CommunityYouth in Philanthropy (YiP) hosts pitch party in honour of its 20th anniversary.
Social anxiety and shyness held a firm grip on YiPer Marshall Morrisseau’s life. Despite these challenges, Morrisseau always maintained a keenness for politics and Indigenous culture.
In 2018, Morrisseau acted on his interest in politics and attended Youth Parliament of Manitoba Winter Session. While involved in the program, he gained a knack for public speaking. He also spent time recovering from his challenges with mental health — and came out the other side of Youth Parliament a stronger person.
Now motivated to inspire positive change in the world, Morrisseau made a pitch during the YiP 20th anniversary Pitch Party in support of Youth Parliament’s reconciliation fund.
“It was really a life changing moment for me to attend Youth Parliament’s Winter Session both times. Its reconciliation fund was tremendously helpful with pretty much every aspect of my life. I wanted to do a pitch for the reconciliation fund to help enable more Indigenous kids to have the same experiences I did, and to open up about themselves and be passionate, and be confident and be leaders,” Morrisseau says.
The YiP Pitch Party is modelled after The Winnipeg Foundation’s Fast Pitch program — with three YiP alumni, and three current YiPers presenting. Presenters vied for two grants of $1,000 — one for YiP Alumni and one for current YiPpers, both decided by a panel of judges – as well as a People’s Choice grant of $500, decided by the audience. All participants received a $100 grant for their charity of choice.
The Pitch Party took place on June 19 at Winnipeg Art Gallery. The event also included an opening of the YiP time capsule from 2009, and speeches including one by Annette Riziki, Rhodes Scholar and YiP Alumna.
PITCH PARTY AWARDS
Grand Prize, YiP:
Tim Unger, Glenlawn Collegiate
Mosaic Family Resources Network
Grand Prize, YiP Alumni:
Aliya Mrochuk, YiP Alumna from Glenlawn
Snowflake Place
People’s Choice:
Marshall Morrisseau, Children of the Earth
Youth Parliament of Manitoba
OTHER PRESENTERS
Spencer Bubis, YiPper from St. John’s Ravenscourt
West Broadway Youth Outreach
Tanjit Nagra, YiP Alumna from Glenlawn
Marlene Street Community Resource Centre
Shaden Abusaleh, Emerging Leaders Fellowship, YiP Alumna from Fort Richmond Collegiate
Gas Station Arts
EVENT JUDGES
Tolu Ilelaboye, Associate Manager at Arctic Co-operatives Limited, and former Youth Engagement Coordinator at The Winnipeg Foundation
Scott Angus, Partner at HP Change
Jackie Wild, Senior Community Investment Manager at TELUS, and YiP Alumna
This story is featured in the Summer 2019 issue of our Working Together magazine. Download or view the full issue on our Publications page.