Who We Are

Black Youth Initiative is a collective product of love and care from the tireless labor of three Black femmes with the intersections of being Refugees, Migrants, Muslim and Queer. Our hope and intentionality for the work we do rests with sharing mutual aid efforts and resource redistribution that are vital for supporting our beloved Black and Indigenous communities.

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Values

Youth led

We commit to ensuring that youth are the lead decision makers and beneficiaries of the work we do.

Decolonization

We commit to practicing and understanding the complex ways we can dismantle systems of oppression and power that continue to harm, oppress and hold back our communities.

Accessibility

We strive to reduce barriers to accessing services and opportunities through our work, by promoting equity, dignity, and respect in how we approach it.

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Mission

To provide space for Black youth to develop community and sustain their capacity to thrive and experience joy.

To bridge the communal solidarity between Indigenous and Black communities across BC and Turtle Island.

Meet the Team

Arieyeh Timayo (she/her)

Arieyeh is a Community Organizer and Political Science Student living and working on the unceded territory of the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo people (what’s colonially known as “Surrey ''). She was born in Juba Sudan though her traditional family land is in Kajo Keji, on the territory of her beloved ancestors the Kuku people. Her passions in no particular order are as follows; cats, Beyonce and decoloni(zing) towards safe & inclusive communities through radical re-imagination and taking care of the most vulnerable folks first. Arieyeh is deeply grateful to be uplifted by numerous nourishing and wonderful bad-ass black femmes in her life. Her work is done in inspiration and honour her family and the Black and Indigenous Youth who continue to impact and teach her on her path.

Jackie Obungah (she/her)

Jackie is a Black African femme living, working and playing on the occupied Coast Salish territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples. She is eternally grateful for the delicate communal care offered by Black and Indigenous youth on these lands. She is particularly intentional in fostering and building meaningful community and solidarity between Black and Indigenous youth in her immediate community. Jackie dedicates her time toward curating spaces for dialogue and participating in mutual aid efforts in her community. She has been intentional in dedicating time to learn her indigenous languages and speak them more often. Jackie spends her time reveling in the optimism of Afro-futurist worlds through film literature and photography.

Ayaan Ismail (She/her)

Ayaan is a Black Muslimah living and working on the stolen and occupied Coast Salish territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam, Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples as a refugee-settler. She is invested in community organizing and creating decolonial, culturally appropriate, and accessible spaces for dialogue. Through BYI she is excited to create intentional youth spaces that center the leadership and expertise of Black and Indigenous youth. She is a founding member of the Black in BC Mutual Aid Fund team which raised funds to support Black community members in BC amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ayaan holds a BA in International Studies and MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies.

Meet The Board (bios/photos coming soon!)

Aida Mwanzia (SHE/HER)
Ella Droko (SHE/HER)
Natasha Mhuriro (SHE/HER)
Okong’o Kinyanjui (HE/HIM)

Our Supporters

This fund is generously supported by the Vancouver Foundation and was formerly hosted by Check Your Head. The fund is currently hosted by PeerNet BC