Meet Aleem Punja, a dedicated ELN member who sits on the ELN Executive Committee and works with the Aga Khan Council for Canada. In this month’s Spotlight, Aleem talks about what guides his leadership journey, his commitment to living a purpose-driven life, and his love for Toronto. My name is… Aleem Punja I was born […]
ELN Spotlight
Welcome to the ELN Spotlight, where you can find profiles of ELN members, relevant thought leadership and reflections, and recaps of ELN programming. We’re always looking to spread the word about inspiring emerging leaders doing meaningful work through Faces of ELN and to share your ideas and reflections on city-building, civic issues, and inclusive leadership through Ideas of ELN.
Interested in being featured or nominating another rising leader to be featured? Simply complete this short application.
ELN Spotlight: International Women’s Day
March 8th marked International Women’s Day, an important opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, girls, and gender diverse people across the globe. This year’s theme urged all of us to #BreaktheBias by promoting a gender-equal world where everyone can live free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. To mark this […]
ELN Spotlight: Julius K. Lindsay
Meet Julius K. Lindsay, ELN member, Director, Sustainable Communities at the David Suzuki Foundation and co-founder of the Black Environmentalist Alliance. Julius is passionate about equity and climate action and is a man of many hobbies. Learn more about him through our Spotlight Q&A. My name is… Julius K. Lindsay I was born in… Toronto, […]
ELN Spotlight: 2022-2023 ELN Co-Chairs
Meet Anowa Quarcoo, Meryam Al-waadh, and Wes Iqbal, the 2022-2023 Co-Chairs of the Emerging Leaders Network. With three new leaders at the helm of the Network, we asked them a few questions to learn more about their work, passions, and what makes them excited about the ELN. Meet Anowa Quarcoo My name is… Anowa Quarcoo. […]
ELN Spotlight: Future Proof Me
This November marked yet another successful ELNstudio, and, for the first time ever, ELNstudio went virtual! ELNstudio: Future Proof Me brought together ~100 rising leaders from across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) for two days of engaging workshops, panels, networking sessions, and solution building, with the goal of future proofing our leadership skills to build a more inclusive and resilient region. On November 20th, we kicked off the first day of ELNstudio with some inspiring […]
ELN Spotlight: Six Takeaways on “Running for Office”
On October 27th, the ELN was joined by The Samara Centre for Democracy, a campaign strategist, and a panel of elected officials for an engaging discussion to give rising leaders the inside scoop on what you should know before running for political office. If you missed it, you’re able to watch the recording here. We’ve also compiled a list of our six key takeaways if you’re considering […]
Future Proof Me: The ELN Podcast
The ELN is excited to announce the launch of Future Proof Me: The ELN Podcast! This four-part series co-hosted by 2020-2021 ELN Executive Committee member Meryam Al-Waadh and 2018-2019 ELN Executive Committee member Alyssa Lai explores how to future proof your leadership skills and prepare for times of uncertainty. The Emerging Leaders Network aims […]
Make Sure Your Voice Is Heard: Vote.
