SUMMIT PROGRAM

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BYHES 2025 Program

Strengthening Equity: Developing a Resilient System to End Black Youth Homelessness

The 2025 Black Youth Housing Equity Summit, hosted by REST (Restoration and Empowerment for Social Transition) Centres in collaboration with national and regional partners, is a forum dedicated to addressing the disproportionate rates of homelessness and housing insecurity affecting Black youth. 

It convenes Black youth, service providers, policymakers, funders, and researchers to exchange knowledge, review effective practices, and develop strategies aimed at achieving equitable housing outcomes. The program includes sessions that feature youth voices, highlight the innovative works and models of Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused organizations, and consider policy and funding approaches that incorporate cultural responsiveness and long-term sustainability. 

DAY ONE

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Day One convenes Black youth, community leaders, researchers, funders, and policymakers to strengthen collective alignment toward housing justice. The day builds shared understanding, showcases data and lived experience, and sets a unified agenda for equitable housing systems for Black youth.

MORNING SESSION:
Solidarity and Alignment for Black Youth Housing Equity

  • Start your day off by registering and having a light snack.

  • Enjoy a screening of the short film The Call

  • Welcoming remarks and housekeeping items from co-hosts

  • Hon. Dr. Jean Augustine (PC, CM)
    Former MP & Social Justice Advocate

    Dr. Jean Augustine draws on decades of leadership in public service and social justice to envision a future where Black youth thrive in housing systems built on fairness, dignity, and access. Rooted in intergenerational wisdom, her address links historical struggle to present opportunities for policy reform, advocacy, and empowerment across generations. 

  • Kurgeena Joseph
    Rep. REST Youth Council & Partner Agency Youth

    The REST Youth Council and partner youth leaders share their personal experiences and introduce the Youth Joint Statement on Black Youth Housing Equity. The session calls on organizations and policymakers to recognize youth expertise and embed their leadership in program design and governance. 

  • Dr. Marie-Cécile Kotyk,
    Associate Professor, University of Calgary 

    Dr. Marie-Cécile Kotyk presents a national framework addressing anti-Black racism in housing and homelessness systems. Drawing from research and practice, she outlines strategies to align policy, programming, and service delivery with racial equity principles and community realities. 

  • Enjoy a catered lunch and connect with other summit delegates.

AFTERNOON SESSION:
Awareness, Challenges & Funding Solutions

  • Moderator:

    • Danavan Samuels
      Executive Director, SETSI


    Panelists:

    • Tahirah Simmons
      Manager of Community Housing, 360°kids

    • Grace Udodong
      Executive Director, Oasis Youth Care Programs

    • David Reycraft
      Senior Director of Programs & Services, Eva’s Initiatives

    • Dr. Ben Bempah
      Director of Operations, REST Centres


    Across Canada, Black youth remain disproportionately represented in homelessness systems, a reflection of deep-rooted inequities in housing, education, and child welfare. This discussion examines the structural factors driving this overrepresentation and presents innovative, culturally grounded responses that are reshaping practice on the ground. Drawing from disaggregated data and frontline experience, panelists highlight how coordinated, community-led strategies can challenge systemic barriers and advance lasting housing stability for Black youth. 

  • Connect with fellow delegates over a short break

  • Moderator:

    • Amanuel Melles
      Executive Director, Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC)

    Panelists:

    • Adaoma Patterson
      Director of Community Service Investments, United Way Greater Toronto

    • Andrea Nemtin
      CEO, Social Innovation Canada

    • Alex Tveit
      Co-Founder & CEO, Sustainable Impact Foundation

    • TBD
      Representative, City of Toronto


    For too long, traditional funding systems have struggled to keep pace with the realities of Black youth homelessness. Rigid funding criteria, short-term project cycles, and limited trust in community-led expertise have constrained innovation and impact. The discussion brings together funders and sector leaders to unpack these structural barriers and explore how equitable funding models can sustain long-term change. Panelists will share practical strategies for aligning funding with lived experience, embedding accountability without bureaucracy, and building partnerships that strengthen Black-led and youth-driven solutions. 

  • Closing remarks from co-hosts to wrap up Day 1.

DAY TWO

Friday, November 21, 2025

Day Two shifts from insight to action, focusing on translating research, policy, and community models into tangible strategies for system reform. Through youth-led discussions, practice-based learning, and collaborative policy framing, participants co-develop solutions that advance housing equity for Black youth across Canada. 

MORNING SESSION:
From Framework to Action – Advancing Culturally Responsive Head Leasing Solutions

  • Start your day off by registering and having a light snack.

