Gen_Chos3n - Generation Chosen

Generation Chosen is a non-profit organization devoted to enhancing the emotional intelligence of young adults, from marginalized communities. Through openly confronting mental health obstacles; dealing compassionately with harmful emotional tendencies and creating opportunities for educational matriculation, job recruitment, and recreational catharsis, we aim to holistically support the development of those most vulnerable in our society.

Why We Do What We Do
The primary facilitators and organizers of Generation Chosen (Joseph Smith, Dwayne Brown, Kimarie Smith, Nadia Dowie, and Rhianne Campbell) all possess unique backgrounds that both inform and motivate their work today. The common thread that unites them, is their acknowledgement of the dramatic impact that psycho-social tensions and unresolved emotional issues can have on educational, vocational and life outcomes.

This is why at Generation Chosen we take such pride in cultivating and enriching the inter/intrapersonal relationships that each of our participants have, given that the very success of their future endeavours (in their relationships and work life) is predicated upon the quality of the relationships they currently hold – both with themselves and others. In marginalized and low-income communities like the one we serve (Jane and Finch), what we believe hinders youth ages 15-19 from educational matriculation (both at the secondary and post-secondary levels), and precludes their access to tertiary and quaternary industry jobs, is not so much their willingness, capacities and acumen, but rather, the way in which institutional and systemic barriers, structures, and biases coalesce to condition our participants and condition the individuals who function as their first points of contact with mainstream society (parents, teachers, employers etc.).

These institutional interfaces (family, school, work etc.) are often plagued with harmful power structures that favour those with privilege, and sideline those without. It is because we believe that these types of (mis)relationships suppress the psycho-social development of our participants, the inter/intrapersonal relationships they seek to establish and by extension, their life prospects, that we seek to demystify, and make less taboo, engaging in meaningful educative discussions, activities, and programming around mental health and emotional intelligence.

Our program caters to the needs of racialized, marginalized and disenfranchised inner-city youth by focussing on 5 key areas, which we believe, fundamentally catalyze holistic human development.

Mental Health

Mental Health is the Ability to Resolve Contradictions

E.I. (Emotional Intelligence)

Experiences are Composites of Our Emotions

Education

Understanding the World Demands that we First Understand Ourselves

Jobs

The Secret to Success: Make your Vocation your Vacation

Recreation

The Therapy of Motion

At Generation Chosen, we emphasize and seek to inculcate in our youth, six key virtues, that we think, overwhelmingly contribute to the emotional and mental health of any subject. These virtues are made manifest in all of our programming, and constitute the very matrix of our organization.

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is the activity of self-worth.

COURAGE

Courage is taking responsibility for dealing with change and error.

HUMILITY

Humility is recognizing that everyone is in need of someone or something for their success.

INTEGRITY

Integrity is the ability to stay committed to what is eternal.

BOLDNESS

Boldness is a loud and powerful statement, made, internally.

VISION

Vision illuminates the world within.

Our Anchor, Dwayne Brown, has written a fabulous article for www.conversationcanada.com regarding our work with Generation Chosen, and how it relates to the personal tragedies he has had to contend with in his life. Take A Look! https://theconversation.com/emotional-intelligence-is-life-and-death-where-im-from-93413

Emotional Intelligence is Life and Death where I'm From

Thanks to OperationBlackVote, we have been privileged to be spotlighted by pressednews.com . Check out the amazing article they wrote about our program and its members. https://pressednews.com/impressed/joseph-smith/

At Generation Chosen we believe in reimagining consumerism. Purchasing products shouldn't be about simply satiating a temporal desire, but rather, about fulfilling a human goal, that is, consuming goods and services that enhance and enrich human relational life rather than deplete it. Our fleet of products (which we endeavour to grow in time), is distinct, as it aims at deepening one's inner emotional and mental life, rather than inciting one's compulsive and rapacious urges.

Tee's

Toronto District School Board

We partner with the Toronto District School Board to provide Co-Op educational credits to high school students in grades 10-12.

MLSE & The Toronto Argonauts

We have partnered with the Toronto Argonauts to provide our youth with opportunities to meet players, experience live football games and gain subsidized entrance into the CNE every year.

Operation Black Vote

We partner with Operation Black Vote Canada to increase the civic engagement of our youth and young adults. With OBVC we have helped to successfully put on the first Black Community Provincial Debate and the first Black Community Mayoral Debate in Toronto. Aside form this, our youth are frequently consulted and outsourced to OBVC for PSAs and town-halls to discuss issues pertaining to racialized youth and civic engagement.

ABEDORC

We partner with ABEDORC productions to offer our youth and young adults the opportunity to work behind the scenes in local journalism, music and film production and radio/podcast production. Youth have access to this space, and are able to express themselves and their narratives via online platforms that are made public to the wider GTA community.

Black Creek Community Health Centre

We partner with Black Creek Community Health Centre to expose our youth and young adults to the realities and implications of misinformation regarding their mental, physical, and emotional health and well being.

International Development and Relief Foundation

We partner with IDRF to engage our youth and young adults in the difficult process of becoming job ready. This includes, but is not limited to, resume writing, interview tactics, the importance of networking, and the value of a strong social media presence.

African Canadian Christian Network

We partner with ACCN to provide educational opportunities for parents who may be struggling to contend with the many unique and nuanced issues confronting youth and young adults in the 21st century.