Latest News

“TIFF Next Wave is now recruiting new members for the 2016/2017 TIFF Next Wave Committee. If you are in high school, love movies and want to get in on the action of planning events year-round at TIFF for your friends and other movie lovers across the city, we strongly recommend that you apply. Download the full application kit HERE or click through the drop-downs on this page for all relevant and necessary information. The applications consists of three parts: the application form, the “meaty-part” and the reference form. Please submit all three parts by May 23, 2016.”

http://www.tiff.net/festivals/nextwave16/next-wave-committee-application

Sariena is everything that SBL represents. She is dedicated, determined and most of all very giving. Before becoming a paid mentor, she has volunteered her time at an early age to document our summer experience through film and has grown ever since.

After her acceptance to the Remix Project, Sarina has been developing her craft. This short film was completed as part of her time with The Remix Project. This is her first major film titled “10 things that would lead to happiness”

We hope you enjoy!

Our trip to Harvard University brought SBL youth mentors from Jane and Finch to the Black Policy Conference. The aim was to inspire traditionally underrepresented students in post-secondary institutions and nurture their aspirations in conversation with black students at Harvard University.

Check the video below for a recap of our trip:

Stay tune, there is more coming.

Attention all students and parents of African descent. Check out an extensive directory of scholarships you can apply to!

BFCN Scholarship Directory 2016

Our 2016 March Break Career Exploration Program this year was a big success. This video highlights many of those successes throughout each day. Be sure to also check out our March Break report which will be posted on our website very shortly. Big thank you goes to TDSB, United Way of Toronto, York Region and Hive Toronto!

We take the time to share the work we do, but we don’t always tell the story behind WHO does this amazing work. Each month we will touch on a different staff, youth, partner that makes all this possible.  Meet Tesfai Mengesha – educator, community worker and graduate student.  Tesfai’s role currently is Academic and Social Co-ordinator, where he makes use of his deep passion for issues surrounding equity and education while connecting youth to opportunities to support their success.
Tesfai is currently completing his Masters of Education at York University where he is examining how curriculums and classrooms can be more inclusive, critical and relevant to today’s students. In partnership with TDSB Equity and Inclusive Schools Department, Tesfai was part of a collective of writers who authored Rhymes to Re-education (2014), which is a book providing teachers with units, lessons and best practices that span the breadth of Ontario’s K-12 curriculum.  Growing up, studying and now working in the Jane and Finch community, Tesfai has deep intimate knowledge of the barriers and challenges faced in Toronto’s educational system bringing a wealth of knowledge of the ways equity can be met despite these challenges.  #Growingtogether – #ourstories #ourstrengths

It’s that time of year that summer site lead and teaching applications for the SBL Summer Program are available. Applications are due Friday, April 29 via email. See the links below for applications.

Site Lead Success Beyond Limits 2016

Application for Teaching – Exploring Family Studies 2016

At the 2015 Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture, our SBL alumni performed pieces inspired by the book titled Elizabeth & Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock, which takes as its starting point the iconic civil rights era news photograph depicting teenagers Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Bryan. Our youth had the chance to engage with the book and create the spoken word pieces which you can check out below.

Performances by: Suvannah, Abdulkadir “Moose” Nur, Kareem Bennett, and DC Williams