Parents of Black Children honour the past, empowering the present, and cultivating the future

BY PAUL JUNOR

The work of PoBC was highlighted at its recent annual general meeting, which was held at the Jamaica Canadian Association (JCA). It was held under the theme, “Rooted in Black Legacy to Create Better Black Futures.” It focused on: honouring the past, empowering the present, and cultivating the future. The work of PoBC during the fiscal year which goes from July 1^st, 2023, to June 30^th, 2024, was the focus of the AGM.

In a letter included in the report from David Bosveld, Chair of the Board of Directors and Charline Grant, incoming Chief Executive Officer the theme of the AGM was highlighted. The letter notes that it “Honours the resilience of our ancestors, elders, and leaders, whose legacy drives our mission to advocate for and protect the rights of Black children in Ontario.” It states further that “Looking ahead, our priority is securing sustainable funding to continue and expand our services for Black families. We are committed to long-lasting policy change through the Anti-Black Racism Framework and the development of Africentric educational services that empower Black students to thrive academically and personally.”

In many ways, the year 2024 was a significant one for PoBC as in March, co-founder Kearie Daniel handed in her resignation as Chief Executive Officer after four years. In the annual report, she reminiscences about the mission and vision of the advocacy group. She notes, “As I reflect on the past five years with PoBC Canada, I am filled with deep gratitude for the progress we’re made together. What started as a conversation in a dance studio has grown into a vibrant, impactful million-dollar non-profit organization committed to advocating for Black children across Ontario.”

Some of the PoBC’s programs that were highlighted include:

• The United Parents Project (This signifies the start of PoBC Canada’s systems navigation work, Parent Mentorship Program, and quarterly workshops).
• PoBC Advocacy Framework.
• PoBC Knowledge Exchange Centre (A stand-alone non-profit organization dedicated to exchanging knowledge-sharing initiatives and resources to dismantle anti-Black racism).
• The PoBC Mental Health Fund (Partners with mental health clinicians who take an Africentric and culturally responsive approach to make sure that families can get the support they need).
• Anti-Black Racism in Education Framework (This is a collaborative effort involving Black families, educators, and community partners, with the goal of building an equitable educational environment for Black students and amplifying the voices of Black families across the province).
• The Edge Tutoring Program (This is a free high-touch tutoring program for Black students in grades kindergarten to 12. Students work with Africentric tutors and receive tutoring twice a week in the subjects of their choice).
• The OMO Virtual Campus (This is a virtual safe haven for Black students. Students have access to free drop-in homework help, with curated spaces designed to uplift Black students).

The guest speaker at the AGM was Dr. Akwati Khente. He mentioned positive things about the work of the PoBC and how it has built on the work of previous organizations.