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In just a few days, we'll be bringing together a panel of Hamilton's dedicated community leaders for an interactive discussion and Q&A on how the city should rebuild and recover from COVID-19.

Whether you're a Hamilton rising leader yourself or are interested in city-building within the broader GTHA region, we invite you to join us on Tuesday, October 20th at 6:30 p.m. for this engaging conversation. We'll be exploring whether Hamilton should focus on tackling some of the core issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as transit, housing, and unemployment, or setting its sights on bold new ventures to put the city on the map.

Moderated by:

• Alyssa Lai, 2018-2019 ELN Communications Lead; Corporate Communications Consultant, The Co-operators
• Sarah Wardrope, 2018-2019 ELN Events and Programming Lead; Project Manager, Hamilton Health Sciences

• Tammy Hwang, Business Development Officer, Global Hamilton at Hamilton Economic Development
• Rachel Braithwaite, Executive Director, Barton Village Business Improvement Area
• Huzaifa Saeed, Manager of Partnerships for Thrive Career Wellness Platform

Come ready with questions of your own to share with our amazing panel of leaders!

Introducing CivicAction''s Digital Dish - a new campaign to get GTHA residents socially connecting while staying home.

Event Details

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Happy Holidays ELN!

A Letter from your ELN Executive Committee

The Pervasive Reality of Anti-Black Racism in Canada

Released this week by CivicAction and Boston Consulting Group, The Pervasive Reality of Anti-Black Racism in Canada, compiles existing data from the municipal, provincial and national level to show how anti-Black racism appears in four important lifecycle areas: education, employment, health care, and policing.

This report is for those of us who have questions, need to learn and want to understand how to be part of the solutions. Insights in the report call on Canadian companies, governments, and individuals to deepen their commitment and accountability to address anti-Black racism. As a starting point, the report also highlights some existing examples of interventions.

This report is a first of many steps that will deepen CivicAction's commitment to see more inclusive leadership, with a specific focus on supporting the advancement of rising leaders from Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. Share this report with others in your network or organization and have a conversation about anti-Black racism in Canada and how it shows up in our society.

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Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• CivicAction is hiring! Join Team Action as a Project Officer and help provide logistical, administrative and event planning support across various initiatives. Apply by January 8th.
• Join the Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement tomorrow, Dec 18, for Refugee Resettlement and Integration in Canada: Lived Experience, Lessons Learned, and Promising Practices. Register here.
• WoodGreen Community Services is hiring a Manager, Marketing & Communications. Apply by Dec 30.
• The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is hiring a Senior Direct of Development. Apply by Dec 30.
• The Centre for Social Innovation is recruiting for the second cohort of its Start program. They are looking for aspiring women & gender non-binary entrepreneurs who are ready to learn, grow, and make an impact. Apply by Jan 3.
• The Hamilton Black Film Festival is accepting submissions for their 2021 festival. Submit by Jan 6.
• Ryerson Leadership Lab is hiring a Research and Policy Assistant: Technology, Cybersecurity & Democracy Program. Apply by Jan 8.

It's getting cold outside so here''s a hot drink on us (but you have to act fast!)

Are you passionate about making our region more inclusive? Do you have an inspirational story, project, or idea to share?

We're looking for six rising leaders to speak at our 2021 ELN Snowcial: Powered by PechaKucha on January 28th, 2021.

What is a Pecha Kucha presentation? Drawing its name from the Japanese term for "the sound of chit chat", the Pecha Kucha format consists of 20 images in 20 seconds for a total presentation time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds and shares a transformational idea in a dynamic and rapid-fire way. 

We are accepting applications for presentations that address the theme of Inclusive Cities, which explores the varying factors that foster an inclusive region where all people are valued and have opportunities. Topics could range from diverse representation in local politics to how rooftop gardens contribute to urban food security to making our city sidewalks more accessible. This theme has purposefully been kept general to allow for a breadth of creative and diverse speaker applications. 

