Unpacking the Forum’s Core: Capacity Building and Community Engagement ft. Andre Anderson & Rodney Small.

by Itai Kuwodza

During another session, Andre Anderson and Rodney Small took centre stage as they highlighted the significance of community leaders in shaping the lives of young individuals. They both emphasize the importance of educating our youth about their rich heritage and the resilience of their ancestors. Their discussion revolved around the impact of mentorship and the communal obligation felt by many Black individuals to contribute positively to the lives of youth.

Andre and Rodney dive into the present day and historical challenges faced by our communities largely recurring issues of displacement and its longstanding effects in the Halifax Regional Municipality area, notably Africville. The historical displacement of the people of Africville has present-day implications as people who interact with those implications, the youth should acknowledge past challenges as a powerful tool of empowerment. The session delved into the need for community elders to direct the youth, stressing the value of a top-down approach to mentoring and guidance. Anderson and Small advocate for inclusive conversations with crucial allies, emphasizing that we all have roles within the context of capacity building and community engagement.

There is so much to get fired up on in this episode. It's almost as if Andre and Rodney are calling out to all Black youth in Nova Scotia and breathing truth into them. Hence, they join the generational effort to uplift and unify the community through knowledge, empowerment, and strategic engagement. Shout out to "One North End," an initiative born from the necessity of acknowledging and addressing historic and ongoing displacement issues.