HEAL YOUTH SUMMIT
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2024
1:30 PM – 4 PM
aaniin Community centre, 5665 14th Ave
Next Generation Arts invites all youth and community members in South Markham to the 2024 HEAL Youth Summit on Saturday, November 16!
HEAL (Health Empowerment and Arts Leverage) is Next Generation Arts’ year-long arts-based program to explore youth voice and build resiliency for mental health and well-being. The HEAL Youth Summit is a free event that marks the culmination of the HEAL York Region program and celebrates the achievements of youth participants in spoken word and in visual arts.
Enjoy live performances by HEAL youth participants, listen to a keynote by acclaimed TEDx mental health speaker Asante Haughton, and participate in a Tanaga free-write activity. The event will be hosted by hip-hop veteran Dan-e-o and award-winning spoken word poet Patrick de Belen.
All youth who attend will receive gift cards, exciting gift packages, and a chance to win raffle prizes worth over $100.
Spots are limited; registration is required.
ARTIST + PERFORMER BIOS
ASANTE HAUGHTON
Asante Haughton is a lot of things: entrepreneur, activist, organizer, speaker, writer, poet, and mental health worker. His accomplishments include two TEDx talks and being named as one of Canada's top 150 influencers in mental health. Most notably, he co-founded the Reach Out Response Network, an organization whose advocacy directly paved the way to the Toronto Community Crisis Service, a new fourth emergency service that supports folks in mental health crisis with mobile crisis teams instead of police officers.
In his day job, Asante is the Manager of Storytelling at Unsinkable, a mental health organization that amplifies stories for the purpose of awareness and change.
A lover of celebrity gossip and sports analogies, Asante's passion is for the betterment of all people. He is engaged in the lofty ambition of trying to change the world, one person and one community at a time. (@asantetalks | asantetalks.net)
YATHOO
Hi there, my name is Yathoorshica, but you can call me Yathoo for short! My pronouns are she/her, and I am based in Markham! I am 21 years old and studying Game Development at Ontario Tech University. I like to have an open mind and try new things. I sing, crochet, collect vinyl records, doodle, write poems, and listen to and learn about music. Talk to me about anything about tea and music; I’d love to hear your perspective!
DAN-E-O (EMCEE)
At the age of 13, Daniel Faraldo, known professionally as Dan-e-o, won a rap-off contest on Toronto’s “Electric Circus” dance show. Five years later, his first single “Dear Hip Hop” was featured on Beat Factory’s Rap Essentials Volume One compilation. The Canadian hip-hop classic would launch Dan-e-o’s future labelling as “legend”.
Dan-e-o’s greatest accomplishment, however, took place on April 23, 2014, when he became a father to his wonderful daughter, Melina. His fifth solo album, The Day It All Changed takes listeners along with him on his new fatherhood journey. (@daneo1010)
Patrick de Belen (EMCEE)
Patrick de Belen is a Filipino-Canadian storyteller, arts educator, spoken word poet, writer, and filmmaker. He is most known for his collaborations with the Toronto Raptors, the NFL, and CBC, and his three spoken word EPs and multiple cine-poems he wrote and directed himself.
He was the youngest poet to win a national poetry slam championship, awarded both the national Canadian poet of honour and youth poet of honour title, and a few more storytelling accolades throughout his career.
When he is not writing or sharing, he is an educator and youth mentor, partnering with many institutions like addiction centres, mental health focused organizations, libraries, schools, jails and more—advocating for storytelling opportunities in as many spaces as possible. (@patrick_debelen | patrickdebelen.com)
ABOUT HEAL
Presented by Next Generation Arts, HEAL (Health Empowerment & Arts Leverage) is a series of free arts and mental health workshops in South Markham. Led by arts facilitators with trauma-informed training, HEAL provides a safe, supportive space for youth ages 13 to 29 to try new art-making techniques, discover tools to unpack emotional trauma, and promote healing and mental wellness through creativity.
For more information about HEAL, contact Abiha Sajid, HEAL Project Administrator, at heal@nextgenerationarts.ca.
