Original article published in the October 6, 2021 issue of

The national, pan-university program is backed by $1.2 million from the RBC Foundation as part of RBC Future Launch. The initiative is led by Professor Carl E. James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education.

91亚色 is launching a three-year initiative to enhance the representation of Black youth at universities across Canada by supporting upper-year high-school students as they plan for their future, such as pursuing post-secondary education or work, and aiding in the transition and retention of those who pursue university. The initiative is led by , who is 91亚色鈥檚 Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education. James has focused on addressing systemic barriers and racial inequities for over a decade and a recent  from the RBC Foundation, as part of , is allowing this work to go national. 

The initiative will kick off on Oct. 6 with a national conversation hosted by 91亚色 and the RBC Student Success Initiative and Data Hub. This event, which runs from 7 to 8 p.m., will be livestreamed via YouTube . Questions can be submitted in advance to yuevent@yorku.ca.

鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to see some attention to streaming 鈥� the process of placing students into academic or non-academic oriented classes based on their assumed intellectual abilities. The Ontario government鈥檚 announcement about ending academic streaming starting with the Grade 9 math curriculum this September as well as a ban on suspending young students is an OK start. However, we have a long way to go. Black students across Canada continue to report racial inequities and experience barriers in the education system,鈥� says James, whose 2017 groundbreaking research revealed Black students are being disproportionately streamed away from academic programs and suspended at significantly higher rates than white or other racialized students. The report, , used data to show poor outcomes for Black students and that current students were experiencing worse outcomes than their parents and grandparents. 

James is bringing together Kevin Hewitt, physics professor from Dalhousie University; Juliet Daniel, associate dean of research from McMaster University; Jennifer Adams, Canada Research Chair in Creativity and STEM and associate professor from the University of Calgary; and Annette Henry, professor, language and literacy education from the University of British Columbia, who share a commitment to addressing the educational issues of Black youth to further the systemic anti-Black racism work of individual institutions, including interventions and research. The research component will build on existing Canadian census data with a longitudinal study of Grade 11 and 12 students over a three-year period, informing the development of new community-based and student-support programs. It will, for the first time, facilitate the sharing of documentation and data across Canadian universities 鈥� allowing for geographical and contextual comparisons to be made. For example, James is particularly interested in the experience of second- and third-generation Black students and how the impact of generational status compares between Toronto and Halifax.

In 2020, RBC  to address the inequity and systemic bias that have disadvantaged Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) individuals and youth. As part of these actions, RBC committed to providing $50 million in focused funding through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for 25,000 BIPOC youth by 2025.

鈥淓nsuring that Black students have equitable access to opportunity is critical to building strong, inclusive communities,鈥� says Mark Beckles, vice-president of social impact and innovation at RBC. 鈥淲e are working closely with our partners, including many BIPOC-serving organizations, to enable access. RBC鈥檚 support of the now national work of the Jean Augustine Chair will help to ensure that present and future generations of Black talent can reach their fullest potential.鈥�

The initiative will kick off on Oct. 6 with a national conversation hosted by 91亚色 and the RBC Student Success Initiative and Data Hub.

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This donation will create and build on James鈥� education initiatives for Black youth in priority areas including student success, pathways to education, and support for Black scholars.

Established in 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair is an endowed Chair established by Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada, and champion of the unanimous vote in 1995 that saw February designated as Black History Month. The Chair is one of only two endowed university chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization endeavours on Black and African-descended communities.

鈥淢y research, academic and community work has long been guided by the urgent need to support Black youth as they strive for success in the face of longstanding systemic barriers in education, and in society,鈥� said James. 鈥淩BC Future Launch, designed to support a variety of community-centred initiatives for young people, is a deeply appreciated contribution; and I鈥檓 pleased that the work of the Chair 鈥� particularly its programs that seek to support Black youth across Canada 鈥� will benefit significantly from this generous donation.鈥�

RBC Foundation鈥檚 $1.2-million donation will provide direct support to the Chair鈥檚 programs in four key areas, including:

1. Hosting the first ever National Conference for Black youth in Canada.
2. Supporting student pipeline initiatives at 91亚色 and up to four other universities across Canada that will bring high school students unto university campuses, thereby enabling them to imagine themselves participating in post-secondary education.
3. Establishing a new Canadian data hub that will strengthen research and information capacity and inform better public policy.
4. Creating new opportunities, supports and training for young Black scholars who as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will engage in research, teaching and mentorship activities that will serve as resources to local Black communities.

It is anticipated that up to 900 high school and university students, and postdoctoral scholars could be served through the various initiatives and serve as a pipeline for many of these youth鈥檚 post-high school ambitions. The accompanying research will serve to inform feasibility and productivity.

RBC Future Launch is a 10-year, $500-million commitment to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. With a focus on networking, skills development, practical work experience and mental wellbeing supports and services, the initiative aims to help break down the barriers facing young people. In 2020, RBC a series of actions against systemic racism 鈥� including a commitment to invest $50 million by 2025 through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 BIPOC youth with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

Building on previous work, and working with all university community partners, 91亚色 has re-doubled efforts to advance specific initiatives and strategies to support Black scholars, and directly address anti-Black racism. Through innovative programs, including the research and scholarly work of James, the Jean Augustine Chair, 91亚色's unique Black Canadian Studies Certificate, and the new , 91亚色 is putting this responsibility at the center of its teaching and research.

鈥�91亚色 is committed to offering a diverse student population access to a high-quality, research-intensive university committed to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of society,鈥� said Rhonda L. Lenton, 91亚色 president and vice-chancellor. 鈥淭his generous donation, made possible by the RBC Foundation, will support Professor James鈥� trailblazing work to build pathways for Black youth to pursue their educational goals, and provide new opportunities for current and future Black scholars to drive positive change at 91亚色, across Canada, and beyond.鈥�

Article from the March 3, 2021 issue of

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