It Takes a Village
Randell Adjei
There are no words that can sum up the heart and spirit of this humanitarian. Without his leadership and vision, we wouldn’t be where we are today; celebrating 11 years of community, opportunity and creativity. Randell Adjei is the spearheading force of our village and sets the bar for us all. He’s had a hand in every part of RISE and has put countless people in positions to grow and succeed. A true leader, RISE will always be thankful for your contributions and the city will never forget us because of you.
Jason De Mata and JJ
In every community there is an unsung hero. The one who spreads light but doesn’t care to be in it. They would rather be behind the scenes, illuminating the stage so others can shine in the spotlight. Jason Demata is the best thing that has ever happened to R.I.S.E. He embodies the servitude that has helped us foster the spirit of the community.
It was one conversation in the Scarborough Town Center TTC station that let me know he was the one. He shared with me his insatiable desire to give back to Scarborough and the amazing people in it. There are fond memories of us spending late nights writing grants at 2am in the morning - trying to tell funders about this incredible movement we were building.Then receiving the grants, again and again and again.
Whatever the community needed he was there. A 5 hour drive to Windsor? Okay. Learning how to write a grant when you just learned they existed? Okay. He is just that guy. Just like he put his son JJ on his shoulders - he put R.I.S.E on his shoulders so we could see a precipice we never knew existed.
Dynesti Williams
This gift of being has blessed the community in so many ways. Not just through her performance prowess, her mentorship and contributions to the organization's growth. But also through her ability to bridge spirituality and art. Her 2015 Last RISE Performance of ‘Dun da place’ was by far the most iconic. We get chills just thinking about it. Her story and resilience makes us better as a community. It puts a mirror up towards us and challenges us to push the boundaries, to RISE higher, to create generational change.
Tobi AJI
Over the years, there are a select group of special artists who have graced our stages with their artistic power. They came in with rose petals and graced us with flowers. We take no credit for the impact the community has had on their careers but it feels damn good to know we were a part of it. TOBi has performed in all the major events from 416 RISE, Edutainment Summit, LastRISE, RISE Thursdays and Mondays.
My fondest memory was during our 2016 Edutainment Summit retreat - we had 10 artists who were selected. I got to know him a bit more and realized not only was he an incredible artist but an even better person. His light shines bright - his success reminds us of why we do what we do. Because you never know when the next best thing will come out of Toronto and may need a space like ours to bloom.
Shqdel
There are these fluorescent beings who come into this world as artists, using their voice to spread light and make the world that much better. We’ve been blessed with thousands of artists over the years and this one, we appreciate deeply. Shqdel, has one of the most unique voices and poetic skills you’ll ever meet. She is a raw uncut gem who is unafraid of the stage. She has performed for us on many occasions and has blown away crowds with her grace and presence. As one of the artists who was first involved in our poetry mentorship programs, it is a blessed privilege to witness her here and now.
Mark Stoddard
If it takes a village, this is big bro, Uncle Mark, the one you can always call on to listen, to provide sound advice or to check in with about new ideas for the movement. This man has devoted himself to seeing the movement thrive. He is the man behind the brand, merchandise and many of the flyers we used to promote what we do. He has helped elevate the brand so we could live it and wear it. The love so many of us share with him is incomparable. He has helped us Reach Intelligent Souls Everywhere through our marketing and branding. He helped us build the ABC’s to RISE and brought legends into our space. He is responsible for Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, Saukrates and many more Canadian Hip Hop Legends who have graced our stage. We cannot forget when this man brought the one and only John Carlos to R.I.S.E. The man behind the iconic first at the 1968 Olympics. He brought the vision full circle.
To be honest, words don’t describe the love he has poured into our community. What he has done for us is legendary. He has helped us cement the legacy of RISE in a way people will never understand. Behind the scenes there are so many artists who have built their brand behind the man's vision. Mark Stoddart - your flowers will forever bloom in the garden of our minds. We will Live it and Wear It with pride.
Jenn Goodwin
Jenn, Jenn, Jenn. When I think of this amazing creative being - I simply smile. I smile because I reflect on one memory that will last forever. Nuit Blanche Scarborough in 2018 was one of the best artistic experiences that has ever happened to Scarborough. It was this powerhouse who saw to it that we could showcase the voices of Scarborough on the unwilling ears of folks in the downtown core. On October 29th 2018, did we ever roar. We held one of the best events we’ve ever had in 11 years. Throughout the 12 hour night - we had over 10,000 people pass through.
