From local leader to global advocate

Our formative years can have a deep impact on shaping who we are, even if we don’t realize it.

Growing up in Regent Park, Shazzaneiy "Shazz" Mohamed Nalir remembers the music and games of community festivals from over 20 years ago, frequenting the public library, and playing basketball at the Regent Park Community Centre. However, he also remembers the feeling of being isolated from other parts of the city.

“I felt so distant, looking up at the towers in the financial district. I remember thinking there’s no reason for me to be there. I couldn’t fathom even being in these environments.”

Then, a mentorship opportunity became available with Pathways to Education. Now, the possibility of working in Toronto’s Financial District was a reality.  Shazz described how a workshop in one of the towers on King Street transformed his way of thinking. “We were now welcomed into these spaces. Those programs were a catalyst and helped me envision a pathway to becoming academically and professionally successful.”

Shazz also started to think seriously about the future. “At the end of the day, we were participants of these programs, on the receiving end. But what does it mean for me to be passionate about something, and to contribute in my own way?”

The “aha” moment came during an appearance from an old family friend who happened to be a speaker at one of the program’s presentations.

The family friend spoke about his community group and his experience organizing community projects, and inspiring the youth around him to get involved.

Shazz was impressed and inspired enough to follow in his friend’s footsteps. “Sometimes that’s all that’s needed, that sense of similarity. Someone that has a similar cultural or religious background, someone that lives in the same community, someone I’ve seen over the years. And I thought, if you can do it, I can do that too” he said.

Shazz connected with his friend and asked if he could share some ideas about community work. During the brainstorm phase, Shazz knew he wanted his work to be centered in the Regent Park community. He also felt that it was important to involve youth, and to incorporate their ideas.

“I’ve seen so many young people that have a lot of potential, and I know that word gets thrown around a lot. But I’ve seen examples of valuable skills, experiences, and a passion for community service and civic action.”

Soon after, Shazz launched Youth2Give with a group of youth from the neighbourhood. The group empowered youth in the community to support disadvantaged children around the world. He wanted to help young people develop skills like leadership and communication, all while supporting causes the group was passionate about.

“This was really driven and pushed by the young people of the community. This was an opportunity for young people to be involved, to take agency and ownership of their community, rather than being on the receiving end,” he said.

The group fundraised for various causes around the world, like the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the Fort McMurray wildfires, and the plight of children impacted by conflict in Syria. They also supported Indigenous and vulnerable youth in British Columbia. In their efforts, the group came up with creative ways to fundraise. There was “Hoops2Give,” a basketball tournament for the local community. At “Henna2Give,” local Muslim women offered henna to community members preparing for Eid. For Shazz, the most memorable event by far was “Wash2Give.” The community rallied behind this car wash, and it received media coverage as well as sponsorship from The Daniels Corporation.

“There were many occasions where we had youth show up and go, ‘Wow this is so cool, can I help?’ That’s how we recruited some volunteers” he said. In the same way that Shazz felt drawn to the events that he saw growing up in Regent Park, his work was now inspiring others to join in.

Though Youth2Give is not active anymore, Shazz is happy to see a whole host of organizations just like it in Regent Park. For young people trying to dip their toes in developing community programs, Shazz’s advice is to just be involved. Find something that interests you and go out of your comfort zone to develop new skills.

Shazz’s work with Youth2Give earned him a prestigious spot as one of 50 Outstanding Canadians in 2017. He’s also a recipient of the Regent Park scholarship, awarded to tenants who made a significant contribution to their community. After his undergraduate degree, he spent some years working as a communicable disease investigator during the pandemic, and then a public health inspector. In a full circle moment, his office happened to be located at Union Station, close to the office towers that he once felt far removed from as a teenager. Now, starting his master's in public health, Shazz has shifted his focus to how his career can contribute to the community. He wants to help address the barriers to health facing marginalized communities. In his view, public health is not just limited to disease prevention, it’s also tightly woven into issues like access to affordable housing, the cost of living, and more. These issues impact residents beyond the community he grew up in. 

“I started to think about what I want to do with my community work, and how I could translate that into my career. What’s the best way for me to serve?”

Upon graduation, Shazz hopes to create innovative solutions to solve the complex issues he sees. Not just in the community he grew up in, but in the city as a whole and beyond.