York University, and A Different Booklist Cultural Centre introduce the Business Certificate Program

BY PAUL JUNOR

The announcement of the launch of a free business certificate program targeted to the black community is good news. It comes at a time when many black businesses have been severely affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is a culmination of a partnership between one of the best business schools in Canada (York University’s Schulich School of Business), and A Different Booklist Cultural Centre (ADBCC), an important cultural centre in Toronto located at 756 Bathurst Street.

In many ways, ADBCC which advertised itself on its website (https://adbcc.org) as “The People’s Residence” has been very active in the black community in Toronto. It hosts the annual “The Walk with Excellence,” which celebrates academic excellence of high school graduates in the Jane-Finch community. The “Freedom Train Ride,” that celebrates Emancipation Day. They also host “The Black and Caribbean Book Affair” and the “The People’s Podcast Series.”

Itah Sadu, Managing Director of ADBCC explains that the purpose of this partnership is to ensure that academic initiatives are provided to the black community. She states that this partnership came about due to a “Desire to see a greater relationship between Schulich and community.”

York University has been involved with several initiatives with the black community over the years. Dr Carl James, Professor in the Faculty of Education, was appointed on July 1st, 2016 as the new Jean Augustine Chair in Education for a five-year term. He has been involved in many educational projects.

This free business certificate involves Professor Ashwin Joshi, Director of the York University ‘s Masters of Business Administration (MBA). He had reached out to Itah Sadu, after meeting her through a friend of his wife. Ashwin has high expectations for the program, “It will be one of several initiatives over a sustained period of time in terms of engagement with the black community with the intent of having that community grow in strengths, numbers [and] representation at the Schulich School of Business.”

The business certificate will be presented as a webinar program, which will be 75 minutes in duration. Those who enrolled will learn about: marketing, accounting, leadership and human resources management. The session will end with a webinar on how to develop a business. In addition, there will be a lecture from a professor from the business school, interactive engagement with an African Canadian entrepreneur and final question and answer sessions.

There are many entrepreneurs and business owners who could benefit from this free program. Entrepreneurship is greatly needed in the black community.