Jenn was also responsible for Nuit Connects - which literally helped us foster deep relationships with the City of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Team, UTSC and the Doris McCarthy Gallery. She helped us Reach Intelligent Souls that may have been too hard to reach. For this, we are ever grateful.
Bernice and Chanice
R.I.S.E is a family not bound by blood but by Artivsm, community and spirituality. Every so often we come across families that hold a special place in our hearts. We met this incredible mother – daughter tandem in 2013 when we held our first workshop series at the Malvern Spot. Mom, Bernice wanted to ensure her daughter, Shanice was exposed to community initiatives like RISE. She devoted Monday night after Monday night to ensure Shanice was connected to the community and had access to mentorship.
We initially met this reserved and coy teenager who was just finding her voice and herself. It took a few years but we saw her blossom on a cold wintry day at our LastRise event in 2018 where she blew our minds with her powerful dance moves. It was then we knew the seeds we planted had begun flowering.
Jordon Campbell
When we say it takes a village - there are folks who saw the vision and showed up each Monday with the will to serve because they saw what we wanted to do. Jordan showed up week after week, greeting guests, selling cookies, setting up chairs, supporting with setup and tear down. He devoted his being to us. His calm nature was a great way to walk into a R.I.S.E Monday after a long day. What I love the most about him is his wisdom. He didn’t say much - but when he did you felt it. His servitude transcends transactions. It embodies love and care.
Elle and anstasia Delyon
We are not where we are without the brilliant service of these two multifaceted beings. These sisters wear multiple hats and make it look effortless. They show up day in and day out. They have carried a heavy load since the beginning of the pandemic and continue to this day. Since the pandemic hit we needed to pivot and serve in different ways. They rolled up their sleeves and started planting seeds. Behind the scenes they are the reason the team is where it is. The reason why our events look more beautiful than they did before. The reason we have more partnerships and more reach and impact in the community. Since day three of R.I.S.E they’ve served, given their times and brilliance. Today, they are the leaders of our programming. Because of them - tomorrow our future will RISE higher.
Fionna Scott
The thing about the village is, when you’re in, you get it, you feel it. We know the impact we’ve had because you leave a RISE event feeling inspired, empowered and/or motivated to go on in life or to create your own work. You cannot quantify the quality of friendships that have been built, the relationships cultivated nor the impact. Fiona helped us capture this and galvanize the community's voice. Fiona became a part of our community because we saw her passion and love for the work we were doing. She advocated for us in rooms where our names were not mentioned. She served as a bridge between the bureaucracy of the grant world and the work we were doing on a weekly basis. She helped us capture the essence of our work, our stories and develop a basis for the methodology we now have to ensure we can get funding for our work.
Rene Dhinsa
Mr. Clutch, Mr. Go-to. Mr. What do you need and how can I serve? Everybody loves this dude because he is genuine, aware and so caring. Rene served as a team member for many years and hosted our Open mic Mondays as well. Even though he didn’t see himself as a host - he eventually found his voice on stage. One of the wittiest and cleverest hosts we’ve ever had. What I appreciate most about him is his patience. It took us a while to figure out how we could maximize his gifts (too long). He waited patiently on the sidelines for his opportunity. Once he found it - he never looked back. What he has poured into the village cannot be quantified. It is the quality of his actions that lives in our hearts forever.
Anthony Gebrehiwot
They say if you don’t document it - then it never happened. In 100 years, the world will know we happened because this man dedicated himself through his passion. Mr. Shooting for Change himself. Tony has unceasingly been on a journey of self discovery with the hopes of using his gifts to help others. He has served as a photographer, event coordinator, ambassador, support staff and more.
His journey is the pride and joy of why we do what we do. What he has poured into our lives has taken fruit. Week in and week out on a Monday night, you would see Tony with his camera capturing all of the fond memories we had at RISE. Year after year, camera roll after camera roll he has shown the world that ‘it takes a village’ to make a difference.
