Kemi Jacobs, with over 30 years of community involvement, has been a leader in the non-governmental and public sectors, serving as the President of the Canadian Council for Refugees, Executive Director of CultureLink Settlement Services, and Delta Family Resource Centre, Chairperson of the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada, Director of Housing at Toronto Community Housing and Chair of the Board at Canadian African Social Services.

She is an African-Caribbean woman who has lived in Toronto for longer than she has lived in the Caribbean.  Kemi is deeply rooted in her identity as an African woman, and has a deep appreciation for the African continent.  She comes from a strong, but rapidly shrinking family where integrity, joie de vivre, engagement and focus are valued.  Birth and chosen families are all deeply appreciated.  Equity, Afrikan people, self-actualization (her own and others), living zestfully and having a singing soul are important life values …. work on all five areas,  is on-going.

Kemi’s career has been defined by work with resilient and under-resourced communities.  Her contribution has been the creation of soft spaces for individuals from such communities to land; places where youth and residents of often ignored constituencies and communities can explore new ideas, find common ground with others and opportunities to plan, grow and develop their full potential in supportive communities which expect them to soar and achieve wonderful things.