Care about important challenges like poverty, affordable housing and neighbourhood inequality? Here’s our latest roundup of three people we think you should be following on social to stay up-to-date on the issues that matter to you:
Jathusha Mahenthirarajan @jathushamahen: When she isn’t busy attending high school in York Region, Jathusha is sparking big change for girls in her community. A major advocate for building up the confidence of young women, the 17-year-old brought Ontario’s first chapter of Girl Talk to Richmond Hill. The peer-to-peer mentoring program helps girls build self-esteem, develop leadership skills and recognize the value of community service—a concept Jathusha knows well as she’s clocked over 2,000 volunteer hours in York Region and abroad. Just like United Way, Jathusha understands the vital importance of supporting education, engagement and employment opportunities to help young people reach their full potential. And her efforts aren’t going unnoticed. Recently, she was the recipient of the Richmond Hill Leading Girl Award, as well as a Secondary Citizen of Character award from the York Character Foundation. Impressed? We sure are! We can’t wait to see the remarkable work coming down the pipeline for this community hero.
Matt Galloway @mattgallowaycbc: You probably know him as the voice of the top-rated Metro Morning radio show on CBC Radio One. But what you might not know is that he has been a frequent host of our Celebration gala. This early riser and avid runner/cyclist – together with a dynamic and talented team of producers – convenes leading experts, politicians and community champions (among others) to discuss the issues that matter most to Torontonians. On any given morning, you’ll hear impassioned discussions ranging from food security and civic engagement to poverty and affordable housing. And we’re not the only one that thinks Matt is great! Toronto Life named him one of its ‘Top 15 Most Influential People’ in 2015 and he’s received numerous awards for his commitment to community including the Excellence in Community Service Award and Diversity and Social Inclusion award.
Pedro Barata @pedrobarataTO: We may be a little biased, but we think our very own VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Pedro Barata, is a must-follow on Twitter. Whether he’s sharing his passion for social justice or Tweeting about how progressive policy is changing lives in the places we all call home, he’s got his finger on the pulse of all things community-building across our region. You can also check him out on United Way’s blog, Imagine a City, where he weighs in on issues including Community Benefits and affordable housing.