“They wanna know, who’s that girl?” - Eve

Vanessa Smithers, the woman of 101 lives, has always found solace in writing, using it as a powerful outlet to express her thoughts and emotions since childhood. Born in Toronto, Ontario, with deep ancestral roots in the African Canadian community of Truro, Nova Scotia, Vanessa's life took a significant turn at age 10 when she entered foster care. Seeking stability and peace, she bravely left the system at 12, armed with a one-way ticket to Toronto from the ‘burbs. Despite being unhoused and experiencing food insecurity upon arrival, Vanessa's determination motivated her to break barriers and pursue higher education, earning degrees from Toronto Metropolitan University and The University of Guelph-Humber.

With over 17 years of leadership, human resources, and frontline experience in community advocacy, employment, and education, Vanessa has collaborated with organizations such as Toronto Community Housing, 360 Kids, Youthlink, The John Howard Society, The YMCA, Big Brothers and Big Sisters (US and Canada), The Salvation Army, The Roy McMurtry Youth Centre, The Toronto District School Board, The Peel Board of Education, City of Toronto, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Rikers Island. Throughout her career, she has been trusted with countless stories of joy, hardship, and growth, reinforcing her belief that sharing our stories is a form of love. It fosters vulnerability, empowerment, and freedom, ultimately enhancing communication and understanding, allowing folks to be safe and seen.

In 2017, Vanessa embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, founding a storytelling consultancy dedicated to helping individuals, non-profits, and businesses reclaim and shape their narratives. Her services include crafting career documents, coaching, grant writing, media kits, biographies, and copywriting. With a life-long passion for supporting clients secure fulfilling careers, Vanessa understands the impact of professional satisfaction on overall well-being and peace of mind. To date, Vanessa has supported over 2,500 clients globally, with 95% hailing from the Black community. She has proudly collaborated with industry key players such as Vayner Media, Hey Black Girl!, Rise in Stem, Blacks in Technology, Black Men in Tech, Inside Projects, Dreamin’ in Color, Salesforce employees, Netflix, government heavy-hitters, and Spotify. 

Vanessa approaches everything she does with love, which she views as the foundation of everything that she touches, personally and professionally. Whether she's crafting technical documents or diving into creative expressions such as essays, poetry, and songs, her intention is always the same: to foster self-love and propel others forward in their journeys. Her community-focused social media presence is an extension of this philosophy, where she connects her work back to love—for ourselves, others, and life itself.

Additionally, Vanessa is the Director of Programming at Fifty for Free Youth Community Initiative, a Canadian non-profit organization, where she plans, manages, and implements youth programs in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This program is dedicated to breaking generational cycles and intercepting crime to promote long-term success, nurturing education through sports, financial literacy, and life skills for African Nova Scotian youth.

Her exceptional work has earned her over 500 glowing testimonials and features in prestigious publications such as Toronto Life, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, CBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

On a more personal note, Vanessa lives for travel, hip hop, visual arts, avoiding text messages, eating delicious foods, wearing oversized t-shirts, and dancing around her kitchen with her dog, Girl. She believes in vacationing once a month, so if you catch her OOO auto-response, best believe she’s on a beach or at a restaurant in another city.