect with my community, build my abilities to engage in politics and protests and to be involved in creating awareness and solutions in the fight for gender inclusion with like-minded peers.
	Ella Dunlop (She/Her) An issue I care about is... mental health, harm reduction, and the stigma surrounding drug use. Why RISE? I chose RISE because I think it is an amazing opportunity for youth to be able to actively partake in issues and changes they want to see! RISE allows us the chance to work with other like-minded youth and make connections.
	Jay Maragua (He/Him) An issue I care about is... LGBTQA+ youth especially immigrants. Why RISE? RISE was recommended to me by a friend who I met through Y@TT. I would like to gain new friendships, learn and hear from people's experiences and help make someone's life better through what I learn in the program.
	Mckenzie Croken (He/Him) An issue I care about is... mental health and all the intricate details that come with it. How poor or good mental health can break or build the foundations of society. Why RISE? I wanted to join RISE because of the platform it gives to inspire our next generation of leaders. The need to tackle problems such as systemic racism, toxic masculinity and white privilege starts with those said leaders. I would like to come out of RISE knowing that our team has inspired a new set of trail blazers and leaders.
	Sabian Compri (She/Her) An issue I care about is... Indigenous sovereignty. Why RISE? Hoping to make connections in my community and become more effective at community care and social justice work.
	Samantha Hamann (She/Her) An issue I care about is... sustainability and climate change. Why RISE? I want to do something more for my community and the people within it.
	Shy Taylor (They/Them) An issue I care about is... the normalization of LGBTQ+ in literature and media. WHY RISE? I want to be able to expand my understanding of gender expression and how I can help to normalize it and in all areas of life.

THEIR PROJECT:

Kaleidoscope is a project for QTBIPOC youth to share what their ideal re-imagined healed society looks like: in the eyes of the ambassadors, that’s a place that is intersectional, and challenges and deconstructs harmful systems like patriarchy and gender norms. It is a place where folks from the margins of society are centred.

Poetry, illustration, painting, music - all types of artwork - are on display on the website launching soon!

Follow their journey on Instagram: @aisbrise_edm.

Meet the Edmonton Mentors

Adama Bundu
(They/Them)

An issue I care about is… Black feminism

Why RISE?
I was attracted to Rise for the opportunity to work with passionate youth on an issue that is close to my heart.

Ravia Dhaliwal
(She/Her)

An issue I care about is… the farmers protests in India.

Why RISE?
I joined RISE as a mentor to see how community building projects can be facilitated, and also to use my knowledge and education to support Ambassadors in their projects!

Rea-Anna Walters
(She/They)

An issue I care about is... transformative justice and centering community healing as opposed to valuing a justice framework focused on retribution.

Why RISE?
I love the RISE program because it brings folks together who may not have been connected so intimately for 22 weeks. As an alumnus, RISE gave me the opportunity to learn about my city's strengths and areas of concern from community stakeholders and that experience has been invaluable to me. It has also given me opportunities for growth that I would have been too shy to say yes to before participating in the RISE program.

Program Coordinator

Micah Leonida
(She/Her)

"I recognize the unique power and influence that youth bring to the table. I am inspired by their unwavering commitment to our communities. I hope to use my skills and experiences to support their projects. I also wish to learn from the RISE Ambassadors in order to expand my own world views, and challenge my preconceived ideas."

Want to know more about this cohort?

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