Oakwood Collegiate Institute’s Afro-Can Club marks 40 years of empowering Black voices

BY RUSHANE FERRON

Oakwood Collegiate Institute reverberated with pride and celebration as the Afro-Can Club commemorated its four-decade journey of amplifying Black voices in education and beyond. Established with a vision to improve the lives of Black students in Canada, the club has been instrumental in reshaping educational narratives and fostering Black representation across various disciplines.

The club hosted a two-day celebratory event at Oakwood Collegiate Institute Auditorium and Cafeteria on February 23^rd and 24^th, which included a series of workshops, discussions, presentations, and artistic performances. Collaborating with esteemed institutions like the University of Toronto’s Transnational Justice Project, and Operation Black Vote Canada, the event featured notable personalities like Canadian writer Ian Kamau and former CBC Correspondent Adrian Harewood as hosts.

Attendees were treated to captivating performances by renowned artists: Jully Black, and Wendy Motion Braithwaite, along with the premiere of a new documentary on Black life, and engaging discussions. Jully Black received the inaugural 40^th Anniversary Excellence Award, while other recognition awards honoured allies and teachers for their contributions to the club’s mission. The awardees were: Harold Wright, Jamil Kalim, Gillian Clarke, Patsy Agard, Ian Jeffers, Dr. Karen Brathwaite, Yesmin Aden and Kristen Robinson.

Reflecting on the club’s evolution, Professor Kamari Maxine Clarke, the first president of Afro-Can Club, emphasized the importance of mentorship and intergenerational learning in addressing contemporary challenges faced by Black students.

“Things are different from the earlier days and in many ways, the struggles that we had then are not the same struggles that students are having today. However, there are some things that we share, and so there are some benefits to being connected to those students, it’s to continue to mentor, to engage and for us to learn from this generation and try to understand their challenges today,” said Professor Maxine Clarke.

Faithe Holder, Attorney-at-Law and psychotherapist reiterated the club’s role in providing a sense of belonging and fostering academic excellence through cultural lenses.

“The club had people that we could engage with in a way that was supportive, and we were fortunate enough to have a board member on the board, and individuals within the Black community who were leaders who supported the notion of: Black excellence, wanted us all to succeed, to push ourselves academically, and also wanted us to do that through cultural lenses,” Holder shared.

Current president Kristen Robinson expressed her commitment to building upon the club’s legacy, with a focus on raising awareness of Black-centric events and fostering a supportive environment for members to thrive. “I was a part of the planning committee of this year’s staging of the anniversary, and I will be hosting a series of events for this year related to Black excellence,” she said.

Since its inception in 1982, the Afro-Can Club has remained steadfast in its commitment in creating a platform dedicated to promoting Black excellence and solidarity. Its legacy of resilience and advocacy remains a beacon of hope for the community.