Interested in being a speaker? Send in your application by Sunday, December 13th at 11:59 p.m. Don't worry, you don't need to have a presentation prepared to apply-all you need is an idea.

Read CivicAction''s Annual Report

The past year has seen profound and dramatic shifts affecting so many lives and livelihoods in the GTHA. But we have faced complex challenges before and we will face what lies ahead by coming together.

CivicAction and the ELN will continue to be that catalyst that makes this happen. Click below to access Building Paths to Inclusion, CivicAction's 2019-20 Annual Report, and read the stories of our diverse network and the impact we've made together.

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Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• CivicAction, in partnership with RBC Future Launch, has made 5 free and easy videos to help young people understand the fundamentals of financial literacy on topics like: budgeting basics, saving for now and later, and the different income sources. You can find the full playlist of videos in English here and in French here.
• The civic tech community has been working relentlessly, alongside the public sector, to utilize innovative technology for social impact. Join Civic Hall Toronto on December 9th in celebrating this year's stories of civic innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration.
• Do you have a great climate solution idea or existing sustainability initiative and the determination to make it a success? Are you 19-25 and a resident of the GTHA? Youth Challenge International's (YCI) Climate Solutions Accelerator, a 6-month incubator program, is recruiting 30 Climate Leaders for a cohort launching in January 2021.
• The Black Youth Fellowship, a professional and leadership development program focusing on building the next generation of Black public servants, is accepting applicants for its inaugural cohort beginning in January 2021.
• The Urban Alliance on Race Relations is hiring a Project Coordinator for the Black Youth Fellowship &  Anti-Racism Education projects. Apply by December 4th.
• Sheridan College has launched an Open Innovation Challenge this week focused on Reimagining Learning and Education in our Communities. Following a phased human-centred design process, the first Inspiration Stage is happening now until January 2021, culminating in the final Idea Pitch in May 2021. And there are up to $60K in cash prizes to be won throughout!    
• There's one day left to apply to join our team! CivicAction is hiring a Manager of Marketing and Communications, and an Executive Assistant and Senior Advisor to the CEO. Apply by November 27th.

Join us next Tuesday May 19^th at 6:30 P.M. for a conversation between CivicAction''s Emerging Leaders Network & Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie. 

Event Details

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Introducing #ELNonline: Mental Wellness

Since the arrival of COVID-19 in our region, we've heard countless stories of rising leaders rising to the challenge. Yet we know this tumultuous time is also taking its toll, as in our recent outreach to our network we heard that over a third of rising leaders are struggling with their mental health right now. 

As rising leaders in our workplaces and communities, we have a dual role of supporting our own mental health while also supporting those who look to us for help and guidance. Like that airplane safety message says - you have to take care of yourself before you can offer care and support to people around you. To finish off Mental Health Week, we're launching a two-part webinar series aimed at just that. 

#ELNonline: Supporting Your Mental Wellness as a Rising Leader

Join the ELN on Tuesday May 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to learn: 

• The importance of prioritizing your own mental well-being;
• Helpful tips for maintaining mental wellness while social distancing and/or working from home and;
• Strategies for managing stress and anxiousness during times of uncertainty.

This panel will include:

#ELNonline: Championing Mental Wellness on Teams

Then join the ELN on Wednesday, May 27th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to explore:

• Why it's critical that we cultivate mental wellness in our organizations and communities during COVID-19 and;
• How you can be a supportive champion of mental well-being on your teams.

This panel will include:

People across the country are being urged to stay home and practice physical distancing, causing many to feel isolated, alone and disconnected. That's why CivicAction launched Digital Dish, a campaign to get residents civically engaged and socially connecting while at home.

Maintaining social connection has become essential for Canadians during this time with research suggesting that people who feel more socially connected have lower levels of anxiety and depression. As young people, we know you've been impacted.

In a recent survey with the ELN you shared that:

• You're feeling stressed and sad but also have moments of optimism for the future.
• You told us that you're worried about your future, about your mental health and your ability to pay your bills.
•  And that you're most worried about the economic effects of local businesses closing and the impacts today's environment is having on our vulnerable populations.

