About The Event

This year’s conference theme, Reset, Rebuild, Recover: Reimagining the Future of Toronto’s Black Communities, was chosen to provide Black community members in Toronto, and their allies, with the opportunity to reflect on how systemic racism has had a twofold effect on Toronto’s Black communities. Black Torontonians were more exposed and less protected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic due to pre-existing racial inequalities relating to health, socioeconomic and environmental factors. This conference aims to produce useful and vital insights on policy solutions for a successful recovery for Toronto’s Black communities.

About The Event

This year’s conference theme, Reset, Rebuild, Recover: Reimagining the Future of Toronto’s Black Communities, was chosen to provide Black community members in Toronto, and their allies, with the opportunity to reflect on how systemic racism has had a twofold effect on Toronto’s Black communities. Black Torontonians were more exposed and less protected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic due to pre-existing racial inequalities relating to health, socioeconomic and environmental factors. This conference aims to produce useful and vital insights on policy solutions for a successful recovery for Toronto’s Black communities.

How to Register

This year’s conference will be hosted virtually on Hopin. Click HERE to secure your virtual seat for TBPC 2021 now!

How to Register

This year’s conference will be hosted virtually on Hopin. Click HERE to secure your virtual seat for TBPC 2021 now!

Agenda

TIMESESSION BREAKDOWN
9:00AMVirtual Doors Open
9:30AM – 10:00AMOpening Remarks & Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word Performance
10:00AM – 11:00AMOPENING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION) - Reset: Centering Well-Being in Our Collective Recovery
11:00AM – 12:00PMMORNING PANEL - Rebuild: Solutions to Toronto’s Housing Crisis in Black Communities​
12:00PM – 12:55PMLUNCH - Networking Session
1:00PM – 2:00PMAFTERNOON PANEL - Rebuild: Maximizing the Economic Impact of Investments in Black Communities
2:00PM – 3:00PMCLOSING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION) - Recover: Solidifying Black Voices in Political Processes

Agenda

TIMESESSION BREAKDOWNSPEAKER
9:00AMVirtual Doors Open
9:30AM – 10:00AMOpening Remarks & Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word PerformanceCanadian Black Policy Network
Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit, City of Toronto
Randell Adjei, Inaugural Poet Laureate of Ontario
10:00AM – 11:00AMOpening Keynote (In Conversation)Dr. Tanya Sharpe, Endowed Chair in Social Work in the Global Community and Founder & Director of The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB), Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto
Dr. Notisha Massaquoi, Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto, Scarborough & Former Executive Director of Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre
11:00AM – 12:00PMMorning PanelEvelyn Amponsah, Director, The Centre for the Advancement of the Interests of Black People, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC)
Dahabo Ahmed-Omer, Executive Director, BlackNorth Initiative Mwarigha, Vice President Housing and Homelessness Services, Asset Sustainability and Development, WoodGreen Community Services
Mwarigha M.S., Vice President Housing and Homelessness Services, Asset Sustainability and Development, WoodGreen Community Services
12:00PM – 12:55PMLUNCHSpeed Networking (Optional)
1:00PM – 2:00PMAfternoon PanelLiban Abokor, Executive Director, Youth LEAPS & Co-founder, Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC)
Nadine Spencer, President, Black Business and Professional Association
Isaac Olowolafe Jr., Award-Winning Real Estate Entrepreneur, Angel Investor & Philanthropist, DreamMaker Inc.
Adeela Carter, Founder, Carter Strategy Group & Co-Founder, Pitch Better
2:00PM – 3:00PMClosing Keynote (In Conversation)Kema Joseph, Bilingual Government Relations Consultant, Crestview Strategy & Former Stakeholder Relations and Outreach Advisor, Office of Mayor John Tory
MPP Laura Mae Lindo, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, Activist & Educator

SPEAKERS & KEYNOTE/ PANEL DESCRIPTIONS

Opening Performance: Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word Performance

Randell Adjei

Inaugural Poet Laureate of Ontario & Founder, Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere (R.I.S.E Edutainment)

OPENING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION)

Reset: Centering Well-Being in Our Collective Recovery

This panel seeks to engage in dialogue on mental health stigmas in Toronto’s Black communities, explore ways it can impair youth and adult development in the areas of education and employment, and seeks to explore programming and policy levers currently in place to provide a roadmap forward.

Dr. Tanya L. Sharpe

Dr. Tanya L. Sharpe

Endowed Chair in Social Work in the Global Community and Founder & Director of The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB), Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi

Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto, Scarborough & Former Executive Director of Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre

Keynote Speaker

MORNING PANEL

Rebuild: Solutions to Toronto’s Housing Crisis in Black Communities ​

Toronto’s housing stock is in crisis, from aging rental buildings, to limited community housing to a lack of urban planning, and this crisis is disproportionately impacting Black communities. No where was this more clear than during the COVID-19 pandemic where cases were most prevalent in predominantly Black communities with families living in overcrowded housing. This panel seeks to identify both long-term and immediate solutions to Toronto’s housing crisis in Black communities.

