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
| TIME | SESSION BREAKDOWN |
|---|---|
| 9:00AM | Virtual Doors Open |
| 9:30AM – 10:00AM | Opening Remarks & Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word Performance |
| 10:00AM – 11:00AM | OPENING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION) - Reset: Centering Well-Being in Our Collective Recovery |
| 11:00AM – 12:00PM | MORNING PANEL - Rebuild: Solutions to Toronto’s Housing Crisis in Black Communities |
| 12:00PM – 12:55PM | LUNCH - Networking Session |
| 1:00PM – 2:00PM | AFTERNOON PANEL - Rebuild: Maximizing the Economic Impact of Investments in Black Communities |
| 2:00PM – 3:00PM | CLOSING KEYNOTE (IN CONVERSATION) - Recover: Solidifying Black Voices in Political Processes |
Agenda
| TIME | SESSION BREAKDOWN | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00AM | Virtual Doors Open | |
| 9:30AM – 10:00AM | Opening Remarks & Celebrating Black Excellence Spoken Word Performance | Canadian Black Policy Network Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit, City of Toronto Randell Adjei, Inaugural Poet Laureate of Ontario |
| 10:00AM – 11:00AM | Opening 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 – 12:00PM | Morning Panel | Evelyn 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 – 12:55PM | LUNCH | Speed Networking (Optional) |
| 1:00PM – 2:00PM | Afternoon Panel | Liban 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 – 3:00PM | Closing 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
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
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
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
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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