ELN members had a chance to share these sentiments with Toronto Mayor John Tory at the Digital Dish kickoff on April 2nd where over 200 of our members joined us to talk about various themes including mental health, financial support, supporting our most vulnerable and some of our most impacted sectors (including the arts and small business), to name a few. 
 
Now we turn to you, members of the ELN, to keep the momentum going. To host your own Digital Dish, simply sign up at www.civicaction.ca/DigitalDish and download the free, easy-to-follow toolkit with instructions on how to set-up their online chat and guiding questions for conversations.
 
In addition, the toolkit includes ways to contribute to COVID-19 relief efforts and offer support like donating to local food banks, donating blood, and helping the elderly. We can all do our part.
 
The first 100 people to sign up to host a Digital Dish will receive a $10 promo code for UberEats. Let's continue to support local businesses at this time.
 
We all have a role to play to flatten the curve and save lives. Together we will get through this.

Stay home, stay connected with Digital Dish.

Feeling like you could use some connection? Join CivicAction and the ELN for a virtual chat with Mayor John Tory! 

Event Details

Introducing #ELNonline: Real Talk with Black Leaders

• Connect Black emerging leaders from across the GTHA;
• Recognize Black GTHA-ers leading anti-Black racism efforts in our region, and;
• Hear from you about how the ELN can use its platform, programming and network to improve the quality of life for Black residents in the GTHA. 

It's time for the #ELNonline Summer Social...Trivia Edition!

We know that it's been a tough few months for many in our region. As we continue to work with ELNers, DiverseCity Fellows and stakeholders to take collective action, level the playing field, and #buildbackbetter, it's also important to pause, take a breath and stay connected. Cue the annual Summer Social!

Calling all history buffs and trivia titans! Are you up to date on the who's who of the GTHA? Have a passion for our past and people? Know all of the lyrics to the greatest hits to come out of our region? (Hint, it's more than just Drake.) Want to meet some new people and learn some little known historical factoids about the places and spaces we live in?

For this year's annual ELN Summer Social, we're teaming up with Heritage Toronto to host a virtual trivia night.

Join us online on Tuesday, August 11th at 7 p.m. to put your knowledge to the test. We'll kick off the evening with a few lightning rounds of networking, so you can reconnect with familiar faces and meet some new ones, and then will jump into a game of GTHA-themed trivia. The top three scores will receive $50 gift cards to the local restaurant of your choice.

Flex your networking skills...

with #ELNonline: Mentorship!

For all of us who made New Year's resolutions about less screen time, 2020 clearly had other plans. 

As virtual becomes the new normal, we're making the best of it by bringing our networking skills online and harnessing the power of digital connection through #ELNonline: Mentorship. 

Since launching this tool in March, we've heard from rising leaders about how they've used it to connect with new faces, share their thoughts and ideas, and learn new skills. Here's what two of them had to say: 

Live Here, Lead Here

Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• Study up for the ELN Summer Social with Help from Heritage Toronto! Check out self-guided tours like Lady Action: Toronto's Trailblazing Women or Indigenous Roots: A Living History. Looking to stay in? Discover our city's rich, and sometimes quirky, history through the Heritage at Home series.    
• Applications are now open for Startup & Slay for self-identified women & non-binary entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups. Apply by July 31.
• Join TechTO on August 5 for Talent: How to manage your career today, an interactive (online) event to support the tech community.
• North York Community House is hiring a part-time Active Citizenship Coordinator. Apply by July 31.
• Durham Region is looking for a Program Manager of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Apply by July 29.
• First Policy Response is offering a $250 honorarium for policy pieces by writers from underrepresented groups, with a focus on Black and Indigenous writers.
• The 2020 TD Ready Challenge has launched and is accepting applications until August 13.
• The City of Toronto is looking for residents with these skills for the new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2S+) Council Advisory Body. Apply by August 7.
   