  • Enjoy a screening of a short film (TBD)

  • Welcoming remarks and housekeeping items from co-hosts

  • Lara Adetukasi
    Director of Programs & Services, REST Centres 

    REST Centres presents its adaptable head leasing model designed for Black youth housing. The session explores how the model creates stability, autonomy, and equity in housing while identifying implementation gaps under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). It will trigger discussion on aligning legal frameworks, funding policies, and landlord partnerships to strengthen head leasing as a scalable, equitable solution for youth. 

  • Kizito Musabimana
    Founder, Rwanda Healing Centre

    Kizito’s presentation introduces community-driven innovations that complement head leasing through culturally rooted approaches. Drawing from the African Canadian Village Housing model, the presentation demonstrates how restorative and collective housing models promote belonging, interdependence, and economic empowerment for Black youth and families.

  • Margaret Flynn
    Director of Policy & Law Reform, Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) 

    Head leasing provides a strategic pathway to stable housing for youth exiting homelessness, yet complex landlord–tenant roles and service boundaries under the RTA create challenges. This presentation facilitates discussion to identify policy and regulatory gaps, inform reforms, and enhance implementation. It further helps implementers understand compliance requirements, manage risks effectively, and strengthen equitable, rights-based housing solutions for Black youth. 

  • Facilitators: 

    • Bright Okenwa
      Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public, Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) 

    • Efia Takyi Annan

    Participants engage in facilitated small-group discussions on head leasing design, equity considerations, and partnerships. Groups explore implementation challenges and identify solutions that link practice to policy advocacy and community leadership. Key findings will inform the Summit’s Youth Policy Brief and post-event action toolkit. 

  • Enjoy a catered lunch and connect with other summit delegates.

AFTERNOON SESSION:
Youth Voices, Research Insights & Community Innovation in Practice

  • Moderator:

    • Jacqui Henry
      Program Lead, REST Centres

    Panelists:

    • REST Youth Council Members and Partner Agency Youth Representatives

    Youth leaders share lived experiences and shape a Youth Policy Brief in real time, outlining recommendations for government, funders, and service providers. This interactive session centers youth as knowledge holders, advocates, and designers of the housing equity agenda, ensuring their perspectives inform all levels of policy and practice. 

  • Moderator:

    • Nation Cheong
      Vice President, United Way Greater Toronto (TBD)

    Presenters:

    • Dr. Stephen Gaetz
      Professor, Faculty of Education, York University;
      President, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness & Homeless Hub;
      Co-Director, Making the Shift – Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab

    • Nekpen Obasogie
      Family Social Worker, REST Centres

    • Marjaan McDonald
      RISE Lead, REST Centres


    Presenters explore how upstream interventions rooted in family and natural support networks can disrupt pathways into homelessness for Black and BIPOC youth. Drawing on the Family and Natural Supports (FNS) model and REST’s Family Intervention and Reunification Management (FIRM) program, they illustrate how strengthening relationships with family, kin, and trusted adults builds stability and resilience. Participants gain practical, evidence-based strategies to embed relational and culturally responsive prevention within their own programs and systems. 

  • Q&A with Dr. Stephen Gaetz

  • Housing Justice Lab, University of Toronto 

    A presentation highlighting recent findings from the University of Toronto’s Housing Justice Lab. The session presents emerging evidence on the intersections of race, youth homelessness, and policy gaps, pointing to scalable solutions that embed equity across Canada’s housing ecosystem. 

  • Q&A discussion with the University of Toronto’s Housing Justice Lab.

  • Enjoy afternoon refreshments while connecting with fellow delegates.

  • Nene Kwasi Kafele
    Founder, Tabono Institute; Community Scholar in Residence, YouthREX 

    This workshop offers culturally grounded, practical tools for applying trauma-informed, strength-based approaches in youth services. Through interactive exercises, participants learn strategies to build trust, promote healing, and enhance resilience among Black youth affected by systemic inequities and housing instability. 

  • Speakers:

    • Dagma Koyi
      Executive Director & Founder, REST Centres;

    • Justice Greggory Regis
      Summit Co-Chair


    REST leadership closes the Summit by synthesizing key insights from both days and outlining next steps for collective action. The session reaffirms commitments to youth leadership, policy reform, and long-term housing equity.

  • Closing acknowledgments from the REST Team followed by light refreshments and networking.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the original stewards of the various lands we are on. We also acknowledge our Ancestors. We acknowledge all those who toiled without compassion or compensation. We acknowledge all the Elders and community stalwarts whose shoulders we stand on as we build, share and learn together for our collective liberation and sovereignty.