'It just feels blessed': TDSB finally gets to unveil Centre of Excellence for Black students

The Toronto District School Boardsays it's looking forward to the in-personunveilingof its Centre of Excellence for Black StudentAchievementon Monday after a year of construction and remote programming.

A wing in Scarborough's Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute will be home to the mentorships, community partnerships and resources that the centre'sprincipalsays havebeen in high demand among staff and students.

"It just feels blessed that we've actually gotten to this point," said KarenMurray, who is also a TDSB superintendent of equity, anti-oppression and early years.

"Now, we're pivoting and trying to figure out how we're going to maintain some of the amazing experiences that online allowed us to see."

The centre, which the board says is the first of its kindin Canada, is part of its plan to dismantle anti-Black racism after years of complaints from staff, students and families. It reached a tipping point last year when the board said in itsannual report that it had a "serious racism problem" and anti-Black racismexceededall other hate incidents by far.

Murray saysthe ultimate goal isto educate staff and students on anti-Black racism, help affirm the identityof Blackstudentsand givethem the tools toadvocate for themselves when instances ofracism do happen, so"they know how to engage and be responsive."

'A sense of relief'

Angelika Bell, a Grade 9 student at a North York school,says shespends three to four hours a week in the centre'ssummer leadership program, and the Black girls book club for both high school and middle school cohorts.

The 15-year-old says the programming gives her the opportunity to learn new things, and helps her fight against the stereotypes often directedat Black youth.

"My reaction to seeingthe Centreof Excellence for Black Student Achievement wasa sense of relief," she said.

"Having all these materials and events all in one place,easily accessible to Black students really affected me and really motivated me to apply to as many as I could."

She hopes now that there's in-person programming, all Black youth inthe TDSB will still be able totake part in the centre'sactivities, no matter where they live.

Long-term impact yet to be seen

Advocates say while they support the centre,itstrue impactis yet to be seen.

Debbie Kingis theco-chair of the Black Student Success Committee,a group that representsparents concerned with the well-being of Black students in Parkdale schools.

She says it's nice to see anti-Black racism awareness, training and resources move away from conceptual conversations to something more "concrete."However, the group says the key to making long-lasting positivechange ishow much funding the centre getsandwhere the resources getused.

CBC News asked the board how much it is spending to establish and operate the centre, but has yet to receive a reply.

"I'm equally concerned with making sure that it is sustained in a healthy way so it can continue and so it can grow,"King said.

The board says doors will open for the unveiling Mondayat 5:30 p.m, with the live stream beginning at 6 p.m.

Festivities begin at 6 p.m. and will run until 8 p.m. Murray says over 200 people have registered for the online stream,while100 guests are planned for in-person.

Key speakers include TSDB leadership andstorytellers, along with the unveiling of artcreated specifically for the centre.There will also performances byTDSB students from the Africentric Alternative School,Coco Collective andRandell Adjei, Ontario's first poet laureate, among other artists.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.