Own your impact

After another successful Midnight Basketball League season, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) hosted a year-end gala for participants, coaches, and staff.

Featuring a dinner buffet, photo booth, speeches, awards, and a dance floor, the evening was a celebration of all who made the 2025 Midnight Basketball program possible. Tenant youth between the ages of 14 to 18 from communities across the city were invited. 

One of the highlights of the evening was hearing Kareem South speak. He is a former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 basketball player, professional athlete, and devoted community mental health advocate.

Kareem is the founder of Own Your Impact, a foundation that uses basketball as a bridge to create safe spaces for dialogue, healing, and leadership development. Through this work, he helps young people share their stories, build strength, and create change. 

“I started Own Your Impact in Scarborough in 2020 after I returned home from school,” said Kareem. “Whether through content production, events, or community engagement, our vision is to help youth identify their purpose in their communities and then create spaces where others can be seen and heard.”

Over the past few years, Kareem has designed and facilitated community engagement strategies focused on mental health, violence prevention, and youth empowerment. 

Another highlight of the gala was the awarding of the inaugural Midnight Basketball Scholarship. With funds raised from TCHC staff, the award recognizes youth who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to personal growth, community engagement, and academic achievement through their involvement with the program. The scholarship was awarded to Mylo Noel from the Mutual Street/Adelaide community. He served as a role model and actively contributed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and uplifting environment for his peers. 

To find out more about Own Your Impact, you can visit their Instagram page at @ownyourimpact.co.