Hiyeeeee!
In a word, Chantai Finesse is an enthusiast… of thesauruses, pastries, deep conversations, home decor… and ask her about her signature Mummy Mocha™. This pastry arts management grad, creative mind and writer of Treasured: A Kid’s Take on Self-Worth and Arizen Treasure loves sharing messages of empowerment, food and nutrition advocacy, and insight into the experiences of marginalized communities all while instilling a positive self-image for children and adults alike.
She has always been sensitive to the use of words in their written form and in speech and though having a quiet demeanour has utilized her passion to speak on several platforms, from the youth in the various congregations she has attended, to the wider audience who listened to her on the radio or perform spoken word.
Indomitable in every sense, she uses her experiences of overcoming depression, homelessness, domestic violence and abuse to curve the idea that your circumstances dictate your ability to thrive. This is a lesson she challenges herself daily to demonstrate to her own children.
Community Activism
Don’t shy away from supporting others
In 2017, Chantai Finesse created and launched “ShowHer” a community baby shower that also provided information from various sectors within Durham Region including Social Services and Health Services for young women, children and families alike. The donations benefitted Herizon House and WINGS Maternity Home. She also participated in Durham Rape Crisis Centre’s #WeBelieveYou video and their annual Steps for Survivors walk.
In 2018, Chantai Finesse raised donations to participate in Durham’s Habitat for Humanity Women in Power build and was selected as Durham’s Black Canadian Queen 2017-18 by the Diversity Advancement Network
In 2019, she was nominated for the Woman on Fire Awards – Author category for Treasured: A Kid’s Take on Self-Worth
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I am constantly in awe at your ability to throw your all into everything you do. You are a testament to the fact that when you truly believe in something, that that belief will shine through in all that you do. You inspire me to put my all in!
/ jin @ jdumplins.com /
Workshops & Presentations
2019 saw Chantai Finesse’s reach broaden as she led the workshop “Writing Your Path” during the Women’s Empowerment Conference hosted by the Durham District School Board - Education Centre.
She was a guest speaker for Talkin’ Tales - a family event celebrating Afro-Caribbean heritage during Black History Month
She led a workshop for High School students in collaboration with the Women’s Multicultural Resource & Counseling Centre of Durham
Volunteered for storytime sessions with the preschoolers attending SmartStart Learning Centres.
Further Education with Kids in mind
2020 began a new chapter with Chantai Finesse returning to school after a 10-year wait while also utilizing her creativity to engage customers of established companies as well as new entrepreneurs through creating content, webpage design, marketing material and offering innovative and critical thinking analysis of individual or corporate structures often aimed towards a child-friendly client base.
Despite the uncertainties that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, Chantai Finesse graduated with honours from Centennial College’s Baking and Pastry Arts Management program in April 2021 and has since started utilizing her skills in baking and pastries to educate those most at risk of food insecurity while honing her writing skills to focus on sustainable approaches to health and wellness for families.
Wanting to further develop her communication and media skills specifically catering to a children's audience, Chantai Finesse acquired a coveted spot in the Children’s Media graduate program at Centennial College’s Story Arts Campus where she graduated with honours and was the 2022 Dean’s Award recipient of the Peter Dickinson Award, given to a student of each program who: challenges convention; is not afraid to challenge status-quo thinking, including the thinking among their peers; thinks “out of the box”; and is an "outlier" who is highly creative.
She is currently working on merging her two passions together.