About us

The Young, Black & Femme (YBF) Collective was founded by young women who share lived experiences of navigating spaces that too often overlook Black and racialized youth. We are committed to building programs that don’t just serve our communities, but are created with and from them.

Our collective centers the voices of women, femmes, non-binary, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth ages 18 - 30. We’re here to reimagine leadership, empower self-expression, and create opportunities that break down systemic barriers.

An initiative of the Canadian Women of Colour Leadership Network.

Our Team

Medeatrice Fonyuy

Program Coordinator

Designs workshop content, coordinates volunteer training, and oversees resources.

Claudia Sendanyoye

Strategic Advisor

Provides strategic direction and specialized expertise to advance accessible program development and continuous improvement in alignment with program goals and organizational priorities.

Tenisya Stephenson

Community Outreach & Engagement Lead

Builds connections with schools and community partners, and leads participant recruitment.

Viviana Gomez

Communications & Campaign Lead

Leads digital campaigns, outreach materials, and storytelling to amplify youth voices.

our mentors

Reequal Smith

Economic Empowerment Mentor

Reequal Smith, Founder and Artistic Director of Oshun Dance Studios in Prince Edward Island, is a multidisciplinary artist originally from The Bahamas.

She seamlessly blends her Bahamian heritage with Canadian dance culture, creating a vibrant fusion of Afro-Caribbean movement, contemporary dance, and funk jazz. With over a decade of performance experience and a diploma from Holland College’s School of Performing Arts, Reequal is also a dedicated arts leader.

She serves as the Program and Events Coordinator for the Black Cultural Society of PEI and the Administrator/Outreach Coordinator for the Canadian Women of Colour Leadership Network.

Her leadership extends to boards like The Fringe Festival, Creative Pei, Fusion Charlottetown, and Kinetic Studio Dance in Halifax.

Reequal’s work spans festivals, music videos, documentaries, and self-produced shows, earning her the 2025 Kerri Wynne MacLeod Women of Impact Award in the Arts and the 2025 recipient of the Diane Moore Creation Award. As a fire dancer, choreographer, and mentor, she champions diversity, empowering artists and youth in PEI’s arts scene.

System Navigation Lead

Asli Mahdi

Asli Mahdi (she/her) is the System Navigation & Community Support Lead with CWCLN, focused on the Rooted in Recovery program.

She is a community health worker, artist and culture worker, with experience in the HIV sector, supporting Black and racialized women and gender-diverse community members.

Through Rooted in Recovery, Asli’s role is focused on system navigation, wrap-around supports and social prescribing for Black and racialized women, femmes, non-binary and gender-diverse community members, connecting them to community spaces free of stigma and judgment.

She completed her MA in Geography, BA in Anthropology and obtained a diploma in Social Service Work. She is an advocate of arts-focused wellness and healing.

Our Approach

The Young Black & Femme Collective is built on three core values:

Youth-Led

Peer Support

equity & Justice

We believe young people know best what they need. Our work is designed and led by youth, for youth.

Healing and empowerment happen in community. We center peer storytelling, reflection, and encouragement in everything we do.

We actively address anti-Black racism, gender inequity, 2SLGBTQIA+ phobias, and systemic barriers in education and work.