Title
Community Activist and City Builder
Tell us a bit about you.
Mohamed Shuriye is a passionate community activist and city builder. In his day job, Mohamed works at the City of Toronto, leading employee engagement with the United Way and staff charitable giving as the United Way Campaign Manager. He has led a fundraising campaign raising over $2.8 million to support the work of United Way’s 200 community agencies. In his volunteer time, he has helped to establish TTCRiders, a transit advocacy group lobbying for better public transit and currently serves on the board of Positive Change, a Somali-Canadian advocacy group working to eliminate youth violence. In his spare time, Mohamed enjoys escaping Toronto on hikes, cheering on the Raptors, and spending time with his family and friends over shaax & sheeko (tea & conversation).
How did you decide that taking on a leadership role at United Way was the best career choice for you?
I remember in high school learning about the United Way and the great work it does serving newcomers, youth, and our most vulnerable community members. My involvement with the United Way continued in my adulthood as I found myself organizing meetings and events at United Way community hub’s, volunteering with their agencies, and using services provided by the YMCA- A United Way agency. When the opportunity to get involved with the City’s campaign for United Way came up, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Working with United Way has engaged me with colleagues at work from various departments I otherwise would never have the pleasure to meet and networked me to an active philanthropic community outside the City.
What is the best personal advice you were ever given?
The best personal advice I was ever given was to not let work be your only identity. Far too often people assume what you do is who are you. I instead believe what I do is only a part of who I am. My volunteer work, what I enjoy in my spare time, valuable moments with my family and friends, shape who I truly am. Work is just one piece of my identity.
What role do you envision for a networking group such as Manyatta to play in the African Diaspora in Toronto and in the city at large?
I think Manyatta can play a significant role in connecting, fostering, and growing a successful network for the African Diaspora in Toronto and serving as a mentorship organization for those just starting out their careers to meet and learn from others.
What does “Manyatta” mean to you?
For me Manyatta means community- a community of aspirations and ambition. The future will be built by groups like Manyatta so it excites me to see it flourish and reinforces the strengths in our community and gives me great hope in what we can all accomplish together.
How to connect with Mohamed?
LinkedIn: Click here for Mohamed’s profile.