It’s an honour to stand and speak today about an important event that happens in Ottawa’s east end: Dapo Day, held the third Saturday in August, and this past Saturday was its 20th anniversary. Twenty years ago, the Agoro family lost their son and brother Dapo Agoro to senseless knife violence. The Dapo Agoro Foundation for Peace was born out of the loss. The Agoro family wanted to not only honour their son and brother Dapo but to be a catalyst for change.

As humans, we all face trauma, adversity and stress on a daily basis, and the ability to recognize and recover is a tool that we all need, both as individuals but also as a community. The Dapo Agoro Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes non-violent conflict resolution.

This year’s anniversary featured a virtual panel discussion around the road to resilience. The panel explored the definition of all that resilience means, including what it means when someone can be too resilient, and shared personal examples of this resilience. The attendees left with new insights and connections within Ottawa for help and learning.

Sadly, it’s a daily occurrence to read in the news of young men and women being hurt and killed by violence. Nevertheless, this foundation continues to honour Dapo Agoro’s memory by exploring how to build a healthier, stronger community to support our youth and help them navigate their lives.