ABOUT US

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ABOUT US

Make Ur Mark developed by Selflove Youth Wellness & Empowerment is a Toronto District School Board Educational partner. This mentorship program was an organic evolution from the holistic directive of Selfove Youth. Our workshops support the psychosocial and emotional needs of the black student by acknowledging that many come to school and experience challenges in learning because of situations out of their control. Our program creates space for every student to be seen, to feel heard but most importantly to know that they matter.

CONTRIBUTORS

Kym Niles

Developer / Host

Jacqueve Colaire

Production Manager

Sharlene Moore

Mortgage & Financial Consultant - Workshop Panelist

Kayla Marie Tracy

Journalist - Workshop Panelist

Rich Spence

Entrepreneur - Workshop Panelist

Tabia Charles Collins

Olympian/ Entrepreneur - Workshop Panelist

Penny Cromwell

Pioneer Female Emcee - Workshop Panelist

Jebril Jalloh

Entrepreneur - Workshop Panelist

Stephanie Henry

Journalist - Workshop Panelist

Dr. Joel Kerr

Health Practitioner - Workshop Panelist

Ayanna Sealey

Mental Performance Coach - Workshop Panelist

Dr. Natasha Williams

Clinical Psychologist - Workshop Panelist

Latoya Anderson

Police Officer/Entrepreneur - Workshop Panelist

Joanne Dominico

Learning Strategist

Kym Niles

Kym Niles is on a quest to bring Black representation into classrooms, quench the thirst of Black youth mental health and ignite ALL students to Make their Mark!

A Social Entrepreneur, Magnetic mentor and Holistic Wellness Advocate with over 15 years of experience in the wellness industry, Kym yields a wholesome approach to wellbeing with a robust background in physical training, mental conditioning and self-regulation.

Considered an “At-Risk” youth, Kym worked hard to go against the grain and grasped for success by any means necessary.

An unapologetic catalyst for systemic change, Kym acted on her philanthropic duty in 2016 and co-founded Selflove Youth Wellness & Empowerment a Toronto District School Board Educational partner. Her organization aims to supply Black youth with tools and resources to support their mental wellbeing, overcome obstacles and improve educational outcomes.

Dear to her heart is Kym’s signature Make Ur Mark: Resilience & Restoration workshop, a program she so desperately desired as a young adult navigating life in an unconventional way. Each year these workshops positively impact thousands of students from Elementary to Post Secondary institutions by bringing visibility to Black professionals in classrooms, showcasing multiple pathways to success, breaking the bias of poverty, dispelling Anti-Black racism myths and connecting Black youth to mentors.

Committed to exposing underserved youth to possibilities and improving socio-economic outcomes, Kym developed The Make Ur Mark Student Success Conference in partnership with George Brown College, creating an elevated experience for marginalized students to see themselves in a post secondary environment.

The conference boasts a day of creative engagement for diverse learners, Mental Health support, unlimited resources to pursue Post Secondary education and breakout sessions in a Culturally reflective environment.

With representation as the cornerstone, Kym designed and launched the first of its kind Black Canadian Pioneer wall, now a staple in Toronto’s second-oldest secondary school Weston Collegiate Institute established in 1857.

Kym has been recognized with several leadership awards and has been featured as an expert on Global TV, CBC News, CP24, CTV and City news.

A light with a high level of consciousness, Kym continues to deliver one mission and that is “To leave you better than she met you”

Instagram- @kymniles
Facebook- www.facebook.com/ICandIW/
Website- http://icanandiwill.ca/

Tabia Charles Collins

As a child, Tabia Charles was a talented athlete, participating in all kinds of sports ranging from track and field, to dance, to soccer. By the time she was in high school, it became evident Tabia was not only gifted, but she was exceptional. Her abilities garnered her multiple scholarship offers. Charles ultimately selected the University of Miami as her home for the next leg of her promising future.

While completing her Honours BA in three years rather than four, Tabia somehow found the time to become an NCAA Champion and 12-time All-American. After graduating in 2006, Charles returned to Canada and continued her training, entered the workforce and furthered her education.

