Welcome to my community! I bet you're here because you want to know more about the person behind this initiative.

Well, my name is Cindy and I live in Toronto, Ontario. I grew up in Markham, Ontario born to immigrant parents who had recently moved from Guyana, South America. I was raised in a culturally dictated environment with strong Indo-Caribbean influences. I constantly thrived to break the rules and be different and for that, I was seen as being a bad kid. But still, I persisted.

After graduating from college I wanted to leave home on my own, but I was discouraged. I finally conformed and married my boyfriend at the time to leave home and moved to Pickering. Years later that marriage ended in divorce and I now live alone in Toronto.

Along the way I faced many challenges, confusions, mental health issues and obstacles and I felt I had little support to navigate them. I knew how difficult it was being a young person who felt like blanket rules were enforced with little understanding of who you were or what you wanted to be. I also knew what it felt like to feel forced by cultural pressures to live life a certain way.

In recent years I decided to volunteer with the Children's Aid Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto. In my training I quickly learned that the "little" support that I had, being a teenager and transitioning to adulthood, was far more than many children who find themselves in the system ever have had. I knew I had to do my part to change this.

My mentoring programs are designed to give mature youth (18+) and younger adults the support and mentorship that gives them some of the tools they need to be successful in life. I acknowledge that this kind of support could never replace the support and teachings of a consistent caregiver, but I aim to build a community which makes that missing element in life just a little less painful.

Again I would like to welcome you to my community and wish that you will stay with me on this journey!

Cindy