Two brothers from London, ON are helping youth in underserved communities find opportunities for physical activity as part of a new initiative called Physical activity: A gift for us all. Rami and Rudwan Ahamed Jamalallil are the founders of the social media news site Londonblo.g and are now working with community-based resource centres in the city to show young people the power of sport and physical activity to achieve success.
Our mother was a first-generation immigrant and she raised us on her own. She worked really hard and did everything she could to support us and teach us how to make good choices, but there were always negative influences around. When I was in my teens, physical activity really helped to keep me on the right path
Rami J explained a lot of Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) youth who come from marginalized communities can feel isolated and disenfranchised. There are limited options for affordable after school activities or teams and transportation can be difficult to access.
Participation in sport and physical activity can create social and personal benefits, decreasing the risk of youth engaging in negative behaviours. He added his goal with this new program is to fuel more passion for physical activity as a positive alternative and path to success.
Rami J works full time running Londonblo.g and a video production company called Virtue 25, while Rudwan is a third-year psychology major at Western University and oversees content creation. The two decided to create a video to shed light on some of the issues youth face, including some who grew up in underserved communities and found success and benefits through sport and physical activity.
One of the interviews in the video features Hamdi Babeker, a 22-year-old Western University student who launched London Royals, a subsidized basketball program for youth in London.
Coming from a low-income family, I’ve experienced some of the barriers BIPOC-youth face when it comes to accessing organized sports. Growing up, we couldn’t really afford organized sports or access transportation to these activities. This motivated me to start a program for youth where we could help provide these resources.
Former local high school track star Yohanna Akot also highlights in the video how sports helped him develop a sense of confidence and a set of values such as teamwork and leadership. Babeker and Akot join a group of other members of the London sports community who credit physical activity for their successes.
“We hope this video will get people thinking and maybe motivate leaders in the London community to take steps to create opportunities for physical activity in more underserved communities,” Rami J added. “We’re here to spotlight the realities and look forward to working with others who are ready to make change.”
Rami met GoodLife Fitness founder and CEO David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans at the end of 2021, and the two connected over their passion for entrepreneurship and fitness. GoodLife Fitness will donate 25 free gym memberships for youth in five communities Rami has identified. The memberships include access to GoodLife On-Demand digital content as well as club access.
We know fitness can change lives. Connecting with positive habits and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with being physically active and playing sport not only builds physical health but it creates a positive mindset that sets you up to succeed in all aspects of your life.
GoodLife will provide the memberships alongside the launch of the Physical activity: A gift for us all video this week.
Rami J said this is just the beginning of the project. He adds his team plans to launch a non-profit youth mentorship program that will help connect equity-seeking, BIPOC youth in the London community with resources and supports to achieve their health, academic, and career goals.