Alivia comrie
One of the first people to hear of R.I.S.E as an idea, before it was even a manifestation. Alivia served in many ways, as a dancer, a mentor, and a friend to so many. As a confidant for our founder, Randell Adjei, she encouraged him to pursue the vision. She showed up on day one and seldom missed a week. She used her voice, her dancing ability and her vivacious energy to light up the room. You’d often hear cheer and joy in rooms after certain performances and she was one who encouraged it. Her contributions cannot be measured through words.
Vinoj- AKa the voice of silence
The Voice of Silence. We were connected to this soft spoken and brilliant being at our 1 year Anniversary at Lula lounge in 2013. He showed up time and time again in ways we didn’t even know we needed. He blessed us with his poetic prowess and his kind hearted nature. Not only was his voice important but his silence and presence of mind was too. Vinoj served as a reminder of the impact our work had both artistically and personally. He integrated into the community seamlessly and found a home in our minds as the Voice of Silence.
Berma, Nate Smith, Eli, Nilly.
Berma, is a true day one. You can’t take that away from him. His story is –- Scarborough. Literally he is a reason why we started RISE. For youth like him at the time, we wanted to help them know the power of their story through poetry and music. To see where he is now is special.
Berma, brought a generation to RISE and introduced them to a space that became their home. He is a pioneer in his own lane, paving a path in his own way.
Nate Smith is the engineer and producer behind so many artists whom we’ve platformed. What I value most is his humility. As a member of our community we take pride in the strides he’s taken and his continued elevation. As a Juno Award winner, who has helped so many artists he deserves all the blessings.
Nilly is a beloved member of our community. He has a heart of gold and never said no. He showed up for us and helped document countless events for us. What we value most about him is his kindness and willingness to shine a light on others through his lens. What he has done for so many of us is the gift we will have when we reflect back on memories when we are old and in rocking chairs.
Eli, another creative genius who has helped document our events and artists. My dude is the embodiment of making it happen by paving your own lane when no one else sees it. I have so many fond memories of him at our big events with a camera in hand and big smile on his face.
Trevlyn Kennedy, Quentin Vercetty, Dahveed Delisca
In 2013, we formed a group inspired by Mark Stoddart’s work called 5 Fingers 1 Fist. As the 5 Fingers 1 Fist, they truly embodied the message of RISE and took it further. Missing in this photo are Jordan Veira (may he rest in eternal peace), and Randell Adjei. Each of these members brought their own gifts and talents.
Q, the founder of Astro Sankofa was a visionary and brought so many ideas to the movement. As an ambassador of Rexdale and Malton he would travel to our small community center in Scarborough and brought his own creative genius through his visual prowess.
Trevlyn has blessed our stages and ears with her poetry and her personal stories of resilience. With her, she taught us what it means to build up community from rubble. To hold a community together even when some of us are displaced. She taught us that home is in community not geography.
Dahveed has been an inspiration for so many of us as an arts educator and poet. His words and his stories leave you thinking about your own story. He has this ability to blend comedy and poetry. He taught us about community. He reminded us time and time again that what you need and are looking for is Right Beside You.
Morgan Smith
High key, RISE has always had a spiritual element to the way we do our work. We believe in the power of art as spiritual practice. The vision for this idea, was a seed until this man came and watered the garden of our minds through meditation and Yinnergy work. He introduced us to things 11 years ago that we still foster to this day. He has served as a mentor, a leader and a light towards spiritual transformation and enlightenment. On Monday nights we went to RISE - on Tuesday Nights he opened our eyes. For years this was our routine - it is what allowed the team to dig deeper so we could aim higher.
Deshawn Blackwood, Joshua Obra, Cameron rodgers
They say smart people learn from their mistakes, but wise people learn from others. There is beauty in mentorship. There is power in sharing the wisdom gained along the journey. So when we see these young men, we see the wisdom they have taken and how they have applied it into their lives and artistic endeavors. It really brings us joy to see who they are today.
They inspire us - because they're cracking the codes a little earlier than we did. They see things in a different light and in turn spread that light far and wide.
Azalyne
When we say Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere, it is truly so we can foster a space for the next generation to not have to stumble along the same pathways we tripped on. We built RISE on the premise that we would invest our youth - the ones who one day will mentor our future children. Azalyne - is a gift and we’ve known it, since the day she arrived on that rainy May day when the Raptors were just a month away from winning their first championship. Her family has become one with ours. Seldom do we see artists so young with such brilliance and artistic gifts. She really showed us what was possible for us to build a future where she too could lead.
