Community work · Kamloops · British Columbia
Every culture has a seat at this table.
My community work in Kamloops BC runs through the Valid Dreams Foundation, the Black-led charity I founded in February 2022. We bridge multi-ethnic communities across the Kamloops and Kelowna regions through events, workshops and programs, working cross-culturally and cross-racially so that people of every background can build something together.
Why this work exists
We see your distinct identity
Belonging is not something you can hand a person. It gets built slowly, in rooms where people eat together and tell the truth about where they come from. That is the whole idea behind Valid Dreams. We started with a table and a meal, and everything else grew out of that.
Newcomers arrive in Kamloops carrying whole lives that nobody here can see. Credentials that do not transfer. Languages nobody asks about. Grief with no audience. What we offer is less a service than a room, and a standing invitation to bring your full self into it.
Eighty-five percent of the people who come through our programs report a stronger sense of connection afterwards, and roughly four in ten come back as volunteers or mentors. That second number is the one I care about most, because it means the room did its job.
What we run
Programs that build community
From shared meals to shared stories, every program creates a space where difference is the point rather than the problem.
Cultural themed dinners
Monthly community dinners at Kamloops United Church celebrating cuisines and traditions from around the world. Family friendly, accessible and open to everyone. They have run continuously since February 2023.
Anti-racism programming
Education, advocacy and community action aligned with British Columbia and Canada’s anti-racism strategies, delivered in schools, workplaces and community settings.
Black History celebrations
Annual events in Kamloops and Kelowna honouring Black heritage, stories and contributions. The sixth annual celebration takes place on Saturday, February 27, 2027 at the Thompson Rivers University Grand Hall.
Mental health and wellness
Culturally sensitive mental health support and community wellness initiatives built for BIPOC communities, because generic support often misses the people who need it most.
Kamloops Black Film Festival
Annual screenings celebrating Black cinema, storytelling and artistic expression, in partnership with the Kamloops Film Society and the Cultural Voices Film Society. Kamloops had never had one before 2024.
Newcomer support
Programs that help newcomers adapt to life in Canada while holding onto the identity they arrived with. Adaptation should never require erasure.
Recent work
A few things worth naming
Home Away from Home Cultural Christmas Dinner
Funded by the United Way Local Love Fund. A Christmas table for anyone in Kamloops spending the holidays far from the place they call home. Nobody was asked to explain why they came.
Practicum placements
More than 50 practicum students have been placed with Valid Dreams since we began, including Social Justice and Psychology students from Thompson Rivers University.
Employment workshops
Our CIBC-supported workshops helped three people secure employment in 2025. Small numbers, real lives.
Funders and partners
Our Dream Builders
Dream Builders is what we call the partners, funders, volunteers and neighbours who make this work possible. Among them: the Government of Canada through Canadian Heritage, the Vancouver Foundation, the United Way, BCLC, Scotiabank, the City of Kamloops, Thompson Rivers University, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Kamloops United Church, Axis Family Resources, Active Care Services, the Kamloops Food Policy Council, the Okanagan Thompson Legal Clinic, Africans in Okanagan, New Gold, Noble Dunch and Lululemon.
Forty-nine cents of every dollar goes directly to community programs. Funders and community members both deserve to see exactly where resources go and what they produce, which is why we publish an impact report.
In the media
Coverage of the work
- CBC News · Feb 2024Kamloops, B.C., to host inaugural Black Film Festival
- CBC Radio · Feb 2025Kamloops marks Black History Month with music, food and speakers
- CFJC Today · Jan 2024Celebrating Black History in Kamloops
- CFJC Today · Jan 2025Black Film Festival is a cultural and storytelling experience
- Rogers TV · Feb 2025Kamloops Black History 2025
- The Wren News · May 2025Making Kamloops home for many
Get involved
Be part of something beautiful
Whether you volunteer, donate, partner with us or simply show up on a Friday, you make this community stronger. If you are an organisation looking for the professional side of this work, that lives on my consulting page.
Valid Dreams Foundation · 348 Tranquille Rd, Kamloops, BC V2B 3G6 · [email protected]