Evelyn Amponsah

Director, The Centre for the Advancement of the Interests of Black People, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC)

Moderator

Dahabo, Ahmed-Omer

Executive Director, BlackNorth Initiative

Panelist

Mwarigha M.S.

Vice President Housing and Homelessness Services, Asset Sustainability and Development, WoodGreen Community Services

Panelist

Cheryll Case

Founder and Principal Urban Planner, CP Planning

Panelist

SPEAKERS & KEYNOTE/ PANEL DESCRIPTIONS

Opening Performance: Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word Performance

Randell Adjei

Inaugural Poet Laureate of Ontario & Founder, Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere (R.I.S.E Edutainment)

OPENING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION)

Reset: Centering Well-Being in Our Collective Recovery

This panel seeks to engage in dialogue on mental health stigmas in Toronto’s Black communities, explore ways it can impair youth and adult development in the areas of education and employment, and seeks to explore programming and policy levers currently in place to provide a roadmap forward.

Dr. Tanya L. Sharpe

Dr. Tanya L. Sharpe

Endowed Chair in Social Work in the Global Community and Founder & Director of The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB), Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi

Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto, Scarborough & Former Executive Director of Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre

Keynote Speaker

MORNING PANEL

Rebuild: Solutions to Toronto’s Housing Crisis in Black Communities ​

Toronto’s housing stock is in crisis, from aging rental buildings, to limited community housing to a lack of urban planning, and this crisis is disproportionately impacting Black communities. No where was this more clear than during the COVID-19 pandemic where cases were most prevalent in predominantly Black communities with families living in overcrowded housing. This panel seeks to identify both long-term and immediate solutions to Toronto’s housing crisis in Black communities.

Evelyn Amponsah

Director, The Centre for the Advancement of the Interests of Black People, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC)

Moderator

Dahabo, Ahmed-Omer

Executive Director, BlackNorth Initiative

Panelist

Mwarigha M.S.

Vice President Housing and Homelessness Services, Asset Sustainability and Development, WoodGreen Community Services

Panelist

Cheryll Case

Founder and Principal Urban Planner, CP Planning

Panelist

AFTERNOON PANEL

Rebuild: Maximizing the Economic Impact of Investments in Black Communities

In the last two years, Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments have committed millions of dollars to the economic recovery of Black communities in Toronto post-COVID-19. This panel seeks to discuss how we can maximize the impact of these investments in Black social services, entrepreneurial and business sectors.

Liban Abokor

Youth LEAPS & Co-founder, Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC)

Moderator

Nadine Spencer

CEO, BrandEQ Group & President, Black Business and Professional Association

Panelist

Isaac Olowolafe Jr.

Award-Winning Real Estate Entrepreneur, Angel Investor & Philanthropist, DreamMaker Inc.

Panelist

Adeela Carter

Founder, Carter Strategy Group & Co-Founder, Pitch Better

Panelist

CLOSING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION)

Recover: Solidifying Black Voices in Political Processes

The last two years have seen unprecedented support for the issues that disproportionately impact Black communities by political and non-partisan leaders, media, public sector institutions, and the broader Toronto population. However, this support has been reactive, rather than embedded in political processes. This session will be a conversation about how we centre Black voices, including youth voices, in civic and political processes in our immediate and long-term recovery.

Kema Joseph

Bilingual Government Relations Consultant, Crestview Strategy & Former Stakeholder Relations and Outreach Advisor, Office of Mayor John Tory

Moderator

MPP Laura Mae Lindo

Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, Activist & Educator

Keynote Speaker

AFTERNOON PANEL

Rebuild: Maximizing the Economic Impact of Investments in Black Communities

In the last two years, Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments have committed millions of dollars to the economic recovery of Black communities in Toronto post-COVID-19. This panel seeks to discuss how we can maximize the impact of these investments in Black social services, entrepreneurial and business sectors.

Liban Abokor

Youth LEAPS & Co-founder, Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC)

Moderator

Nadine Spencer

CEO, BrandEQ Group & President, Black Business and Professional Association

Panelist

Isaac Olowolafe Jr.

Award-Winning Real Estate Entrepreneur, Angel Investor & Philanthropist, DreamMaker Inc.

Panelist

Adeela Carter

Founder, Carter Strategy Group & Co-Founder, Pitch Better

Panelist

CLOSING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION)

Recover: Solidifying Black Voices in Political Processes

The last two years have seen unprecedented support for the issues that disproportionately impact Black communities by political and non-partisan leaders, media, public sector institutions, and the broader Toronto population. However, this support has been reactive, rather than embedded in political processes. This session will be a conversation about how we centre Black voices, including youth voices, in civic and political processes in our immediate and long-term recovery.

Kema Joseph

Bilingual Government Relations Consultant, Crestview Strategy & Former Stakeholder Relations and Outreach Advisor, Office of Mayor John Tory

Moderator

MPP Laura Mae Lindo

Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, Activist & Educator

Keynote Speaker

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