Vanessa Smithers - The Multifaceted Woman

A woman of resilience, vulnerability, and compassion who strives to find joy in all that she does. 

Possessing 15+ years in the realm of advocacy, career navigation, keynote speaking, and workshop facilitation, Vanessa Smithers is the powerhouse behind Grow Home, Please. The eldest of three children, Vanessa was born in Toronto, Ontario, with ancestral roots in Nova Scotia’s African Canadian community. At age 10, she was apprehended from her mother's home and placed into foster care in rural Ontario. Vanessa grew exhausted, desiring stability and consistency- a sense of routine and normality. She craved a place that felt like "home," as this was something that seemed foreign to her. She longed for safety, security, and a place where she could peacefully rebuild her life on her own terms.

 Vanessa left foster care at 12, with only a garbage bag of belongings, traveling via Greyhound bus to Toronto. Overjoyed that she escaped the toxic environments that she was accustomed to, Vanessa was homeless upon arrival to the big city. She succumbed to residing in shelters, on the street, and on strangers' couches. 

    Exploring various avenues, including mentorship, resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness, Vanessa overcame obstacles and broke barriers. She eventually began her journey to break generational cycles and explore the trauma that had impacted her life. Although dropping out of high school with less than thirteen credits, Vanessa was able to apply to college and university, acquiring degrees from multiple post-secondary institutions. She was able to exemplify resilience throughout her journey, never allowing her trials and tribulations to bring her goals and aspirations to a halt. 

  Experiencing a world of foster parents, youth workers, and advocates, Vanessa recognized at an early age that she wanted to support others who had gone through similar life experiences after acknowledging many flaws within the systems designed to "support" young people. Following the receipt of her degrees, Vanessa immersed herself into the world of youth advocacy, working with affluent organizations and institutions in Toronto such as 360 Kids, Toronto Community Housing, Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre, Operation Springboard, The John Howard Society, Salvation Army, The Roy McMurtry Youth Prison, Rikers Island, The Toronto District School Board, The Peel Board of Education and more. In addition, Vanessa immersed herself into the world of foster parenting for a large portion of her early adult years, supporting youth with varying behavioral and mental health challenges and creating a safe and stable home for those who could benefit most.

Vanessa prides herself on maintaining connections with the young people she has encountered throughout her career. She believes that "youth can never have too much support. I know who and what I needed when I was younger, and at times, that was hard to find. In my career, I've never believed in the social services textbook idea that 'once you're done, you're done.' Why would I not maintain relationships with the young people who have knocked down their walls to establish a relationship with me? They may not need me forever, but I'll be around for as long as they do.

Grow Home, Please was birthed from the understanding that home is within us, and the more we pour into ourselves, the more we grow and live. 

With a strong love for visual art, music, travel, and food, Vanessa remains grounded in her ties to advocacy and empowerment within the community, consistently pouring into the communities that raised her.

Vanessa Smithers & The Power of Storytelling

Vanessa firmly believes that when we share our stories, we unravel parts of ourselves, creating space for new narratives, new learnings, and new experiences. She believes that when we share our stories, we gain power exponentially because we use our voices to share and own what is ours instead of others taking the reigns and doing so themselves. 

"When we share our stories, we heal. Sharing my story has created so much healing and freedom. It's been a catalyst for eliminating the shame that was once so heavy. I feel lighter, I breathe easier, and I know that I've already begun to heal generations to come. That's what vulnerability can do - mend intergenerational trauma. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm glad I can put my bags down and stay a while." 

Through her facilitation of workshops and storytelling, Vanessa wishes to instill vulnerability, confidence, resilience, and strength into those she supports. She firmly believes that present situations do not have to dictate the future and that everyone can be and do better at any time, regardless of circumstance. 

Vanessa encourages individuals to harness their personal stories to control their narratives, creating a sense of power to propel them forward through vulnerability. She consults with individual organizations and groups to discuss client demographics, outcomes, and learning strategies to develop engaging experiences for all. Vanessa prides herself on delivering workshops and talks that speak to each individual, supporting topics inclusive of storytelling, vulnerability, and passion-rooted career navigation.

Vanessa Smithers, The Master Career Document Writer & Navigator

Vanessa continues to be an advocate for both professional and self-development. She has a strong passion for assisting individuals in obtaining and maintaining fulfilling roles that ultimately become catalysts to achieving long-term goals and success. 

Since October 2017, she has proudly supported over 2,000 individuals internationally; admirably, 95% of her clients have been members of the Black community. Vanessa has successfully assisted professionals in securing roles with provincial and federal governments, non-profit organizations, post-secondary institutions, and more.

In addition, Vanessa has been hired by community organizations internationally to facilitate workshops and speaking engagements for youth and adults centered on passion-focused career navigation and career document creation. 

"It feels amazing to be pouring into our communities and playing a large role in eliminating self-hindering/sabotaging, generational, cycles pertaining to securing roles that individuals may deem themselves as 'unworthy' or 'unqualified' for."

Vanessa Smithers, Conversational Apparel Creator

 Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Vanessa began her journey into the apparel world, creating a conversational merchandise line- Helllo, It's Vee- that accrued $130K+ in its first year.  

 In her apparel, including crewneck sweaters, hoodies, tote bags, and t-shirts, Vanessa uses the stories she tells herself to empower others. She creates items that have the potential to spark conversation and develop connections anywhere. 

 Vanessa has been hired by organizations, including Scadding Court Community Centre in Toronto and youth detention centers across North America, to facilitate mentorship and workshops for individuals wishing to enter the realm of e-commerce.