From 2007 to 2010, Charles competed professionally for Team Canada and Nike, becoming a Canadian record-holder in both long jump and triple jump with her athletic career highlight competing Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

After suffering a career-ending injury, Charles refused to be sidelined. Her athletic career brought her to over 30 countries across the globe and Charles was not about to rest on her laurels. After completing an advanced diploma in Human Resources from Centennial College, Charles’s career in Marketing and HR took off. Not one to still for too long, Charles once again challenged herself and from 2012-2014 she returned to school full-time to pursue her Master’s degree. In 2014, Charles indeed graduated with her MA in Industrial Relations and HR at the University of Toronto. Following graduation, Charles’s career continued to flourish and she entered the field of Project Management.

In 2017, Charles said “I do” to her childhood, fellow track star sweetheart, Dennison Collins, officially becoming Tabia Charles Collins and stepmother to Dante, whom she has loved and cared for over the years. In 2017, the family of three welcomed baby D’Angelo and in 2020 welcome baby girl Jordyn-Simone. .

While on maternity leave her son, this All-American, NCAA Champion, Canadian record holding Olympian started her new business. As a child, the only thing Charles loved as much as sports was fashion. With a handful of projects on the go, Charles did as she always has and found the energy and ability to pursue yet another dream – the result is Anisah, a beautiful, bold line of clothing for men and women.

In 2019 Tabia and her Husband started their infamous TEAM COLLINS Training & Development program. If that wasn’t enough, she decided to start building her real estate investment empire.

@tabiacharles

Dr Natasha Williams

Dr. Natasha Williams is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and the past Chair of the Board of Directors at Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, a Community Health Centre for black women and women of colour in Toronto. Dr. Williams is a member of the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA), Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and she is the Chair of the inaugural Association of Black Psychologists-Toronto Chapter. With over 13 years of experience she has amassed several accomplishments. She was the OPA’s diversity delegate representative at the APA State Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. in 2011 and is the past Chair of the OPA Diversity Task Force whose aim is to raise awareness of the importance of diversity and to promote ongoing efforts to influence social change in the field of psychology practice in Ontario. Dr. Williams is a past faculty member with the Bridge Training program for internationally trained mental health professionals and a former trainer for TAPE Educational services which provides professional development programs for clinical teams at healthcare centres and human services organizations. She is the current trainer with the Adler Graduate Professional School in the CBT certificate program and she is also a facilitator/trainer with CAMH in topics such as culturally adapting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for the English-speaking Caribbean community and Motivational Interviewing. Dr. Williams is the co-Clinical Director of Allied Psychological Services and she operates an anti-oppressive private practice providing assessment, individual and group psychotherapy, corporate consultation, research, supervision and training services to clients from diverse ethno-racial backgrounds, gender and socio-economic backgrounds.

Dr. Williams is also an accomplished professional speaker and a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS). She has traveled around the world to places such as Hawaii, Peru, Japan, South Africa, Trinidad, Suriname, Haiti, Jamaica and India where she has been invited to speak on several topics including culturally adapting cognitive behavoural therapy for the English-Speaking Caribbean Community, Motivational Interviewing in a Caribbean Context, Mental Health in the Black Community, Black Women and Mental Health, Mental Health and the Church and Cultural Implications in Psychological practice.

Dr. Williams is a guest radio and television personality and has been invited to several programs including The Agenda with Steve Paiken, ETalk, G987, CHRY 105.5 and Joy Radio. She is a published best-selling author and her book Carpe Diem was released in March 2019. She has also been nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award presented by the Women of Influence and she is the recipient of the 2019 Soulful Image Magazine Inspirational Woman of Toronto Award.

Dr. Williams has designed and launched a four-week on-line masterclass called “Redefine your Superwoman-How to find your voice after divorce” which is based on a combination of science, faith and personal experience to help women move from being stuck in a cycle of personal unfulfillment, uncertainty and despair to walking in their own truth and experiencing the freedom of pursuing their own dreams and goals.

In her spare time, she is the chair of the board of her local church, The Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene and she is the creator of the Community Health and Wellness Day which connects the local community with health and wellness information and resources.

Facebook: /drnatashawilliams
Website: drnatashawilliams.com