BY PAUL JUNOR
Since its launch in 2017, the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), the independent not-for-profit community legal clinic, has been at the forefront of advocacy and activism.
The Student and Family Advocate Program (SFA) is directly involved by supporting Black families and students as a Black community-based program. According to its website: https://studentandfamilyadvocate,com, it acknowledges, understands, and addresses anti-Black racism and its impacts on Black families and students through: advocacy, accountability and action for transformational change.
It is through the Parents of Black Children (PoBC) that the SFA Community of Practice is undertaken. PoBC has been involved as a Black-led parent advocacy group.
It was revealed that BLAC has teamed up with SFA to offer free legal support during the upcoming school year 2022-2023 to Black students and families. Thanks to a $50,000 funding from PoBC, BLAC hired lawyer Nonye Okenwa through an initiative from the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan.
“This initiative will enhance BLAC’s existing programs and services in the area of education law and will allow BLAC to support more families seeking legal support in navigating anti-Black racism in the education system, regardless of income.”
Moya Teklu, Executive Director and General Counsel at the BLAC states, “Because BLAC receives most of its funding from Legal Aid Ontario, we can genuinely only represent people who make below a certain income. The problem is that families that make $40,000 or $50,000 a year make too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough to pay a lawyer. We know that socio-economic status does not protect you from anti-Black racism, and this initiative and the expanded services that we’re now going to deliver, reflect that reality.”
The addition of Nonye Okenwa to BLAC will make for greater legal representation as she joins BLAC staff lawyer Piera Savage. They will be providing legal services for Black families seeking assistance with issues in the education system such as: challenging or negotiating individual education plans, appealing suspensions or expulsions, and bullying or harassment.
Kearie Daniel, Co-Founder and Executive Director of PoBC states, “This partnership With the BLAC is a game changer in helping families take legal action when their children are experiencing anti-Black racism. Advocacy support is available for parents across the province, but this legal support levels the playing field by making a legal route for justice available to all Black parents. We all need support in ensuring our kids are protected in schools. These incidents will no longer be swept under the rug.”
The free legal services are available to any families across Ontario through a referral process with one of the 17 Black-led SFA’s or through the BLAC’s standard intake process. Anyone who needs further information can check the following websites:
https://www/blacklegalactioncentre.ca
https://studentandfamilyadvocate.com
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