RSVP at info@bcanpeel.com

Happy New Year Community Leader!

The BCAN/Peel CAS #PullingTogether Collaborative once again expresses our appreciation to you for attending the Purpose and Strength Partnership Forums in November of 2018. We can still feel your energy, your commitment and your proactive vision for supporting African Canadian families as we worked and learned together during the Forums.

As promised we are doing it again! We are therefore so pleased to remind you of Part 3 of the BCAN/Peel CAS Purpose & Strength Forum(s).

Join us as we follow through with the ‘community report back‘ YOU indicated as being the next step in our collective goal to create a Wraparound protocol that will highlight how we can collaborate and partner together to better serve African Canadian youth and their families in Peel!

RSVP at info@bcanpeel.com

Peel CAS and BCAN have formed an alliance to lead the development of an anti-racism, community capacity-building and systems change initiative with African-Canadian families, the organizations that serve them, and community leaders. The goal of this partnership is to build regional capacity in Peel so that African-Canadian families receive relevant, meaningful and appropriate services and supports, while promoting greater systemic equity. This partnership and project will launch on January 25, 2018.

This partnership came about formally out of a BCAN position paper that examined the impacts of systemic racism on African-Canadian families involved with the child welfare system. Racial disproportionalities in child welfare are caused by a variety of complex factors that lie beyond the child welfare system and include various mainstream organizations, policies and practices that are deeply rooted in Canadian history, culture, politics and the economy. Based upon research and community conversations, BCAN identified nine key causal factors that contribute to racial disproportionalities: Anti-black racism, racialized poverty, family structure, immigration stress, biased decision making, agency-system factors, placement dynamics, policy impacts and lack of culturally relevant services. The goal of this partnership is to build regional capacity in Peel so that African-Canadian families receive relevant, meaningful and appropriate services and supports, while promoting greater systemic equity.

BCAN was honoured with the 2017 J.S. Woodsworth Award. Hosted by Andrea Horwath and the Ontario New Democrats for the celebration of human rights and equity, in recognition of the International Day for the elimination of racial discrimination. The 17th annual award recognized Ontarians working towards the elimination of racial discrimination by promoting human rights and equity.

In December 2015, the Black Community Action Network of Peel launched its position paper – Pathways and Prevention of Africa-Canadian Disproportionalities and Disparities in the Child Welfare System. Within this paper we offered ten recommendations to develop a ‘framework of rigorous monitoring and accountability’ to address the ongoing issues affecting the African-Canadian community; especially our youth. In continuing the ongoing conversation on transforming our systems while strengthening our community and our youth, BCAN put together a collaborative lunch where we were able to discuss how far we’ve come within the year since the launch of our position paper, while also looking at the ‘next steps’ that we will take together! This conversation was enriched by a number of our community organizations and included appearances from the following: Kike Ojo- One Vision One Voice, Sharon Douglas – FACES Report, Chief Jennifer Evan – PRP, Rav Bains- CAS-Peel, Peel District School Board – We Rise Together Report, Chair Amrik Ahluwalia- PPSB, Dr. Julian Hasford-BCANPeel enriched by an number of our community organizations.

On Friday, November 13, 2016 the Black Community Action Network (BCAN) honoured some of our community’s Trailblazers, and celebrated the contributions of leaders who inspire us in the area of SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY and EXCELLENCE! In the wake of the historic election south of the border and the ensuing uncertainty and civil unrest, this event brought some much needed inspiration and conversation to Peel Region!

HONOUREES:

Kike Ojo – Project Manager, Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (One Vision One Voice); Amrik Ahluwalia – Chair, Peel Regional Police Services Board; Sharon Douglas – Director of Community Investment, United Way of Peel Region; Ingrid Berkley Brown – Superintendent, Peel Regional Police; Nicholas Davis – Manager, CBC Radio; African Canadian Legal Clinic; Christien Levien – Founder, Legalswipe; Sean Liburd – Owner, Knowledge Bookstore; Wambui Karanja – Executive Director, African Community Services; Rick Williams – Trustee, Peel District School Board; Orlando Bowen – Executive Director, One Voice One Team; Adaoma Patterson – President, Jamaican Canadian Association; Anthony Morgan – Lawyer, Falconers LLP; Sharon Telfer – Owner, Potluck Restaurants & Caterers.

PRESENTERS:

The evening’s presenters included a range of esteemed guests, including Shelly White – President/CEO, United Way of Peel Region; Jagmeet Singh – MPP, Bramalea/Gore/Malton; Jennifer Evans – Chief, Peel Regional Police; Norma Nicholson – Vice-Chair, Peel Regional Police Services Board. Toronto’s Carlos Morgan and Greg Jackman did a fantastic job of entertaining and inspiring throughout the evening.

The 2016 BCAN Honours was hosted Craig Wellington – Director, AMCTO (The Municipal Experts) and Dr. Vidoll Regisford was one of our inspirational speakers for the evening.