Paul Ohonsi and Rene Dhinsa
Paul, you’re a magical performer and a powerful documenter. You have talent that the world has never seen before and you’ve inspired so many to take their performance and visuals to the next level. You are also one of the main reasons that some of the core members came together through sharing your gift with them. Thank you!
Garth Brooks and Mark Stoddard.
Bound by family, Garth and Mark are cousins that have served as mentors for the next generation of visionaries. Without their leadership, some of us would have went in a different direction. Their professionalism and care have positioned some us to become better storytellers and visual communicators. Garth’s documentation of RISE’s history has helped take things to the next level and his biggest project with us has yet to be revealed!
Ellevan
Ellevan is one of those unique people and artists you never forget. He first came through by way of JP Saxe. He joined our very first Edutainment Summit in 2013 and contributed to that incredible cypher that took place at Toronto Centre for the arts. Since, his trajectory as an MC, actor and freestyle artist has been incredible to witness. I reflect on his impact on our community through his gift of freestyling and can’t help but feel thankful for his inspiration to others to take freestyling and busking to a whole new level.
Shakkoi
Shakkoi served as our social media manager during the pandemic. Prior to that she graced our stages as a member of the C flava dance group then blew our minds with some bars and word play. As our social media manager - she helped elevate our brand. She had creative ways of helping us tell our stories and the impact of our work. As a poet, dancer and author she brought her own stories to life. Shakkoi is a visionary and an manifester at heart. What she brought to the table cannot be quantified by words but through memorable moments.
Thunderclaw
As a mentee and young boy who was still in high school when we first started, it was amazing to see his personal rise as a poet and arts educator. Seeing him grow felt great to witness because it let us know, we were on the right track and we were taking the next generation with us. This man came for many consecutive years on a weekly basis to soak up the positive creativity and he then transformed it into his own work that inspired and entertained us week after week with new instruments, dance moves, flows and power.
YHW- Ikeno, DEZ, North English
It’s hard to talk about the beginning phase of RISE without thinking of these guys. DeZ was a part of the very first meeting we held to discuss the vision for the movement and where we hoped to take it. Keyz was a major plug and connected hundreds of people to the movement. North was a creative and energetic genius that blessed our stage with so much power and infectious energy. What they brought to the table as team members with respect to their ideas for building the movement shaped us forever.
The young heavy weights never disappointed when they came on stage with a set. Take the 2014 416RISE event for example - Daniels Spectrum has never seen so much energy and hype on one stage from 3 artists. Then 2015 - LastRISE event, these guys took that event to a whole new level. These 3 are creative, lyrical geniuses will forever be etched in the dendrochronology of our roots.
Moel and Nasim
Nasim, what a powerhouse of a being and a poet. She truly brought everyone together each time she performed. I remember moments where we sat at the edge of our seats when Nasim had a new poem to share with us. We were awestruck by her proficient use of the English language and how she wove culture, storytelling and Islam into her work. After witnessing a performance from her; standing ovations were common. Sometimes we had to have a 10 minute debrief just to ensure we could soak in every word. Her power was etched in moments we needed that encouragement. She validated what we felt and reminded us that we were not alone.
Moel, man oh man. Another gem. This man came and sat down at the back of the room during our RISE Monday events for 3 consecutive shows before he got on stage. He is far too humble. My dude opened his mouth and said one word and had us all like.. “What did I just hear!?” We had the type of stank face mixed with surprise and joy. His music is powerful and so beautiful. What he brought to our stage was nothing short of genius and incredible storytelling. What he brought to our community was a sense of relief.
Dwayne Morgan
This right here is the pioneer of spoken word poetry in Toronto. Dwayne is the reason why RISE grew to become what it is today. He paved the way for us to see what was possible. He was the first one our founder, Randell Adjei reached out to for advice. It was he who showed us that Spoken Word had a place on big stages. We are eternally grateful for his existence. Truly, our trajectory would have been stunted without his body of work. Along the way he has provided insight, mentorship and opportunity for the community. Randell was able to learn from the stumbling blocks along his journey. Anytime Randell reached out he was there with words of wisdom and sound advice.