Meet The Team | Youth Gravity

CEO

Sal-Sabila

Sal-Sabila recently graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.A. in Sociology. At 16, Sal Sabila founded Youth Gravity, a Regent Park-based grassroots social justice organization focused on holding brave spaces for immigrant racialized youth to discuss difficult topics, including mental health, community belonging, gun violence, domestic abuse and anti-Muslim hate. Sal-Sabila's decade-long dedication to youth leadership and community work has been recognized at the local, national and international level. Recently, she was recognized for her work by the City of Toronto. Apart from her work at Youth Gravity, Sal Sabila has also served as an advisor on several organizations including Pathways to Education Canada and League of Innovators. Under Sal Sabila leadership, Youth Gravity continues to thrive by making meaningful contributions to the lives of young people in Canada.

Content Creator

Noor

Noor Saeid’s journey with Youth Gravity began before her involvement with IORC. Introduced to Youth Gravity in 2020 through the Community Circle initiative, she was immediately drawn to its community-based approach, where youth were the true focus. As the Content Developer for the IORC series, she experienced firsthand the power of connecting youth from diverse backgrounds, providing them with a platform to lead and learn. Seeing herself reflected in the communities targeted by Youth Gravity, Noor felt a deep connection to the participants' experiences. As a lifelong advocate for racialized youth, Noor has strived to serve and engage with her community through every means possible. This experience solidified Noor's belief that youth will actively participate if given the opportunity. She advocates for including youth in decision-making processes, recognizing their invaluable contributions to shaping their own futures. Through her journey with Youth Gravity, Noor continues to champion youth empowerment and community development.

Web Developer & Community Engagement Coordinator

Caitlin

Caitlin Arizala (She/Her) graduated from the University of Toronto with high distinction with a Bachelors of Science in Population Health and double minors in Psychology and City Studies. As a proud first-generation, Filipina-Canadian immigrant, Caitlin is dedicated to supporting racialized youth in Northwest Toronto through research and community organizing. Her research focuses on the social determinants of health, particularly poverty, racialization, and vulnerability to violence/conflict with the law, which disproportionately affect racialized, low-income youth. Caitlin co-founded and leads scholaRLY (Rexdale's Limitless Youth) and The Vaccine Equity Project, investigating COVID-19 vaccine accessibility in Jane-Finch and Rexdale. She also supports the Jane-Finch Centre in developing The Jane-Finch Community Benefits Framework amidst neighborhood revitalization efforts. Caitlin looks forward to bringing her advocacy for building better racialized youth futures to her position as an Ontario Legislative Intern in Fall 2024.

2024/25 Intern

Erica

Erica Park is an undergraduate student at Toronto Metropolitan University studying Child and Youth Care with a minor in Disability Studies. She was excited to get matched with Youth Gravity because she hopes to learn more about research development and community outreach programs. An aspect of the program that she connected with as a CYC student is how young people are centered and given agency to lead. This provides opportunities for youth empowerment and puts young people at the forefront of their own movements rather than ignoring their voices and doing what is assumed to be best for them. As an afterschool program leader at BGC Toronto Kiwanis, Erica has a passion for working with youth. She aims to actively listen, build meaningful connections, and facilitate engaging programs for young people. She is looking forward to combining her experiences from the afterschool program with new skills she develops during her time with Youth Gravity.