Your Story Matters
Jasmyne Julien
Ajax, Ontario
Over the past year, Your Story Matters (YSM) has evolved into a powerful platform for racialized youth across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area to express themselves, build confidence, and take ownership of their stories. Designed and delivered by Revitaled Reintegration Services, YSM is a culturally grounded, trauma-informed comic creation and storytelling program that centers the lived experiences of youth from diverse racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. YSM explores the use of storytelling to support mental health and strengthen community connections.
A Creative Space for Empowerment, Identity, and Mental Wellness
Jasmyne Julien is the Founder and Director of Revitaled Reintegration Services, a nonprofit dedicated to building inclusive, healthy communities for marginalized populations through care, education, and advocacy. With nearly a decade of program management experience and a BA in Criminology, Jasmyne brings a strong foundation in systems thinking and social justice to all of her work. She also has over five years of experience in government administration, where she applies data analysis, policy development, and program design frameworks to address structural inequities—particularly gendered racism and occupational segregation.
We center the lived experiences of racialized youth, creating a space where their identities, cultures, and voices are affirmed
This year, YSM was a three-week/nine-session storytelling and comic creation program designed for racialized youth to explore identity, wellness, and creative expression. Participants learned how to develop characters, write personal narratives, and bring their stories to life through illustration, with guidance from professional comic artist Kelvin Nyeusi-Mawazo of Black Sun Comics. Some participants had direct or indirect contact with systems that left them feeling unseen or unheard. YSM offered them a chance to reclaim their narratives on their own terms. The program culminated in a vibrant closing celebration, where youth showcased their comics, reflected on their growth, and were inspired by a live spoken word performance by Elle De Lyon. In the coming weeks, each participant will receive printed copies of their published comic books to share with family, friends, and their communities.
The journey to implementation was not without its challenges. With less than one week to go before registration closed, the program had zero registrants despite using every outreach channel available, including email campaigns, social media, and physical flyers distributed through local libraries. At one point, the team considered pivoting the initiative into a one-time storytelling event. But then, momentum shifted. An unexpected influx of youth sign-ups meant Revitaled not only met its target but created a waitlist for the first time. This expansion came with trade-offs. Despite adding four more sessions than the previous cycle, several youth reported feeling rushed; 50% of post-program survey respondents indicated that more time would have helped them better shape their stories. Interestingly, while some youth described the timeline as stressful, others shared that it taught them how to work under pressure and meet deadlines, an important life skill. The team is taking this feedback seriously and is exploring timeline adjustments for future programming.
75% of youth reported that they discovered new ways to express themselves, and 50% of parent respondents noticed improved communication skills and confidence in their children.
Looking ahead, Revitaled is committed to sustaining this momentum. Funding applications have been submitted to support either another iteration of YSM in 2026 or the launch of a storytelling event, the Roots & Rhythms Expo, a community-wide event showcasing culturally embedded storytelling traditions across diverse communities. In either case, Revitaled aims to re-engage youth from the current cohort by offering leadership roles and pathways to continue their creative development.
About Jasmyne Julien
Jasmyne Julien applied to the OCC program with a vision rooted in storytelling, systems change, and community wellness. As the Founder and Executive Director of Revitaled Reintegration Services, she has long focused on dismantling systemic barriers faced by marginalized youth. But what motivated her to apply to OCC was the opportunity to strengthen the advocacy potential of her work, deepen community-rooted innovation, and connect with a wider network of leaders committed to equity, creativity, and justice. She saw OCC as a space not only to implement a project but also to challenge dominant ideas about who gets to lead, whose stories are centred, and how change is cultivated at the community level.
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