about hope
Hearts Open
H.O.P.E.’s programs are all about offering a warm, welcoming place where everyone’s voice can be heard – regardless of race and/or gender. Everyone should be treated equally and equitably.
Knowledge
The more culture our community is exposed to the more open we will be to creating an inclusive neighbourhood for ourselves and for others.
Community Support
We’re here to listen so your voice can be heard, be empathetic by putting ourselves in your shoes, and to be compassionate to show we care.
HOPE’s Mission, Vision and Values
Vision
To foster a multicultural rural community where everyone can be truly authentic and welcome.
Mission
At HOPE, we create shared community experiences while promoting compassion, togetherness, and a deep sense of belonging.
Values
We RESPECT IDENTITIES by STRENGTHENING VOICES as we GAIN KNOWLEDGE and SEEK UNDERSTANDING while WEAVING RELATIONSHIPS and BUILDING TRUST.
Our Team
Abby Cooper | Founder and Executive Director
Background Info
Abby was born in Sri Lanka and came to Canada when she was just 1.5 years old. She grew up in Parkdale, then Scarborough, both diverse communities, before moving to Oakville during high school, where she suddenly found herself in the minority.
In 2020, she moved to Elmira with her husband Steve, to raise their son in a safe, welcoming, and family-friendly community.
The Journey
Even as a youth, she had a strong pull towards bringing people together, and becoming a pyschologist or social worker was among the career paths she wished to seek. However, life led her into Marketing instead, where she eventually built and ran her own digital marketing business. She loved working with clients and creating innovative ways to shine a light on their brands, but deep down she knew something was missing. That spark, the feeling of truly living her purpose, just wasn’t there. She knew that creating programs to help people find peace of mind and connection brought her immense joy, but she didn’t quite know what programs she could offer.
After finally finding a place where she belonged, and learning more about her community, she became aware of Elmira’s growing diverse community, and the need for people to assimilate just to fit in. That’s when the 3-part workshop series, “How to Cultivate a Racially Inclusive Community” was developed. Through years of self-work and reflection, she realized that this was the path she was meant to follow. What began as a passion project has now grown into a full-fledged organization, with the additional of the incredible connections she has made along the way.
Mindfulness + Inclusion
Part of this journey involved learning mindfulness. By creating calm within herself, she learned to quiet expectations and self-doubt. It wasn’t easy, but it gave her the clarity to see what truly matters. Mindfulness, when paired with equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) education, has the power to build more compassionate, connected communities. Learn more about how mindfulness and inclusion intertwine to create stronger, more connected communities here.
The Heart of HOPE
Cultural elements had always made their way into the events she planned, as it brought people together to celebrate diversity. By creating spaces to share stories, listen to diverse voices, and enjoy meaningful programs, we can all grow stronger together.
The need is real. Racial and gender discrimination still exist—something she witnessed personally, from her father struggling to have his law degree recognized in Canada, to children today navigating microaggressions and inequities.
But HOPE’s existence is fueled by joy. The joy of connection, of learning, of celebrating who we are. And we do this with a powerful team. Our team is the pulse of the organization. Everything you see, from email updates and thoughtful reminders to the extra touches at our workshops, is enriched by the collective energy and care of our community members who have helped build this organization to what it is today.
Our Goals
- Educate, promote and engage in intercultural communication through positive and enlightening discussions on multiculturalism, racial and gender discrimination
- Understanding the differences in how people from a variety of cultures act, communicate, and perceive the world around them.
- Support community members on how to confront and overcome racism and racial and gender discrimination, and to promote intercultural understanding by empathizing, appreciating, being self-aware and open to various forms of cultures, genders and races.
- Strengthen evidence-based research through focus groups to build an understanding of the disparities and challenges faced by different racialized communities.
- Build community support capacity by creating solutions that address community issues drawn from focus groups, evaluation forms and discussions to help strengthen the ability of individuals, organizations and sectors.