The Kickback Foundation, started from a sneaker drive, has grown to an organization serving youth which held their first in person graduation this year in the CBC atrium.
Kickback is a youth-led movement for change coming out of Toronto, Canada. Artists, athletes, social workers and community programmers came together to serve neighbourhoods similar to ones they grew up in. Founded by Jamal Burger, Kickback’s vision is to redefine communities by breaking down the social barriers that underserved youth face. His love of sneakers became the medium to open conversations and open doors into the world of high-level sport, media and art.
The Kickback Foundation has two arts programs, two education based programs and three sports based programs.The graduation held December 12th celebrates 88 successful graduates, over 300 community members and over 700 networking opportunities for the accomplished students.
Burger shares that he started the sneaker drive from his childhood – knowing a pair of sneakers was often the cost of groceries for his mom. “Me and my closest friends at the time, I think we all realized around 12 or 13, that it’d be up to us to find ways to provide for our families as young men. We grew up in an environment where there’s not the greatest of opportunities surrounding you. You inevitably end up getting yourself in trouble.” Burger then pushed through education, finding a passion in photography. As he built his name and platform, he started receiving PR packages – including sneakers. Burger found this frustrating as he needed the sneakers much less at this time, then he did as a kid.
“From there, that kind of inspired and motivated me to start what was, at first just a sneaker drive. But in bringing people together through sneakers, I realized that there’s an opportunity here to introduce people to concepts, thoughts, and feelings. What started off as a sneaker drive has kind of snowballed into an organization with seven programs.”
Kickback Foundation has had graduations in the past, isolated, but now the group is coming together to celebrate their achievements. “This year we’re bringing everyone together because connectivity, community, a sense of belonging, is imperative to making people feel special and making them feel like they belong somewhere. I take a lot of pride in this. I take a lot of pride in my team. We built this together. What’s even more special about it is that some, if not more than half, of the people that have helped organize today are youth from the programs. So it’s a self sustaining full circle moment for us.”
As the program has grown, Burger has been able to use partnerships to grow Kickback with prolific companies like Kith and Ssense. Burger says these big brands also help grab the attention of the kids who need to be in these programs.
One graduate, Siby Diomande, tells us that the basketball program has been life changing. “It’s been a great experience. I met so many people that I have so much in common with even though we’re not necessarily the same age. I was older than most of the other people that I met there, but it was a good experience. We got to learn a lot from each other. I got to extend my knowledge of my favorite sport which really meant a lot to me.”
Not your stereotypical program, Diomande shares he appreciated the wellness aspects that aligned with sports that he wou;d’ve never otherwise explored. “We went to yoga sessions together. We even had a talk with a nutritionist.”
To anyone participating, he urges them to join and says it’s the best use of your time during the summer. “Instead of staying inside and doing nothing or just spending your time doing things that won’t necessarily help you. I feel like Kickback would be a good program to join, even if it’s not the athletic program.”
Diomande hopes to create a community where he can teach people about wellbeing and sports and extend what Kickback Foundation has offered him.
Hillary LeBlanc
Latest posts by Hillary LeBlanc (see all)
- Benjamin Moore Colour of The Year Goes Beyond the Wall - November 26, 2025
- Childrens First Canada Celebrates 10 Years at Future Is Now Gala - November 12, 2025