#ELNonline: Real Talk on Reconciliation

So you've read some articles, you've tweeted about National Indigenous Peoples Day (coming up June 21st), and you want to be a better ally to Indigenous peoples and communities. But what comes next? 

For example, what does allyship actually look like in action? How do we increase Indigenous representation in our organizations without being tokenistic? How can we practice more impactful land acknowledgements? What does it mean to actively honour treaty relationships?

Join the Emerging Leaders Network and five Indigenous rising leaders on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:00 PM to discuss these burning questions, and questions of your own (even that one you're embarrassed to ask), during Real Talk on Reconciliation.

• Tabitha Curley, 2020 DiverseCity Fellow and Program Coordinator, Women's Entrepreneurship Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Max FineDay, 2017 DiverseCity Fellow Alumni and Executive Director of Canadian Roots Exchange
• Karen Restoule, Recipient of 2018 MetroNext Emerging Leader Award, Co-Founder of BOLD Realities, and Associate Chair at Tribunals Ontario
• Marc Hebert, 2020 DiverseCity Fellow and Lead, Indigenous Kidney Health, Ontario Health
• Justin Wiebe, 2017 DiverseCity Fellow Alumni and Partner, Mastercard Foundation.

What should equitable and inclusive recovery look like in Ajax?

Join the ELN and Mayor Collier for a Digital Dish.

As communities across Ontario slowly begin to open up their businesses, services, and public spaces, we continue to look to our local governments to guide us there safely. 

Since the start of the COVID19 pandemic, rising leaders have told us they want to connect directly with decision makers, ask questions and ideas, and contribute to plans for an equitable and inclusive recovery. One way we've supported this is through ELN Digital Dish conversations (check out our past events with Toronto Mayor John Tory and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie).

We're now turning our sights east and hosting our next ELN Digital Dish with Ajax Mayor Shaun Collier, on Tuesday June 30th at 6:00 p.m.

Like every town and city in the GTHA, Ajax has its own unique set of challenges as it moves towards recovery. The event will feature an update from Mayor Collier on how the Town of Ajax is taking action during these unprecedented times and will give rising leaders the opportunity to connect directly through an interactive live Q&A.

Join us on June 30^th!

We all have a role to play in confronting anti-Black racism.

Recent acts of anti-Black racism have rightly caused outrage all over the world, including here in the GTHA, within the Emerging Leaders Network & CivicAction.

Now more than ever, we all have a role to play in confronting anti-Black racism. Read more about CivicAction's immediate commitments and calls to action here. 

Our network of DiverseCity Fellows and ELN members has many incredible Black rising leaders, who have made countless impacts on city-building in our region. As an early step in the ELN's efforts towards action, we are creating a dedicated space for members of this community to come together.

If you are a Black rising or risen leader, join the ELN TONIGHT, Thursday, June 18, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to share your experiences and aspirations for building a more inclusive and equitable GTHA.

Hosted by ELN Co-Chairs Idil Burale and Letecia Rose, alongside members of the ELN Executive Committee, and joined by Cameron Bailey, Co-Head and Artistic Director of TIFF and CivicAction Board Member, together we will:

• Connect Black emerging leaders from across the GTHA;
• Recognize Black GTHA-ers leading anti-Black racism efforts in our region, and;
• Hear from you about how the ELN can use its platform, programming and network to improve the quality of life for Black residents in the GTHA.

For non-Black ELNers who want to find ways to support this work, we encourage you to start with education.

Here are five resource lists (yes, this is a list of lists) to help you learn more about systemic anti-Black racism, its deep historical roots, and the far reaching social and economic impacts: 

1. This list of anti-racism resources, compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein, was created for white people and parents to deepen anti-racism work.
2. This month-long guide created by Bryanna Wallace and Autumn Gupta offers various time commitments to take you through important articles, books, podcasts, and films. 
3. This guide created by Toronto For All: Confronting Anti-Black Racism Initiative  explores the issue of anti-Black racism in Toronto and explores the idea of community conversations.
4. Looking for Canadian Black hosts, moderators, or speakers? Check out this list created by Nana aba Duncan, a host, producer and writer based in Toronto.
5. Unsure how to educate your children about racism? This list, compiled by Melissa Neen, of anti-racism resources for kids lays out helpful books, toys, and activities. 