Rising Leaders Take On the 2021 Federal Election With a federal election right around the corner, and advanced polling starting today, we know that rising leaders will play an important role in shaping the future of our country – by voting in the upcoming federal election and encouraging those in our communities to do the […]
ELN Spotlight: 2020-2021 Executive Committee
The 2020 – 2021 ELN Executive Committee is a team of passionate, inclusive, and collaborative rising leaders who have volunteered their time over a two-year term to grow the impact of CivicAction’s Emerging Leaders Network and support fellow rising leaders across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). With applications now open for the 2022-2023 […]
ELN Spotlight: Camilo Garay
Camilo Garay recently joined CivicAction as the Senior Manager of Development. A DiverseCity Fellow alum, he brings a commitment to building a more inclusive region that values diverse leadership and provides a platform for all stories to be heard. How would you describe your 2020 Fellows experience? What were your biggest take-aways during the program and now as […]
ELN Spotlight: Pride Month
June is Pride Month, a time for members of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities to reaffirm their identity, celebrate their culture, and commemorate the past. For allies, this is also a time to educate yourself on the diverse lived experiences of people in these communities, learning ways to breakdown systemic barriers and discrimination that still exist today. […]
ELN Spotlight: Rohit Goenka
Meet Rohit Goenka, an emerging leader whose journey has taken him from Kolkata, to Winnipeg, to Toronto. His volunteer and professional work has led him to support thousands of students in pursuing their educational journeys and equip millions of Ontarians with financial safety. As a newer Torontonian and ELN member, Rohit reflects on what he […]
5 Key Takeaways from Digital Dish with Brampton Civic Leaders
On March 31st, 2021, the ELN brought together a panel of civic leaders from Brampton to discuss the city’s current and future priorities as it looks to not only recover from COVID-19 but build back better. The panel featured: Jaipaul Massey-Singh, Moderator: 2020 CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow and Principal at Aurora Strategy Group Gwyn Chapman: Senior […]
ELN Spotlight: Simone Samuels
Simone Samuels joins Civic Action as the inaugural Director of Inclusion. She brings with her almost a decade of experience working with youth and marginalized communities. Before joining Civic Action, Simone was the Director of Outreach at the Ontario Justice Education Network a non-profit that delivers public legal education to vulnerable young people. To learn […]
Spotlight on Black Rising Leaders
This Black History Month, we’re spotlighting some of the incredible Black rising leaders within our network to showcase the work they do, the leaders who have inspired them throughout their leadership journeys, and what it means to be a Black rising leader at this moment in history. Keep reading to meet nine incredible leaders! Alicia […]
Speakers Spotlight: 2021 ELN Snowcial
On January 28th, 2021, we’ll be welcoming eleven inspiring rising leaders to the virtual stage at our annual ELN Snowcial to share PechaKucha talks on the theme of inclusive cities. Scroll down to learn more about their leadership journeys and get a sneak peak of their presentation. Excited to tune in to their talks? Join […]
The ELN Top Ten: Highlights of 2020
You may be thinking: highlights and 2020 in the same sentence?! Despite a challenging year in so many ways for all of us, the ELN has done our best to make the most impact we could. And boy, was there impact! We launched new programming, hosted thirteen events, and brought hundreds of rising leaders to […]
3 ways to get involved in #GivingTuesday in the GTHA!
by Nicole Danesi, Communications Lead with the ELN Executive Committee and Associate Manager of Donor Marketing with CanadaHelps Following the retail rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday is a day celebrating generosity and giving in all forms. On December 1st, 2020, millions of Canadians and people around the world will come together (while […]
ELN Spotlight: Leslie Woo
From founding member of the ELN, to the new CEO of CivicAction! We’re so excited to be welcoming Leslie Woo, a respected leader with over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban growth, to the team. Learn more about Leslie and her city-building journey. My name is… Leslie Woo I speak (other […]
Real Talk on Anti-Black Racism in the GTHA
On June 18, the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) Co-Chairs Letecia Rose and Idil Burale and Executive Committee members Debora Jesus and Anika Harford hosted Real Talk with Black Leaders, a dedicated space for Black rising leaders in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to come together to share experiences and aspirations for building a […]
Real Talk on Reconciliation: Allyship in Action
On June 23rd, the ELN brought together rising and risen leaders from the Indigenous community in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area for Real Talk on Reconciliation. Over 100 ELNers joined us to hear what these incredible Indigenous rising leaders had to say about allyship, land acknowledgements, taking action beyond Indigenous History Month, and more. Below […]
ELN Spotlight: Active Allyship in Reconciliation
Honouring the diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and cultures also means acknowledging the challenges these communities face and the role rising-leaders must play in supporting them. Celebrating National Indigenous History Month marks our ongoing commitment to supporting education and active allyship within the ELN. As we work to overcome systemic racism, while […]
Digital Dish with Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie: Top 5 Takeaways
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Emerging Leaders Network has heard loud and clear that rising leaders from across the GTHA are looking for opportunities to engage with decision-makers and contribute to important conversations around relief and recovery. On May 19th, CivicAction brought together nearly 100 rising leaders for an ELN Digital Dish with Mayor Bonnie […]
ELN Spotlight: Anna-Kay Russel
Meet Anna-Kay Russel. Originally born in Kingston, Jamaica and now calling Toronto home, Anna-Kay is a passionate policy professional involved in both Leading Change Canada and the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance. But her biggest city building accomplishment is co-founding the first-ever Toronto Black Policy Conference, an event that brought together 300 Black policy professionals […]