The Afro Women and Youth Foundation, in partnership with the Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre, created a program to offer youth of African heritage a chance to take part in creative activities while learning about mental health and self-advocacy.
“She experienced anti-black racism in the school system for two years and she didn't get the support that she was supposed to get,” said Afro Women and Youth Foundation founder, Adebola Adefioye, of her time before settling in Sudbury. “For me self-advocacy means voicing your opinions,” said Ogunleye. “You don't care what's going to happen, you just know that you want to be heard. You don’t want your opinion to go unnoticed. And I do that a lot, especially in school; I'm known for always voicing what I want people to hear about me,” she said with a laugh.