Live Here, Lead Here

Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• Apathy is Boring is looking for a new Executive Director. Passionate about youth civic engagement? Apply here.
• Progress Toronto is looking for an Interim Executive Director.
• The Region of Peel is hiring a Specialist of Community Partnerships.
• York Region is hiring a Program Manager of Social Policy.
• Join CFC, Youthful Cities, and RBC Future Launch for ffwd20, a four day virtual summit on the future of work by youth and for youth. Attendance is paid.
• The City of Toronto's Office of Recovery and Rebuild wants to hear from you through this short survey.
• Women's Executive Network is hosting a July book club featuring author Samra Zafar, a 2019 DiverseCity Fellow!

Zabeen Hirji
Chair, CivicAction                                                     

Tim Hockey
Chair, CivicAction Leadership Foundation

Every year, we turn to you-our ELN members-to hear your feedback on how we can improve our programming and better respond to the needs of the network in the year ahead.

Your feedback is integral to shaping the future of the ELN. Please take a few minutes to complete our 2020 ELN Membership Survey.

To thank you for your time, all respondents will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of eight prizes. You could win a $50 gift card to a local restaurant of your choice OR a virtual coffee chat with CivicAction's CEO or a CivicAction Board Member! 

The survey closes on Sunday December 13th, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. The first 100 people to complete the survey will be entered into the draw twice, so click the link below to get started!

Last chance to register for the ELN Summer Social Trivia Night!

Have a passion for the GTHA's past and people? Know all of the lyrics to the greatest hits to come out of our region? (Hint, it's more than just Drake). Want to meet some new people and learn some little known historical factoids about the places and spaces we live in?

If you answered yes, we''ve got an event for you!

The ELN Summer Social is back (virtually) and this time it's connecting inquiring minds from across our region for a trivia night with Heritage Toronto. 

Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11th and put your knowledge to the test for a chance to win one of three $50 gift cards to the local restaurant of your choice. You'll also get a chance to virtually network and get to know your fellow ELN members.

We can all be mental wellness champions on our teams.

Join us next Wednesday to learn how!

As rising leaders in our workplaces and communities, we have a dual role of supporting our own mental well-being while also supporting those who look to us for help and guidance.

Next Wednesday, May 27th, join the ELN as we explore why it's critical to cultivate mental wellness in our organizations and communities during COVID-19 and how you can be a supportive champion of mental well-being on your teams. Panelists include:

• Jordan Friesen, National Director of Workplace Mental Health with the Canadian Mental Health Association, 
• Liz Horvath, Manager of Workplace Mental Health at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and 
• Anjum Sultana, National Director of Public Policy & Strategic Communications at YWCA and Founder of Millennial Womxn in Policy. 

What does COVID-19 recovery look like to you?

Tell us via a new phase of Digital Dish!

As Ontario enters the first phase of it's COVID-19 recovery plan, businesses are taking steps to re-open, green spaces are welcoming park-goers, and we are continuing to flatten the curve. But as we rebuild and recover, we also have an unprecedented opportunity to #BuildBackBetter, together!

As part of it's Re:Action initiative, CivicAction is launching a new phase of Digital Dish to crowdsource ideas on three issues facing our region related to COVID-19:
 

• Re:Employment: How to help young adults and those early in their career to enter or re-enter the workforce, including those affected by layoffs;
• Mental Wellbeing: How to support our mental wellbeing and combat loneliness; and
• Trust: How to build and maintain the trust in our communities and leaders that we'll need to return to work and social life.

Share your ideas

With the Re:Action Task Force.

CivicAction recently launched the Re:Action Task Force to ensure the voices of rising leaders are heard as our region navigates COVID-19 relief and recovery. In addition to a broad array or rising and risen leaders from across the region, we''re excited to also have five incredible emerging leaders representing the ELN at this (virtual) table. To help them best represent our diverse network, they want to hear from you about what you see as essential to COVID-19 recovery.

