2022 City of Mississauga Municipal Elections Councillor Ward 10 Candidate | Orthopedic Technician
My name is Brennan Bempong, and I have been a resident of Ward 10 (previously a part of Ward 9) my whole life, having been born and raised in Mississauga. After completing my studies to become an Orthopedic Technician in 2019, I began and continue to be working at various hospitals in the Greater Toronto/Hamilton Area. This coincided with the Covid-19 Pandemic. I saw firsthand how lonely, isolated and without hope, so many were, and decided to do something about it. This led me to begin an initiative I called the "Services To The People" Programs from June 2021 until May 2022, where I would provide free, uplifting programs to the community. This includes:
Space 2 Talk: I have signs that say "Space 2 Talk", and would place them in the grass at parks in the community (Churchill Meadows/Lisgar). Any passerbys could stop and chat with me about anything. We maintained social distancing, and had phenomenal engagements. From residents sharing with me their personal issues at home, asking me about why I'm doing this, talking one youth away from committing suicide (we continue to be in contact) and even two individuals who began dating after meeting for the first time during one of the sessions, I had lots of positive feedback from the community.
Get Out and Vote, Informed: For the 2021 Federal Election, I drove residents to and from the voting stations. As Ward 10 is a part of 2 Districts (Mississauga-Erin Mills, Mississauga-Streetsville), this allowed me to educate many residents on the political process. Many who had decided to no longer vote, changed course and voted due to our positive interaction. As well, I interviewed the NDP and Green Party MP candidates (Liberal and Conservative candidates declined my request) for Mississauga-Erin Mills to ensure people knew the candidates, instead of just the party.
Amina Program: On the street I live on, there was a very kind, elderly woman who I would assist with maintaining/improving her lawn/backyard. I would work on her lawn on my days off from the hospital. The bond that formed between Amina and I was a mother-son one. In our last conversation, she told me that directly. Those are just 3 of the 10 total programs (all are available for reading on my website) I ran, alone, during those 10 months. By July 2021 (less than 1 month into running the programs), many people were strongly urging me to put my name up for office. By October, with the calls from the community expanding exponentially, I knew I had to. Thus, with strong backing from various members of Ward 10, I am running to be our Councillor. We already have 30 committed high school-aged volunteers. I remember how hard it is to obtain the necessary 40 hours to graduate, and the pandemic has only made it harder. This will provide youth with something to do, a political education, and stronger social skills. Not to mention, bridge the gap between the older and the younger members of our community. Too many have expressed to me their dissatisfaction, disengagement and disillusion with politics, and I do not want people to give up hope. Or think they are too young/inexperienced/untalented to follow their inner voice and aspire to be more than.
Advice to an upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?
I will be 25 years old throughout this election cycle, and want people to know that you are never too young to make a difference.
Social Media Handles & Contact:
Website: www.brennanbempongward10.ca
Email: bempongward10@gmail.com
Instagram: @brennanb__ (2 underscores)
LinkedIn: Brennan Bempong
Facebook: @BempongWard10
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