Building Community Through Inclusive Events: The Civic Impact of Yemilo Audu’s Work in Winnipeg

Building Civic Connection, One Inclusive Event at a Time

When we picture civic engagement, our minds usually jump to voting booths, protest signs, or crowded town-hall meetings. Yet community building often begins in subtler, more powerful ways, like stepping into a room and instantly feeling seen, welcomed, and connected. That quiet civic revolution is exactly what Yemilo Audu is leading in Winnipeg, where she is on a mission to make diversity, accessibility, and inclusion the foundation, not the afterthought, of every gathering she touches.

Redefining What an Event Can Be

Yemilo likes to say she “fell into” event planning, but the intentionality behind her work is anything but accidental. Each project starts with three questions: What is the deeper purpose here? How do we make everyone feel they belong? And how can this gathering create value that outlives the moment? In a city where 31.5 percent of residents identify as a visible minority (2021 Census), she argues that events must accurately mirror the community they serve.

“You can’t check a box by adding one big-name speaker,” she says. “Who’s actually in the room, and what do they need to feel heard?”

Representation, Connection, Growth

The “plus-value” of Yemilo’s approach is evident the minute the doors open. ASL interpreters, multilingual signage, prayer spaces, and culturally familiar food signal to guests that the event was designed with them in mind. For newcomers, Indigenous elders, or under-represented artists, these details turn a generic meetup into a platform for visibility and contribution.

When people feel invited, they show up. When they show up, they build networks. And those networks translate into jobs, collaborations, confidence, and a stronger civic fabric.

A Home-Grown Talent Ecosystem

Working as a solo entrepreneur means Yemilo relies on partnerships rather than a fixed team. She is constantly scouting Winnipeg’s vibrant yet often overlooked pool of creatives, technicians, and performers.

“I’ll meet someone and think, I don’t have a project for you yet, but I will,” she says.

That local-first mindset keeps dollars and skills circulating inside the community while cross-pollinating ideas between corporate, artistic, and grassroots sectors.

Flipping the Script on Corporate Events

Corporate gatherings can feel stale: data-heavy slides, recycled talking points, the obligatory chicken dinner. Yemilo challenges her clients to move beyond what they want to say and focus on what they want people to feel—and remember—long after the lights go out.

“The right experience can turn a routine meeting into a strategic moment of storytelling and even healing,” she explains. “You already have supporters in the room. Use that energy to grow your business and your community.”

It Takes Vision—and a Village

Yemilo doesn’t shy away from the chaos of production: last-minute venue changes, sourcing plant-based samosas instead of default finger foods, or hunting down stage lights that won’t trigger sensory issues. She thrives on the scramble because she knows the “why” behind it—and she expects her clients to know theirs, too.

“I always say I’m not independent; I’m very dependent,” she laughs. “It takes a team. It takes community. Most of all, it takes vision.”

In a world where civic connection can feel frayed, Yemilo Audu is stitching it back together—one thoughtfully curated event at a time.