On a cold, snowy morning in February, nearly 200 people packed into the Federation of Black Canadians’ Black Leadership Breakfast to kick off Black History Month — a powerful gathering of activists, youth leaders, community groups, corporate allies, academics, and government officials united to tackle one urgent problem: Black youth unemployment. Despite slick roads and early-morning snowfall that slowed many journeys, the turnout showed how deeply people care about this work and the future of our young people.

First Batch of Event Photos can be found here!

A warm welcome, an urgent purpose

The event opened with land acknowledgement, brief remarks about FBC’s mission and impact, and a short musical icebreaker to set the tone. After networking over breakfast, the program moved into a thoughtful, solution-focused panel discussion that becomes the heart of this recap: honest, practical, and ultimately hopeful.

The panel — real conversation, real commitments

Moderated by the FBC team, the panel brought together community leaders, education and post-secondary representatives, employer advocates, and youth leaders to discuss what it will take to create lasting pathways into employment for Black youth. 

Hosted by: Emcee Ebone

Moderator: Adewunmi Ajike, Senior AI Product Manager, Telus

Panelists:

From left to right: Damion Douglas, Karina Deepnarine, Stefany Hanson Raquel Reid, Adewunmi Ajike

• Damion Douglas, Relationship Manager Business Markets, RBC
• Karina Deepnarine, Undergraduate Student, York university
• Raquel Reid, YES Programs Manager, FBC
• Stefany Hanson, Managing Director of CEE

The conversation moved beyond symptoms to systems — how mentorship, employer partnership, wrap-around supports, and funding can be knitted together to create real opportunity.

“We need to come out and support events like these, they’re really impactful in how they connect us, they network us, they give us a renewed sense of purpose and passion. I really want to see FBC continue to do this work. Recognition of community members is essential. It emboldens us to do more, it gives people the opportunity to think about the ways in which they’re contributing.”  – Stefany Hanson, Managing Director of CEE

Key takeaways from the panel:

• “It takes a village.” Sustainable change needs coordinated action — schools, employers, funders, community orgs, and government working together.
• Mentorship matters. Intentional mentorship and sponsorship programs create both skills and networks that open doors.
• Employer partnerships are essential. Paid Internships, apprenticeships, first-job commitments and hiring pipelines change livelihoods.
• Wrap-around supports close the gaps. Transportation, mental-health supports and financial literacy are often what determine whether an opportunity becomes success.
• Knowledge sharing accelerates progress. Sharing models, data and best practices enables replication and scale across regions.

Notable attendees and community partners

We were honoured to welcome a range of influential voices who helped deepen the conversation, including political activist Kamala Jean Gopie, City of Brampton Councillor Rod Power (Wards 7 & 8), and Regional Councillor Navjit Kaur Brar (Wards 2 & 6). Also in attendance were Councillor Brat Butt (Mississauga, Ward 11), longtime ally Aviso (Michela and team), representatives from school boards, U of T and TMU, the Law Foundation of Ontario, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Jean Augustine Centre, CAFCAN, Ubuntu Legacy Community Care, Aspire for Higher, United Way Greater Toronto,  CEE and Peel Region representatives. Their presence strengthened commitments and created tangible partnership possibilities.

“I’m pleased to see the next generation pick up the ball and respond to the issues that are critical to their wellbeing. – Kamala Jean Gopie, Political Activist

Celebrating leadership — Award Winners

From left to right: Dr. Narine Dat Sookram, Nik-Keisha Moodie, Emmanuel Adebola, Tenisha Noel

The breakfast also celebrated four outstanding leaders whose work exemplifies the spirit and mission of the Federation of Black Canadians.

• Excellence in Employer Partnership Award — Dr. Narine Dat Sookram
  Dr. Sookram’s decades of work in equitable hiring, employer policy and newcomer employment has created first-job opportunities and influenced hiring practices for marginalized communities.
• Leadership in Business Award — Nik-Keisha Moodie
  Founder of NMCD Inc and Building A Dream Foundation, Nik-Keisha has created pathways for underrepresented entrepreneurs through business readiness, financial literacy and ecosystem-building partnerships.
• Community Leadership Award — Emmanuel Adebola
  Emmanuel’s work through ANE Global, Black Excellence in Action, and TAD Sports Academy bridges entrepreneurship, youth mentorship and civic leadership. He builds systems that last — connecting people across community, business and public sectors.
  
• Youth Leadership Award — Tenisha Noel
  A social entrepreneur and tireless youth advocate, Tenisha’s programs and leadership initiatives equip young people across the GTA with skills, confidence and networks to thrive.
• Legacy of Leadership Award — Sharon Douglas
  Sharon Douglas is a respected nonprofit leader with over 25 years of service in the human services sector, including senior roles at United Way of Peel Region and as a consultant to United Way Greater Toronto. A founding member and past Chair of the Regional Diversity Roundtable and principal of S.M.D. Consulting Inc., her legacy is defined by systems-building, equity leadership, and lasting community impact.

Each winner gave brief remarks and reinforced a shared message: leadership is service, and community progress depends on shared responsibility.

Sharon Douglas

Gratitude and recognition

We want to thank the volunteers, venue staff, sponsors, and FBC team who made the morning possible — from early set-up to tear-down. Special recognition to corporate and institutional partners who showed up in meaningful ways, and to everyone who braved the snow: your presence mattered.

Take action — how you can help right now

The momentum from the Black Leadership Breakfast must turn into action. Here are concrete ways individuals and organizations can help today:

• Employers: Create internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level hiring commitments for Black youth. Partner with community organizations to remove hiring barriers.
• Community members & professionals: Mentor or sponsor a young person. Offer job-shadowing, mock interviews, or skills workshops.
• Organizations & funders: Invest in wrap-around supports (transportation, mental-health, childcare) that let youth access opportunities.
• Educators & post-secondary institutions: Share pathways into industry and co-create applied learning programs with employers.
• Everyone: Share job postings widely, amplify youth-led initiatives, and join or donate to organizations like the Federation of Black Canadians to sustain this work.

To get involved, learn about FBC’s programs, or support future initiatives, visit fbcfcn.ca and sign up to volunteer, become a member, or donate.

The Black Leadership Breakfast reminded us that solving Black youth unemployment won’t happen in silos. It requires sustained partnerships, resources aligned to real needs, and a village willing to show up. If you left inspired, act now — your mentorship, your hiring decision, your donation, or your community partnership could be the next step that unlocks a young person’s future.