[Caitlin]

I’ll never forget it! It was the summer before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I had just started as a Community Outreach Coordinator with Flaunt-It Movement. Back then, I hadn’t yet realized the impact this work would have on the trajectory of my life and my connection to Jane-Finch and Rexdale; instead, I worried about whether the team would like me and if I could meaningfully contribute.

The Executive Director (who has since become one of my dearest friends) hosted an elaborate, gorgeous picnic at a park in Jane-Finch to welcome the new team. I was surrounded by other young women and non-binary folks who embraced me with warmth. It was one of the first times I experienced the convergence of my identities; my girlhood, my advocacy for community, and the shared joy and resilience of being held by a team of young people who carried these identities too.

Our night ended with the heaviest rainfall I’ve ever experienced, but in true Flaunt-It fashion, going through it together cemented the approach we would take when going through experiences as racialized, Black, and gender-diverse young people labelled “at-risk”: with joy and with each other. I laughed harder that day than I had in a long time, and I still laugh when I remember it, almost five years later.

I also always think fondly of one of my first Flaunt-It photoshoots. It was makeshift: an Amazon backdrop, a few living room chairs, and a dream! Yet it turned out to be my favourite photoshoot ever. I loved how it captured the beauty, inherent talent, and vibrancy of Jane-Finch and how, no matter how few or many resources we have, we always, always make it work.

Since beginning my youth work in 2020, I’ve learned that being a young person from my community while also serving and advocating for it is incredibly difficult. I’m constantly navigating life myself while also applying for funding, being a resource for my community and others, and so much more. Still, moments like this remind me why I do this work: they ground me in what I know and love, the resilience, creativity, and brilliance of my community. 💞

• This reply was modified 5 days, 3 hours ago by  Caitlin Arizala.