The Humber Polytechnic community came together in the Humber Cultural Hub (HCH) for an illuminating panel discussion that focused on the creativity and brilliance of the Black community.

The Celebrating Black Brilliance: Creativity as a Catalyst for Community Empowerment event was held on March 24 at the HCH’s Recital Hall as part of Black Heritage Month 365 celebrations.

The event, which was hosted by the Principal’s Office in collaboration with the Office of EDIB, featured students from the BSSE and the Faculty of Social and Community Services. The discussion was moderated by Faculty of Social & Community Services faculty member Julet Allen and Bachelor of Community Development student Doreen Kajumba.

Dr. Jean Augustine, who made history as the first Black woman to be elected to the House of Commons as MP for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding, was one of the panelists. Augustine famously introduced the motion to designate February as Black History Month in Canada, among several other notable achievements.

Also included on the panel were Kimberly Daniels, manager, Student Inclusion & Belonging at Humber, and Onoriode Francis Osifo, a Bachelor of Child and Youth Care student and chair of the IGNITE board of directors.

The event began with a live music performance by the Jason Mckenize Trio, which generated huge applause, as well as an Indigenous land acknowledgement and an ancestral land acknowledgment.  

Jack Lewis, student equity and inclusion coordinator with Black Student Support and Engagement (BSSE), served as the event’s emcee. Lewis said celebrating Black excellence is a priority throughout the year at Humber.

“I look forward to the next opportunities to honour and celebrate Black heritage, not just in February, but every day, all year long because Black history, Black excellence and Black contributions deserve to be recognized 365 days a year,” said Lewis. “I'm proud to work in a place that not only values equity, diversity and belonging, but lives it. Humber is a place where we don't have to shy away from complexity, where we celebrate community and where we continue to create spaces for our stories to be shared and heard.”

Augustine told the audience it’s important to recognize Black creativity and brilliance. Many Black people have lost their history due to the atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade, she explained, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting them with their proud and rich past.

“Over the years, we have been separated from our history. To celebrate Black brilliance, we must look back at our long, rich legacy of creativity and innovation," said Augustine, stressing the importance of preserving and passing this history to future generations.

Asked about creativity in the context of building stronger Black communities, Daniels said she is awed by the strength and resilience of her community and its support for each other.

“When I think about community, I think about it in a way that’s not transactional,” said Daniels. “Community is about being there for people. It's about being willing to sit through some hard times. It's about being willing to be inconvenienced sometimes to help another and, when I think about the Black community, I think about how often we do that for each other in such beautiful and creative ways.”

Osifo spoke about how accomplished the Black community is in many different fields and industries. They’re successful professionals and entrepreneurs and shouldn’t feel constrained in reaching whatever goal they’ve set for themselves as it is achievable.

Daniels spoke about the resources Humber provides the Black community – such as BSSE, the Black Futures Mentorship Program and the Black/African Employee Resource Group – and the important role these play in supporting their community.

“It’s important for students at post-secondary to see people who look like them to feel they can aspire to these positions,” said Daniels. “These organizations and programs champion, advocate and make space for Humber’s Black community.”

Augustine added that creating a just, equitable and inclusive society benefits everyone.

“It’s important for us to realize that all the conversations around diversity and inclusion are essential. It’s to make society and its institutions more inclusive. With a diversity of voices, you have a diversity of ideas and the more of that you have, the better it makes everything - for all of us.”

More information can be found by visiting the Black Heritage Month 365 website.