Simone Gamble of OAARS - 5-Minute Fridays Instructor.
Simone Gamble
5-Minute Fridays
What camp did you work at?
Camp Fiver
Why is working at summer camp important to you?
It is important because it has the unique opportunity to educate and offers a space of unlearning for young people in ways traditional schooling can not. We have the chance to cultivate change-makers who will create a better world for all of us if we lean into that call to action.
And we can have fun while doing it.
I also find it important because camp was also a space of healing for me and others who looked like me when the work to create those spaces was intentional. Camp can be a reimagination of what our connection to the outdoors and healing can look like.
What was the first time you were noticed and appreciated by an adult that wasn't your parent?
My teachers have always been folks who saw the talent within me that I didn't see in myself. As a young person, I played basketball and my coaches were some of the first people to affirm my gifts and worth as a young person and not only because of how I performed, but because of the fact that I tried and showed up no matter what.
I gained so much confidence from my coaches. Their words stayed with me.
What hobbies do you enjoy outside of camp?
Dancing, Hiking, Sports, Bookclubs, Traveling, Event planning
What are you passionate about (besides summer camp)?
I am very passionate about social justice. This is the core of what guides my work. I want a world where all people are able to live,
What is something that not a lot of people know about you?
I have a very large family. I was adopted when I was very young and now have a family of 6 brothers and two sisters. This is the foundation of how I came to learn quickly that you can become family with folks with whom you don't share blood with.
This is why camp was perfect for me as a young person.
What was your act in your camp's talent show?
I always performed dance routines with my fellow cabin mates. I loved coming up with choreography for the show. I was shy and awkward but I came alive on the stage.
What's your favourite meal at camp?
My favorite meal at camp was always smiley fries! Couldn't get enough.
Check out Simone in our 2021-22 5-Minute Fridays program