Niagara’s Black youths are being prepared to mitigate risks they may face as Black communities continue to be “disproportionately” arrested, charged and convicted. “When it comes to Black communities, we tend to be over-surveilled ..
. that is not just across the border, that is the same thing in Canada as it is in the (United States) and so we will be providing a series of workshops that looks at these situations,” said Tapo Chimbganda, executive director of Future Black Female. The St.
Catharines-based group that helps Black girls and women take charge of their education and career paths, as well as their social, political and civic engagement, presents its first workshop Thursday. For all genders. Topics will include understanding one’s legal rights and handling encounters with law enforcement and other figures of authority, the human rights code and gender-based violence.
A number of situations will be explored during the workshop sessions. “How young people can handle them, manage them, knowing their rights, knowing who to reach out to when they need support and contact.” The workshops are part of Future Black Female’s Empower Youth program funded by Canada’s Building Safer Communities Fund, and developed under the guidance of a multi-sectoral action table involving local youth organizations.
This Empower Youth series is presented through a partnership of FBF and Niagara Community Legal Clinic — the first in Niagara to offer programming specifically .
