Markham, CANADA – The Srinarayanathas Foundation is proud to seed the inaugural cohorts of the Tamil Youth Fellowship and Filipino Youth Fellowship that will commence at the City of Toronto in the summer of 2021.

Managed by the Urban Alliance on Race Relations,  the non-partisan Diverse Youth Fellowship project provides politically motivated students with a structured eight-month program that includes training workshops, mentorship, community project, and a 12-week placement working directly with a member of Toronto City Council. Placing diverse young people in key decision-making spaces will help ensure that the substance, shape, and details of what Toronto’s government decides better reflects community experiences. The project began in 2018 with the Muslim Youth Fellowship, the success of which subsequently led to the creation of the Black, Tamil, and Filipino Youth Fellowships all of which are set to begin next year. Learn more at https://www.youthfellowship.ca.

Inspired by nearly a century-old tradition of philanthropy, the Srinarayanathas Foundation supports a wide variety of causes in Canada and around the world. Civic engagement is a key grant-making area of focus for the foundation having previously sponsored the launch of the Tamils in Public Service intergovernmental network in 2016.

One of my favourite quotes is by political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm who said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” I strongly believe the Youth Fellowship is one of those folding chairs that we bring to the table in Toronto and beyond. It is important that we equip the next generation of leaders with the right blend of skills, resources, and connections in a non-partisan manner so that we more intentionally create our own opportunities to influence Canadian politics and policymaking in the years to come.

– Muraly Srinarayanathas, Chair, Srinarayanathas Foundation

Opening the doors for racialized youth to be seen and to be heard in spaces where decisions are made is important. But having our youth be a part of the structures that make those decisions is even more crucial. We are extremely grateful to the Srinarayanathas Foundation for investing into this cause and coming on board as the Community Champion for our Tamil and Filipino Youth Fellowship Initiatives in 2021.

– Neethan Shan, Executive Director, Urban Alliance on Race Relations

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