“It means a lot – I was surprised, honestly,” says Atoyebi of the recognition. “I like to sit down and draw an assessment of my environment, identifying the needs, and see how I can close the gap.”

Atoyebi is one of 24 awardees recognized as changemakers in B.C. Now in its 23rd year, the award honours individuals committed to creating a more caring, resilient and inclusive province.

A collaborative spirit

Atoyebi founded the African-Canadian Agricultural Producers Cooperative. Based in Surrey, the cooperative farm – which currently consists of 11 members – advances access to culturally appropriate food.

“I asked myself, ‘What can I do to contribute to food sufficiency in Canada?” Atoyebi shares that many African products are not easily accessible in grocery stores – a problem that Latin American and Asian communities have also experienced. “I thought, ‘One of the things I could do is start producing food.’”

He also wanted to address the city’s food scarcity issues. Last year, the farm produced local vegetables and fruits, such as garlic, strawberry, broccoli, tomato, and watermelon.

“When I saw that immigrants were struggling to get farmland, I started to get people together,” he shares. “I thought, ‘If I couldn’t achieve this on my own, then I might as well get [like-minded] people who can achieve this with me.”

Atoyebi also established the British Columbia Black Advocacy Society, an organization promoting awareness of issues related to race relations. The organization has plans to establish a Black-focused legal resource – offering services in the most common languages spoken by B.C.’s Black population.

Aside from English and French, these include Swahili, Yoruba and Igbo. Atoyebi adds that their services aren’t just exclusively for Black communities: the team also supports other immigrants in understanding common legal topics such as divorce, child custody and tenancy.

“We’re getting calls and requests from members of the Black community – it’s a testament to the fact that it was necessary to come up with an organization,” Atoyebi shares the organization has received reports detailing hate-motivated and racist incidents.

A welcoming community

The organization hosted “Countering Hate Together: Community Resilience Forum” – a day of intercultural exchange celebrating Black History Month – this past February. Supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the event’s participating organizations included BC Community Alliance, Immigrant Services Society of BC and Community Legal Assistance Society.

“I grew up in Nigeria where you have to advocate for yourself – you don’t depend on government to do anything for you,” he shares. “You create the kind of community you want for yourself.”

He has studied in multiple continents, including Africa, Europe and North America. Atoyebi’s education has also brought him to South Korea. A former legal lecturer encouraged him to see law as a profession for engineering social change.

“I measure my achievements in life by the number of people I’ve been able to impact positively,” he shares. “Anywhere I’ve found myself, I’ve been involved in community work.”

This ambition didn’t end when he arrived in Canada. Atoyebi joined the Vancouver General Hospital Thrift Store Board. He has since served on the City of Vancouver’s Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee and Vancouver Heritage Commission.

He defines community as a place that welcomes everyone – without hostility and discrimination. Atoyebi’s humanity-first focus sees the human before colour, gender and other identity markers.

“Community is a place where everyone is made to feel like human beings; they are respected [and] accommodated,” he shares. “They are also assisted when the need arises.”

For more information, see www.bcachievement.com/awardee/john-kehinde-atoyebi