Black Innovation Zone
Black Builders
Law and Policy Forum
AGM
Volunteer of the Year
Black Leadership Breakfast
Letter From Executive Director
Fellow Community Members,
As we closed out 2025, Quarter 4 reflected the Federation of Black Canadians’ continued commitment to advancing equity, opportunity, and community power across the country. During these final months, FBC showed up nationally, centering Black voices, sharing resources, and challenging systems through intentional, community-driven leadership.
From amplifying Black innovation and convening critical policy conversations to strengthening Black-led organizations through funding access and capacity-building, our work reached youth, entrepreneurs, newcomers, and community leaders across multiple provinces. As the year ended, collective action and generosity reinforced that lasting change is built through shared responsibility, laying a strong foundation for continued national impact ahead.
In solidarity,
Chris Thompson
Executive Director,
Federation of Black Canadians
Black Innovation Zone
In October, FBC co-lead the Black Innovation Zone at Elevate Festival 2025 in Toronto, creating a dynamic space dedicated to Black entrepreneurship, innovation, and future-focused leadership. Over 400 attendees were present and 250 tickets valued over $100k were distributed to help support Black Canadians get access to networking opportunities and community building.The Black Innovation Zone brought together Black founders, creatives, technologists, and community leaders to explore emerging trends, share lived expertise, and build meaningful connections. This activation reinforced FBC’s commitment to Employment Development and Lifelong Learning, while spotlighting Black-led innovation as a driver of economic growth and systems change.
By centering Black voices within one of Canada’s leading tech and innovation festivals, FBC continued to elevate visibility, access, and opportunity for Black innovators nationwide.
Black Builders
FBC focused on strengthening the funding readiness and financial capacity of Black Builders and Black-led organizations across Canada. During a peak grant-writing season, we shared a comprehensive roundup of 19 active funding opportunities tailored to Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving organizations, helping reduce barriers to access and ensuring our community was well-positioned to compete for critical resources.
To support long-term sustainability beyond individual applications, we hosted a grant writing webinar with Daniel Twijuke, our Fund Development Specialist, focused on building winning systems, improving grant readiness, and creating sustainable funding pipelines. We also delivered the “Let’s Talk Money” webinar with Reni Odetoyinbo, equipping entrepreneurs with practical tools for budgeting, cash flow management, financial forecasting, and funding preparedness.
We’ve had 100s of people attend our webinars and 1000s engage with our Black Builder Resources
Together, these efforts reinforced FBC’s commitment to economic empowerment by ensuring Black Builders had the knowledge, resources, and strategies needed to secure funding, strengthen operations, and build resilient, sustainable organizations.
Law & Policy Forum: Advancing Access to Justice
FBC hosted its Law & Policy Forum, funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario. Approximately 25 community members, legal professionals, and advocates gathered for an in-depth discussion on systemic barriers to justice affecting Black Canadians.
The forum opened with presentations from FBC’s legal researchers, who shared findings from their summer research project examining gaps in legal access, affordability, and institutional accountability. The research grounded the conversation in lived experience and highlighted how structural inequities continue to affect Black communities.
Community-Led Dialogue and Expert Perspectives
The forum was moderated by Tenisha Noel, Program & Community Engagement Lead at Afrika Outbound and LLM researcher at Osgoode Hall Law School. Panelists brought diverse perspectives from community advocacy, policing, and legal services, including Walied Khogali Ali, Superintendent Darryl Dawkins, and Demar Kemar Hewitt of the Black Legal Action Centre.
Discussions emphasized tenant rights, affordable housing, trust-building within policing, and the role of legal advocacy in challenging systemic anti-Black racism. Participants engaged actively, sharing insights and calling for future sessions focused on concrete actions and policy solutions.
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AGM: Reflecting on a Year of National Impact
On November 6, FBC held its 2025 Annual General Meeting, bringing together members, youth, partners, and supporters from across the country. Hosted by Bilingual Communications Assistant Gloria McMayoni, the AGM opened with a recap of the 3rd Annual Impact Gala and reaffirmed FBC’s national mission: “Stronger Together, Nothing About Us Without Us.”
During the Annual General Meeting, it was announced that Robert Tyndale would be stepping down from his role as Chair, following a period of dedicated leadership and service to the Federation of Black Canadians.
Overall, the AGM provided a comprehensive overview of FBC’s growth, governance, and impact across its four pillars: Total Health, Criminal Justice Reform, Employment Development, and Lifelong Learning. Members also received updates on organizational development, including FBC’s upcoming charitable status effective April 2026.
Celebrating Leadership and Volunteer Impact
A highlight of the AGM was the Volunteer Recognition segment, where Karina Deepnarine was named FBC’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year. As Engagement Lead for the Ontario Hub, Karina played a key role in strengthening national hubs, supporting policy consultations, and contributing to grant development.
Her leadership and dedication reflect the collective effort behind FBC’s national impact and the power of community-driven change.
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a global movement dedicated to generosity and community impact and for FBC, it’s about investing directly in Black youth. We campaigned around the idea of “For the Price of a Coffee” The idea that small donations by many can make a major impact.
We were able to raise $1740 to support our Black Youth Bursary Fund, thanks to our amazing community, addressing the stark reality that Black youth unemployment sits at 23.5%, compared to 12% for non-racialized youth.
Our campaign theme: “For the Price of a Coffee.”
Together, small contributions create massive change.
We invite you to consider donating to help support our goals of uplifting the black community!
Get Involved with FBC
Become a Member of the Federation of Black Canadians
Your membership strengthens our national voice. By joining the Federation of Black Canadians, you directly contribute to programs that empower communities, influence policy, and open doors for the next generation. Members get updates, invitations to national events, and opportunities to shape the future of Black leadership in Canada. Together, we can build a country grounded in equity, opportunity, and justice.
This quarter reaffirmed the power of collaboration, representation, and resilience within our communities. Each initiative, partnership, and event showcased FBC’s unwavering dedication to equity and empowerment. As we look ahead to the next quarter, we remain committed to amplifying Black voices, investing in youth, and advancing systemic change. Together, we are building a future where every Black Canadian has the opportunity to thrive. Stay connected with us and don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook @fbcfcn.
Volunteer With Us
Volunteers are a crucial aspect to the strength and success of the Federation and we provide a variety of ways to get involved. You can learn more here.
Become a General Member
General members of FBC will receive regular communications and access to contact lists for other African Canadian organizations across Canada. You can sign up to become a member here.
Become a Paid Member
Paid members of FBC receive invitations to our Annual General Meeting and receive voting rights at our meetings. You can become a paid member here.
Invest In Us
By supporting FBC, you can have a positive impact on our ability to keep much-needed programs (such as BEP and SSLP) accessible for the Black community. Find out more.