Meet 30 new DiverseCity Fellows changing the leadership game. 

Last week the CivicAction Leadership Foundation ushered in a new wave of game-changing civic leadership with its 2020 DiverseCity Fellows.

We've seen leaders across Canada step up to address the COVID-19 pandemic. But as we start to build back a better region, we have an opportunity to increase diversity in our leadership ranks and plug new voices into decision making tables. DiverseCity Fellows will help achieve this.

This new group of 30 Fellows hail from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences including the founder of a social enterprise that creates opportunities for bottle collectors; the executive director of one of the region's oldest violence against women emergency shelters; and the leader of the financial intelligence unit at one of Canada's "Big Six" banks. But wait-there's 27 more exceptional city builders to meet!

Live Here, Lead Here

Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• Looking to get some governance experience? Unlock Democracy is looking for a new Board of Directors
• Check out the ReelAbilities Film Festival online until May 24
• Anti-Asian Discrimination in the Time of COVID-19: Confronting Racism and Discrimination (May 26, 2020, 1 pm - 1:30 pm EDT)
• Factory Media Centre (Hamilton) is looking for board members
• Apathy is Boring is hiring two paid summer interns for remote roles:
• FoodShare is hiring a Manager of Marketing and Communications. Apply here.

Wishing you a happy end of summer!

It was so great to see some of you at the ELN Summer Social where you put your historical knowledge put to the test during our Trivia Night with Heritage Toronto.

Missed the event? Not to worry, there''s lots of exciting programming coming up this fall!

What''s to come this fall:

We're also launching a new event series to help ELNers future-proof their leadership skills in the face of an uncertain future as our region continues to recover from COVID-19.

While none of us can predict the future, skill building can help us ride this roller coaster of uncertainty with a sense of flexibility and purpose.

To help us understand how best to support you, we're looking for your feedback.

Which future-proof skills are you looking to strengthen right now? Click up to 3 choices.   

Online Networking
How to present & pitch online
Conflict management & negotiation
Creating your online brand
Collaboration & fostering meaningful partnerships in a digital world
Building resiliency in time of uncertainty
Sparking change within your organization

Have an idea you don''t see here? Email your suggestion to leadership@civicaction.ca. 

Live Here, Lead Here

Exciting opportunities and initiatives to help engage you in the work happening in our region!

• Youth Challenge International is hiring a Climate Solutions Accelerator - Consultant. Apply by August 23: https://www.goodwork.ca/jobs/climate-change-action-science-and-environmental-education-jobs-57253

• Pivot 2020, a new project researching how communities can build back better post- COVID-19, is hiring 1200 youth from 27 cities across Canada. Apply here: https://pivot2020.recruitee.com/l/en

• Frontlines, a centre for at-risk youth in the York South-Weston Community, is recruiting for Board members. Apply by Sept 8: http://frontlines.to/board-recruits/?fbclid=IwAR29a50L6YU2VFnCfoaGsMbgwMY1TFwGuaP-k-2Z5y3_HjhvmB04lxFFhpc

• Akin Collective, an artist-run social enterprise, is also looking for new Board members! Apply by Aug 31: https://www.akincollective.com/blog/call-for-new-board-members-2020 

• The Bentway's Public Space Fellowship aims to build a generation of leaders who will steward a future for public space that ensures resiliency, inclusion & equitable access. Apply by Aug 21: https://www.thebentway.ca/public-space-fellowship-program-at-the-bentway/

• Under 25 and looking to get more engaged in provincial decision-making? Applications are open for the Ontario Provincial Youth Cabinet. Apply by Aug 29: https://opycjo.ca/home/join-us/

• Canada World Youth is accepting submissions for their Innovation Challenge. Apply by Sept 30: https://canadaworldyouth.org/cwy-innovation-challenge/. 

• Do you know of awesome events and opportunities in our region? Share them with your fellow ELNers in our Facebook group and LinkedIn Group.