Hanging On For Hope Hanging on for hope

Neil "Logik" Donaldson is a father, artist and community leader. He is the founder of Stolen From Africa an arts education organization and brand in Toronto with a focus on working with marginalized youths and families.        His work ethic has landed him speaking engagements At Wilfred Laurier University, Concordia University, and George Brown College along with featured interviews with The Toronto Star, The Globe And Mail, MTV and Much Music.With over 15 years experience working within the youth sector, it is clear that Neil has a deep passion for youth engagement, community, education and the arts.

To reach Neil to book his programming or find out more about his work go to 

https://www.stolenfromafrica.org/

If you or any youth you know want to connect with Neil you can follow him on Instagram at

https://www.instagram.com/logik416

Brenda Cernac is the leadhand of horticulture for Niagara parks commission. - Niagara parks school of horticulture diploma. -Florist certification from Niagara college . - arborist ISA  Niagara parks arborist 8 years.



Today she offered us some Practical support in there pandemic times on  "How to Grow Your Own Food "

You can reach her for support at

Facebook Brenda Cernac or email brendaverhage@yahoo.ca or 9053212745 .  She has asked if possible you make donations to your local Humane Society for her time. 

Today my guest is Sana Atiq-Omar. She has a Master’s in Counselling Psychology with extensive experience working with people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, and treating clients with a history of trauma.

She has also worked with a wide range of ages (including children as young as preschool aged). She works with children from a child directed lens, letting them guide the process. Her experience includes co-creating a program for mothers and their young children, helping them create stronger bonds.

Sana believes you are the expert of your life. Each person’s struggle is unique and therefore a one size fits all or “cookie cutter” therapy approach is not effective for most people. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, utilizing a combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, art and play therapy.

Join us we talk about what impacts our responses and what tools we can use to help ourselves and others! 



Please connect with Sana with her sliding scale Tele-therapy if needed!

www.saocounselling.ca

Cheyanne Ratnam is a child advocate also has experience as a a post-secondary educator in the social services sector, and was the Phase 2 project coordinator at A Way Home Toronto (a City of Toronto and cross-sectoral community collaborative working with young people as key partners, stakeholders and decision makers regarding the formation of a cross-sectoral youth homelessness strategy for Toronto, in addition to an implementation and sustainability plan). Cheyanne is the primary investigator of the Family and Permanency Project/Study which previously engaged with young people in systems of care across Ontario to explore conceptualizations of permanency and family-making, and currently in the analysis and synthesis phase. She recently joined the Mosaic Institute as a Program Facilitator to deliver curriculum to high school students on complex themes such as inclusion, identity, prejudice, discrimination, and conflict resolution.   Cheyanne is a founding member, and lead, of the Ontario Children's Advocacy Coalition, and is on the board of directors of both Scarborough West Community Legal Clinic and the Children's Aid Society of Toronto, as well as a member of the Children in Limbo Taskforce.  Cheyanne is an independant consultant, advisor, facilitator, trainer, as well as public speaker, is an ambassador of the Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, and partakes in various communities through voluntary roles such as being the lead of the Gender Equity Committee and Working Group at the Tamil Center for Civic Action, advisor to ISEE Initiative (Tamil initiative regarding gender based violence), and sits on the stakeholder leadership table chaired by the former Ontario Child Advocate regarding advancing principles of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.   Previously, Cheyanne was the founder and co-manager of the "What’s The Map?!" project, mobilizing young people with lived experience of homelessness from the global south to nurture a more coordinated system through multi-governmental policy circles and cross-sectoral community engagement.  Some topics she has experience in (lived experience and professional), and is highly passionate about include: youth homelessness, youth in/from the child welfare system, educational outcomes of vulnerable populations, childhood sexual abuse, youth development, mobilization and ethical engagement, equity issues and human rights issues regarding marginalized populations.  Cheyanne holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, and in 2016 she was the recipient of one of four highest accolades presented to York University’s Alumni — the Bryden ‘One To Watch’ Alumni Award ("A graduate who has made significant impact in their field and/or community within 15 years of a bachelor’s degree or 10 years of a professional/graduate degree").

Today guest is Patrick Nelson James and who goes by Nelly.

He grew up in the Jane and Finch community of Toronto , Canada where he was exposed to a lot of things he should not have like killings, muggings, and drug dealing. He was even stabbed by his own blood brother! He grew up in a single parent household for most of his life and their was a lot of conflict,

His circumstance caused depression and he turned to gangs, drugs and alcohol and got into a lot of fights. Today we will hear about how he has turned his life around and is helping others do the same. He has now authored two books and regularly speaks and mentors and has had his work acknowledged with awards!

Welcome to Hanging on For Hope , I am your host Andrea Page. Hanging on for hope is the stories about people working to overcome trauma and adversity.  From incarceration to kids in crisis, postpartum depression, acute grief and loss and serious health challenges we hear from everyday people on what they going through and how they get through it.  We also hear from experts on the latest strategies , supports , treatment and brain science for overcoming adverse life experiences and improving quality of life .



Todays guest is Habeeb Alli

Habeeb Alli studied at Queen's College, Guyana before he graduated with a Masters in Islamic Theology and Arabic Language from the famous Deoband Seminary, India. He also holds a Diploma in Journalism from Delhi.

Habeeb is the author of nineteen books on Canadian Muslims and Contemporary Islam including the recent Underground Lines:150+Verses- celebrating Canada 150th plus anniversary.

He is a member of the Canadian Council of Imams and served as Secretary for six years. Mr Alli serves as director at the Interfaith Committee called Abraham Festival in Peterborough.

Imam Alli has presented on Islam in many conferences over the past twenty five years globally and was a regular contributor on Allexperts.com. He was recognized by the Junctian Network for Community Service in April 2017.

He presently serves as Development Officer at Human Concern International- dedicated towards global humanitarian efforts and as a Federal Chaplain with Correctional Services Canada.