Building Community with Youth Leaders in New Westminster: Family, Home and Belonging

The face of Black immigration to British Columbia has changed dramatically over the decades. Earlier generations of Black settlers arrived from places such as California, Arkansas, and Texas. Today, many Black newcomers to Metro Vancouver come from nations across the African continent, bringing with them rich cultures, resilience, and aspirations for a better future. The population is growing by 37%.

At the same time, many African newcomer families continue to face significant challenges related to housing affordability, belonging, poverty, and social isolation. These realities inspired Building Bridges with Rwanda and Baraza Collective to launch a youth leadership and advocacy initiative focused on the themes of family, home, and belonging.

The project received initial funding support from the University of Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). To strengthen the initiative, I also reached out to Douglas College and connected with Dr. Elliot Rossiter from the Philosophy Department. Elliot and I had previously worked together while I was serving as Program Manager at the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition.

At the time, Dr. Rossiter had received a SSHRC grant to support a community engagement initiative called Continuing Conversations on Housing. The project sought to challenge the reality that the voices of people living in poverty and marginalized communities are often excluded from public conversations about the housing crisis. Recognizing the importance of youth-centered advocacy, Dr. Rossiter agreed to support our work.

To document the journey, I invited Darryl Ahye, a talented filmmaker and longtime friend of Baraza Podcast, to film the workshops, interview participants, and produce a short documentary. The goal was to equip African youth with the skills and confidence to become advocates and community leaders capable of speaking about issues affecting newcomer families in Metro Vancouver, particularly housing insecurity, homelessness, poverty, and climate-related inequities.

The inspiration for the project came in part from Moytel Lelam, a unique housing development in New Westminster that brings together Swahili-speaking African and Indigenous tenants. We wanted youth participants to imagine and advocate for safe, dignified, and affordable housing solutions for African newcomer families.

Finding participants was not always easy. After several disappointments and unfulfilled promises, I eventually met remarkable young people from Rwanda and Burundi who were eager to learn, participate, and grow. Because many participants were either working full-time or attending university, the workshops were held on weekends.

Creating a welcoming and supportive environment was important to us. We made sure healthy and delicious meals were served throughout the workshops, thanks to a talented caterer from Kenya who did a marvelous job nourishing both body and spirit.

The project also brought together a diverse group of community voices. I invited Richard Gilbert, a journalist from Trinidad and Tobago, along with three community leaders I had previously mentored through my work at the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition:

• Paul Njuguna, who shared his experience with homelessness,

• Margaret Wanyoike, who spoke about the challenges of inadequate housing as a single mother,

• and Jean Claude Nzisabira, a refugee from Burundi who struggled to access appropriate housing until we supported him in securing housing at Moytel Lelam.

Watching the youth participants grow throughout the process was deeply rewarding. Some initially struggled with public speaking and presenting confidently on camera in English. Over time, however, their confidence improved significantly.

We were also joined by Prince Gatare, a young Rwandan volunteer with a passion for photography and videography. Prince has remained involved in community engagement work with me to this day, and his dedication has truly been a blessing.

Darryl Ahye’s filmmaking talent brought the project to life in extraordinary ways. Through his creative lens, we were able to tell authentic stories about the housing challenges faced by African newcomer families in New Westminster and across Metro Vancouver.

The documentary premiered on the final day of February as part of a Black History Month event in New Westminster. The turnout exceeded our expectations. The Mayor attended, along with representatives from the local Member of Parliament’s office and many community members from across Metro Vancouver.

One comment we heard repeatedly from audience members was how refreshing it was to hear directly from African youth themselves. Too often, adults speak on behalf of young people and marginalized communities. This event created space for youth to speak for themselves about the realities affecting their lives and communities.

The impact of the project extended far beyond the film screening. Several youth participants were later invited to participate in additional community engagement initiatives and were introduced to employment and leadership opportunities.

For me, this project reaffirmed something I have long believed: when young people are trusted, supported, and given meaningful opportunities to share their stories, they rise to the occasion. They do not simply become participants in community-building - they become leaders shaping the future of our cities and communities.