Shows
UpNext: Emerging LeadersDigital Disruption - Jade Parkinson-GayleWelcome to The UpNext Podcast with your host, Zola Mirenge! Brought to you by The ForUsGirls Foundation, this digital storytelling series amplifies the voices of diverse, young, and emerging global leaders from our community.In today’s episode, we’re joined by Jade, a dedicated former volunteer, facilitator, community development worker, and community counsellor at ForUsGirls Foundation. Since joining in February 2019, Jade has played a key role in supporting community members through initiatives like the YGL Accelerator program. She’ll be sharing her journey with the organization, the impact of her work on young...
2025-03-1823 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersFuture Innovators - Sandra MoerchWelcome to The UpNext Podcast with your host, Zola Mirenge!Brought to you by The ForUsGirls Foundation, The UpNext Podcast is a digital storytelling series dedicated to amplifying the voices of diverse, young, emerging, and global leaders from our community.In today’s episode, we are joined by Sandra Moerch, who served on The ForUsGirls Foundation Board of Directors from 2018 to 2019 and contributed to the A NEW REALITY: Tech Summit in May 2019.During our conversation, Sandra shared how she first got involved with ForUsGirls, her experiences and learnings as a Board Member, and he...
2025-03-0428 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersGlobal Catalyst - Felicia SangareWelcome to The UpNext Podcast with your host, Zola Mirenge!Brought to you by The ForUsGirls Foundation, The UpNext Podcast is a digital storytelling series dedicated to amplifying the voices of diverse, young, emerging, and global leaders from our community.In today’s episode, we’re joined by Felicia Sangare, a former member of the ForUsGirls Foundation’s Board of Directors (2018-2019, 2019-2020) and a contributor to the NEW REALITY: Tech Summit in May 2019. Felicia is a human capital management professional with a background in Economics, Politics, and Project Management.Born in Abidjan, Côte d...
2025-02-2542 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersBlack Girl Magic Healing - Christhina MattisWelcome to The UpNext Podcast with your host, Zola Mirenge!Brought to you by The ForUsGirls Foundation, The UpNext Podcast is a digital storytelling series dedicated to amplifying the voices of diverse, young, emerging, and global leaders from our community.In today’s episode, we’re joined by Christina Mattis, the Project Coordinator for Black Girls Healing Through Wellness. Christina’s work on this impactful program provided mental health support and therapeutic workshops for Black teen girls navigating challenges brought on by the pandemic lockdowns. Through this wellness initiative, safe spaces were created for Black girls...
2025-02-1828 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Season 2 TrailerForUsGirls is turning 10! 🎉"Since 2015, The ForUsGirls Foundation has empowered over 10,000+ Black and racialized young women, girls, non-binary youth and families across Canada, the U.S., and Jamaica.Now, in Season 2 ofUpNext: Emerging Leaders, we’re looking back on a decade of impact—featuring the voices of the advisory team, dedicated members, and visionary executives who helped bring this mission to life.Join us every Tuesday as we reflect on the milestones, challenges, and triumphs that shaped the past 10 years—and uncover what’s next in our mission to uplift the next generation of bold, fearless...
2025-02-1002 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep.6- Care with Love with Keziah OduroToday, we are happy to welcome Keziah Oduro, a biomedical science student at the University of Ottawa and a proud participant of the Emerging Young Global Leaders Accelerator program 2020 North American edition. She enjoyed very much the 10-day accelerator program with extensive deliverables on entrepreneurship, leadership, and community development and empowerment.
Keziah was greatly motivated by the keynote address of Canada's Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Youth, Honourable Minister Bardish Chagger @ Bardish Chagger. Seeing women of colour holding this important position in the cabinet serves as a great inspiration for young girls like Keziah to trust their a...
2024-05-1621 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep.5- Discover the Inner You with Shantal Perez VasquezThis week on UpNext, we had the pleasure to talk to Shantal Perez Vasquez, an emerging young leader who is a passionate advocate for mental health issues, especially the mental health issues of people of colour. She is also another thriving participant of this year’s Emerging Young Global Leaders Accelerator program North American edition.
The YGL program gave her a lot of inspiration and supported her to continue to unapologetically be her true self in both professional and personal settings. Through the personal branding workshop provided by Danica Nelson, she was reminded of the importance of st...
2024-05-0929 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep. 4- Code for Change with Aliyah QayumWho’s UpNext? Aliyah Qayum! She is a participant in the Emerging Young Global Leaders Accelerator program 2020 North American edition. She is also someone who is passionate about coding and empowering women through technology.
Having coded three apps in the past years, Aliyah wishes to take on her next endeavour to tackle the important issue of period poverty. She believes that all women and girls in the world should have access to sufficient sanitary products to fulfill their basic needs. It was surprising for her to find out that so many women and girls don’t have acce...
2024-05-0227 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep.3- Crushing the Walls with Ashley HallIt’s time for UpNext! This week, we had the pleasure to speak with Ashley Hall, a participant in the Emerging Young Global Leaders Accelerator Program 2020 North American edition.
17-year-old Ashley said that she took a leap of faith when she signed up for the YGL program and was thrilled to be immersed in this inspirational and supportive environment of the 10-day accelerator program. She describes herself as someone who has an ambition brighter than the stars. She told us that the YGL program helped her to gain a more comprehensive perspective on entrepreneurship.
Not only...
2024-04-1929 min
UpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep. 2 - Unforgotten Stories with Tawheed MusaWelcome back! In this week’s episode, we welcomed Tawheed Musa, a participant in the Young Global Leaders Accelerator Program Spring 2020 Kitchener, Waterloo edition.
Through the YGL program, she was able to elevate her passion for storytelling to “Spoken Savior”, a digital storytelling initiative revealing the unspoken stories of women and girls in Kitchener, Waterloo.
Tawheed shared her journey participating in the YGL program and how Aminka Belvitt has impacted her life as a mentor. She also voiced her opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement and the definition of a great leader.
Are yo...
2024-04-0513 minUpNext: Emerging LeadersUpNext Ep.1 - Walk The Talk with Janani ShivakumarHello and Welcome to UpNext! Brought to you by the ForUsGirls Foundation, we strive to amplify the message of emerging young community and global leaders who have participated in ForUsGirls programs.
For our first episode, we talked to Janani Shivakumar, a former participant of A NEW REALITY Tech Summit for Girls. She is the founder of Girls Play Global, an international non-profit organization that aims to increase opportunities for underprivileged girls in rural areas to participate in sports at their local schools.
Inspired by her experience participating in the A NEW REALITY Tech Summit for...
2020-11-1023 min
UNFILTEREDBuilding Techs New Legacy ft Aminka BelvittIn today's episode, I chat with Aminka Belvitt, Aminka Belvitt was born in Wakefield, Jamaica, and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. She is a former Canadian Parliamentary Member’s Assistant turned digital marketing consultant, innovator, advocate, mentor, and speaker. She studied Public Administration & Political Science at the University of Ottawa then Public Policy & Public Affairs at the School of Community Policy and Public Affairs Concordia University followed by a Marketing Analytics, Campaigns & Engagement professional development certificate from Columbia Business School. Her career started in Canadian politics and expanded into the not-for-profit sector working for organizations like The Heart & Stroke Foundation and Mon...
2020-10-2856 min