PROJECT RESILIENCE

BLACK MENTORSHIP INC. LAUNCHES PROJECT RESILIENCE BY COMMEMORATING AND CELEBRATING EMANCIPATION DAY


"Despite the official ending of slavery decades ago, the rejections, the denials have continued till this day. As a community, against all odds, we stand and excel in all we do. However, when I listen to the stories of black professionals and their resilience, I hear a sense of normalcy and acceptance, as if we have accepted rejection as part of our lives. I'm afraid that's not right. No community should accept pain and rejection as part of life; certainly, we do not accept this, not for ourselves or our future generations. We cannot lose hope and accept the status quo; my friends, the time has come for a real change, and that time is now!"

- Evangeline Chima, Executive Director of BMI.

What is project resilience?

Project Resilience…

Is an initiative designed to highlight lived examples of the people of African descent, birth and heritage, their collective trauma and how their experience of rejection in Canada especially in the Canadian workforce have impacted them. It will highlight how members of the Black Community are using their rejection experiences to catapult themselves into success by exploring their self-worth, re-examining the tools and supports they have at their disposal, and engaging with opportunities for healing and empowerment. Black professionals will tell their stories as a way to educate, empower and uplift those looking up to them. 

Project Resilience Activities overview

Project Resilience will hold workshops and events featuring Executive Black professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders who share their personal stories of Resilience and provide actional tools to participants to develop a stronger sense of Resilience. Project Resilience celebrates the commemoration of Resilience and success despite the anti-black racism experienced by Black Canadians.

  • On August 1st, 2022, BMI commemorates Emancipation Day with a national virtual event depicting the struggles and triumphs of various notable and proud Black Canadian leaders through artful expressions. The celebration starts with a virtual event delivering a powerful message of hope and strength, allowing the audience to connect, learn and build community together.
  • Please join us on October 5th, 2022, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm EST.  for a Community Healing session. The Community Healing session provides individuals of all backgrounds the opportunity to learn strategies for mental healing to undo the harms of anti-black racism, oppression, bullying, and discrimination that is part of Black, Indigenous and minorities lives.
  • Save the Date for the BMI Collective Resilience Celebration. On October 29th, 2022, from 6:00 pm to 12:00 am, BMI will host the Collective Resilience Celebration featuring rich black cultural heritage, artists, food, and music.
    • When we come together, we heal together. Collective Resilience is the link that holds all of us together - When we form social bonds, it facilitates healing and recovery by providing the support and atmosphere that allows us to get to know, respect, and appreciate each other’s uniqueness.
    • The BMI Collective Resilience celebration allows participants to be part of a collective. This event promotes a community bonding that will enable people from various backgrounds and cultures to get to know, respect, and appreciate each other’s uniqueness.
  • Don't miss out on December 17th, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm EST! Join BMI's Career Readiness program (Tools to Propel) to learn about alternative career paths available in Canada, including skill trade. Our program aims to improve the perception of skill trades as viable career paths for Black professionals. This workshop will consist of 2 engaging sessions, keep an eye out for the second session.

Check our page and social channels for more details to follow.

Through these events...

We aim to:

  • Share stories containing a wealth of knowledge through speeches and performance art.
  • Help educate by having expert-facilitated workshops that will examine the root causes of rejection as it relates to the Black people/professionals while also providing solutions to alleviate/mitigate the rejections and the trauma that comes as a result of being devalued
  • Celebrate the resilience, achievements, and aptitude to triumph amongst black people amidst many pushdowns.

We are grateful to the Government of Canada for their support in helping Black Mentorship Inc bring forward this important project.

Project resilience Highlights:

Collective resilience celebration

When we come together, we heal together. Collective Resilience is the link that hold all of us together – it is the social bonds that facilitate healing and recovery by providing the support and atmosphere that allows us to get to know, respect, and appreciate each other’s uniqueness.

Join us on October 29th at 6:00 pm for an evening of culture, music and food. Come learn about Black culture and be part of this great social bonding.

Emancipation Day

BMI commemorated Emancipation Day on August 1st 2022 with a national virtual event depicting the struggles and triumphs of various notable and proud Black Canadian leaders through artful expressions. The virtual event delivered a powerful message of hope and strength, which allowed our audience to connect, learn and build community together.

BMI Emancipation Day commemoration is still available to view on our YouTube channel:

Community healing

The Community Healing session, part two of the BMI's Project Resilience, took place on October 5th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm EST. The event provided individuals of all backgrounds with an opportunity to hear, learn, and join in community healing to undo the harms of racism, anti-black oppression, and discrimination. Participants learned strategies for healing and creating safe zones around them, with the aim of identifying with those who have had similar experiences of racism in their everyday lives.

Career Readiness:

Tools to propel

Black Professionals often wonder about the career paths that are open to them. Often they overlook Skill Trade. Skill-trade programs are rarely highlighted in the Black community, especially in the African community, as viable career paths despite their high demand and lucrative nature. To this end, BMI seeks to improve how these trades are perceived through its Career Readiness program (Tools to Propel) by conversing with professionals and entrepreneurs in various fields, including skill trade experts.

This educational series involves mentoring and skill-building sessions. The Tools to Propel sessions dive deeply into alternative career paths available in Canada.

Participants will better understand other career options and be given information to jumpstart their careers in the skilled trade. Our knowledgeable speakers will draw from their lived experiences to inform and inspire black professionals to explore career options as viable options that are outside the "Norm."

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