A Space to Dream, Build and Belong

When Ofodile Emmanuel Onah first imagined the Timbuktu Innovation Hub, he was watching young people light up during the African Canadian Civic Engagement Council’s (ACCEC) Advance Youth Leadership Academy, held at the Skills Society Action Lab. “I just thought — what if there was a space like this, but grounded in African heritage?” says Onah. Images supplied Seven years later, that daydream has become reality. Opened this summer by ACCEC, the Timbuktu Innovation Hub is already buzzing.

As Co-founder and Vice President of Operations at ACCEC — and project lead for the Timbuktu Innovation Hub — Onah helped bring that vision to life alongside fellow Co-founder, President, and CEO of ACCEC, Dunia Nur. Together, they’ve shaped the organization into a powerful force for civic engagement, education and economic empowerment within Edmonton’s Black communities. The hub is the result of years of grassroots work. Before having an office, Onah and Nur delivered meals, mentored youth in coffee shops and drove across the city to provide support. As ACCEC grew, so did the vision for a dedicated space.

Drawing inspiration from the ancient city of Timbuktu, once a global centre of trade, culture and scholarship, the Innovation Hub is designed to spark exchange of ideas, skills and culture. “We wanted a place that fosters creativity and collaboration, but that also reflects who we are,” Onah explains. Creating this space that reflected Black culture required community engagement. Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF) was the first major partner to back ACCEC’s vision, providing a $25,000 grant that helped turn the ambitious idea into a tangible project.

“ECF recognized very early on that the Timbuktu Innovation Hub was more than just a building — it was a vision for community belonging and empowerment,” says Sherilyn Trompetter, Manager, Equity Advancement at ECF. “It was our former Director of Communications and Equity Strategy, Nneka Otobolu, who first saw the promise in this project and championed its potential. To now see the hub open and alive with energy is incredibly rewarding.”ECF’s funding allowed ACCEC to work on design renderings with Reimagine Architects, which helped secure additional support from major funders. Ensight+ Architecture Inc. reconceptualized the design and, working with HIBCO Construction, brought the vision to life, creating a welcoming, trauma-informed space.

Walking into the hub today, youth encounter a space that speaks to them: a map of Africa on the wall, movable furniture that invites collaboration and a warm atmosphere. For Chloe Legrand, a graduate of the Timbuktu Trailblazers Youth Employment Skills Strategy, the hub has been life-changing. Legrand, who recently moved to Edmonton, had been struggling to find steady work despite her experience in hospitality and retail. “I was losing confidence,” she says. “Trailblazers gave me routine, new skills and a community where I felt like a priority.”

Over eight weeks, Legrand completed WHMIS and First Aid certifications, learned workplace rights, built financial literacy and volunteered at Edmonton’s Food Bank. The program also connected her with mentors. “They told us, just because the program is over doesn’t mean we’re on our own,” she says. “

They’ll keep checking in, helping us connect with employers … knowing they have my back makes me optimistic about the future.”

Stories like Legrand’s underscore why the Timbuktu Innovation Hub is so valuable for the community: helping young people rise above barriers, build skills and chart their own path forward. “It makes you feel like just because you’re in a minority community, that doesn’t mean that you’re not the priority,” Legrand says.

This story comes from the Winter 2025 Edition of Thrive Magazine.

Read the full issue.