We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience.
By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.
African, Caribbean, and Black-identifying (ACBi) students are often discouraged by the lack of representation within the education system and post-secondary institutions. The Black Brilliance Elementary Conference seeks to address this by introducing ACBi students to higher education opportunities and environments at an early age. The goal is that they see themselves present and represented in academic spaces and that the belief that they belong in the space is instilled at a younger age.
The objective of the conference is to create an affinity space for ACBi students. They will engage in motivational talks led by members of the ACBi community, and they have an opportunity to talk about their lived experiences in schools.
Key stakeholders include 300+ students from 45 schools across the Waterloo Region; the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) department of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB); and ACBi students from Wilfrid Laurier University, who will be trained as event assistants to help facilitate the event.
Stakeholders include:
EDI commitments addressed
An objective of Laurier Strategic Action Plan: 2024-2028 is to “Attract and admit students who have the potential to succeed academically who do not have the traditional high school markers associated with university-level success.” The Black Brilliance conference supports this objective by addressing the following challenges faced by ACBi students:
Organizers
Teneile Warren (WRDSB)
Dr. Karen Cyrus (WLU)
Black Brilliance Faculty and Facilitators
2024 | 2025 |
Dr. Carol Duncan |
Dr. Carol Duncan |
Dr. Tedla Desta | Dr. Tedla Desta |
Dr. Chima Mbagwu | Dr. Chima Mbagwu |
Reina Stewart | Dr. Kevin Burrell |
Elizabeth Clarke | Dr. Dalon Taylor |
Dr. Shaunasea Brown | Dr. Oluseyi Sode |
Olorunfemi Ogedengbe | Ajoa Mintah |
Jay-One Adonijah Mitchell Sarah Denny John Ogunsanya Deanna Yerichuk |
John Ogunsanya |
Ash Jeffries-Fraser | Dr. Kwashie Kuwor |
Shevaungh Thomas | Reina Stewart |
Alexis Charles | Elizabeth Clarke |
Kezia Itaman |
Laurier's Planning Teams
2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
Heena Mistry | Heena Mistry | Aishah Aiwan |
Tolu Kayode | Humera Javed | Deeqa Mussa |
Aishah Aiwan | Elizabeth Clarke | Elizabeth Clarke |
Deeqa Mussa |
Laurier's Event Assistants
2025 | 2026 |
Afua Ntim-Frimpong | |
Amarachi Okpalugo | |
Ayomide Aro | |
Ayub Faarah | |
Debbie Akhigbe | |
Eyasu Ayele | |
Habtemariam Aseghedom | |
Itohan Odigie | |
Alicia Tatham | |
Jadels Barnwell | |
Miriam Obaseki | |
Naomi Ulrica Richards | |
Olubukunmi Kadri | |
Omer Elyas |
Partners and Supporters of Black Brilliance:
Visit laurieralumni.ca/interior-giving to learn about how you can support Black Brilliance.
Research Lead: Bree Akesson (PI), Magnus Mfoafo-McCarthy (CI)
Peer Reviewed Publications
Akesson, B. and M. Mfoafo-M’Carthy, M. (Under Review). A Process Evaluation of an International University Partnership to Strengthen the Child Protection System in Ghana. Revised and Resubmitted to Social Change and Child Protection in Ghana: Concepts, Theories, and Empirical Discourses.
Research Lead: Wilson-Forsberg, Masakure, Kimani-Dupuis, Oba, Gyan
Peer Reviewed Publications
Wilson-Forsberg, S., Masakure, O., and Kimani-Dupuis, R. “Weathering the Storm: African Mothers with Refugee Backgrounds Assisting their Children with School Work during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 Pandemic,” Under Review Refuge.
Conference (SSHRC Connections Grant)
The Role of African Ethnic Associations in Preparing their Youth for the Future (Co-organized with Dr. Oliver Masakure) April 28-29, 2022.
Abstracts and/or Papers Read
Wilson-Forsberg. Panel: Refugee Parents’ Engagement with Education. 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Luxembourg 7-9 July, 2021. (Remote)
Invited Talks
(Invited). S. Wilson-Forsberg and O. Masakure, “The School and Labour Market Transitions of African Immigrant and Refugee Youth” Laurier-Milton Public Lecture Series December 8, 2021.
(Invited). S. Wilson-Forsberg and O. Masakure, “Empowering Refugee Youth to be the Best they can be: The Role of Community Organizations” WUSC Global & Refugee Education Event, WLU Brantford Campus December 1, 2021.
(Invited). S. Wilson-Forsberg, “Managing Migration in Times of Crisis: A One-hour Interview with Stacey Wilson-Forsberg” Association of Canadian Studies, November 29, 2021