Power of Youth, the first cohort is launched!

In the coming days, more than thirty young leaders from Canada’s Black communities will be awarded individual grants up to $5000 in to support their remarkable community projects, as part of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation’s Power of Youth initiative.

Power of Youth was launched in alignment with the aspirations of the Halifax Declaration, the outcome of the 2022 National Black Canadians Summit, an important and vast national mobilization for the eradication of racial discrimination.

The $5,000 Power of Youth grant recognizes the courage, determination and innovative ideas of young people aged 16 to 30 from Black communities across Canada. Recipients will be also supported in carrying out their community-based projects, notably through peer networking to foster a spirit of belonging and synergy.

The projects selected are inspiring, creative, innovative, and resolutely committed to change.

The actions of this first cohort of young people cover crucial areas such as civic engagement against racism, the development of creative and social entrepreneurship, and the revitalization of community cohesion, benefitting all.

To put into practice our commitment “for” and “with” young people, we are delighted to highlight the work of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee’s pivotal role in a peer-assessment process for the Power of Youth.

Congratulations to these young people who are actively committed to a more inclusive and just society. Stay tuned to discover them and celebrate their achievements!

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This project would not have been possible without the support of our partners. In particular, we would like to thank our main sponsor, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, as well as the Definity Insurance Foundation, with funding from the Definity Insurance Company, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Vancouver Foundation for their generosity.