Black Women's Economic Security Project
Future Black Female’s Black Women’s Economic Security (BWES) Project empowers Black women and girls by addressing financial barriers, fostering entrepreneurship, and enhancing career advancement. Through mentorship, skills development, and advocacy, BWES ensures economic stability, equitable opportunities, and financial independence, creating lasting change in Black communities across Canada.
What’s the Impact?
This project will amplify Black voices, improve representation, and empower young Black women to thrive across Ontario. We aim to increase the number of Black women who complete their education, secure stable employment, and advance into leadership roles, ultimately fostering greater economic security.
1. CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Support was provided to High schools under the DSBN and NDCSB to create and maintain Black Student affinity groups. Additionally, FBF conducts Drop-ins in high schools to hear firsthand, experiences of Black students to help inform change.
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THE CHAMPIONS PROGRAM
We launched the FBF Volunteer Champions Program, a volunteer initiative designed to engage Black girls and women, with a focus on students from Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program provided participants with hands-on leadership experience and community engagement opportunities. Champions play a central role in promoting the BWES initiative, beginning with the dissemination of the National Black Women’s Economic Prosperity Survey, and continued to contribute through meaningful outreach within their own networks and communities.
Through this initiative, participants developed core leadership skills such as public engagement, advocacy, peer mobilization, and communication.
In addition to addressing immediate outreach needs, the program was intentionally designed to support long-term leadership development among young Black women by helping to cultivate and strengthen the next generation of leaders equipped to drive systemic change.
2. ENGAGE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, COLLABORATORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
HER SEAT AT THE TABLE SERIES: A CASE FOR DEI; In Collaboration with Brock University and with youth in attendance, knowledge was gained around navigating workspaces that lack culturally sensitive recourses for Black youth and actionable ways to connect with mentors and sponsors to support career paths. Information about the lack of race and gender-based data was also provided, proceeding the launch of the BWES survey, reiterating the need for attendees to participate.
3. CREATION OF STRATEGIES TO COLLECT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION (SURVEY)
Development of the national Black women’s economic prosperity survey. The aim is to understand Black women’s economic needs in Canada because there is a lack of research through an intersectional lens that encapsulates both race and gender. The survey participants were Black girls & women aged 15+ who utilized a survey link via survey monkey. High School Drop-ins and FBF facilitated workshops.
Created the FBF Volunteer champions program. The Champion's program is a volunteer initiative designed to engage Black girls and women, preferably students from Canadian learning institutions. The champions played a pivotal role in amplifying the BWES initiative, starting with the dissemination of the national Black women’s economic prosperity survey through meaningful impact within their communities. This program not only addresses immediate outreach needs but also cultivates leadership.
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High School Drop-ins and FBF facilitated workshops. The high school drops-ins provide an opportunity for Black students to communicate challenges they face within the school environment which in turn inform strategies FBF can proffer to mitigate them.
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Social media campaigns, some of which are FBF led, others youth led.
4. FACILITATION OF YOUTH FOCUSED KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION EVENTS
The Black Secondary School Symposium in Partnership with Brock BSSC themed -” Level Up” held on November 7th, 2024, brought together 82 Black Youth for a day of growth and connection. The symposium provided an empowering leadership environment to inspire post-secondary ambitions. Attendees from high schools across the Niagara region engaged in panel discussions, interactive workshops and networking sessions that addressed challenges unique to Black students while addressing pathways for growth. The workshops included Black Academics by the Brock BSSC and” Know your rights” by Stolen from Africa. For Clement Chibueze, a fourth-year Brock Business Communication student, the event underscored the role of university student leaders in setting an example. FBF Provided attendees information, tools and resources to submit a proposal towards affinity group creation and conducting events at their respective BSAs.
“My journey as a student leader has shown me how much influence we have on younger generations,” he said. “We set the tone for character and excellence at Brock.”
Chibueze, who addressed the crowd as part of a student leadership panel, hoped participants left with renewed confidence in their potential.
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The FBF Black girl conference themed,” Beyond the classroom: Your path, your power”, held on February 14th, 2025. With 75 participants in attendance, the conference empowered young Black women by encouraging them to explore and actively shape their professional journeys beyond traditional education, featuring engaging workshops facilitated by Service Canada, Jobgym and panels with both professionals and students. The event fostered a strong sense of community, equipped attendees with practical career resources and strengthened networks for ongoing and professional growth. The Key outcome includes empowerment, knowledge sharing and exchange. Participants gained practical knowledge and skills essential for personal and professional development. This empowerment is crucial for fostering confidence and enabling participants to navigate their careers effectively.
5. LEVERAGING BLACK WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES TO COLLABORATIVELY ADVANCE GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND COACHING ACTIVITIES.
Black History Month Ottawa Trip - FBF during Black History Month, provided an opportunity for 6 girls within the community we serve to visit parliament Hill Ottawa on February 5th -7th 2025. This provided an opportunity for participants to explore carer pathways in government, policy and academia. Participants engaged with members of the parliament, policy makers and scholars while attending key events, including a roundtable discussion with Minister Jenna Sudds at the parliament and a networking reception with the Liberal Black Caucus. Participants also visited Carleton University to learn about academic programs in African studies and public policy. The participants were empowered, built confidence and experienced firsthand opportunities and resources that can be available to them from community.
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The Trailblazers & Pathfinders Platform - FBF conducted an event themed – Trailblazers and Pathfinders networking event on March 28th, 2025, with 33 pathfinders and 19 trailblazers, matched young Black women with leading women in their field of interest. The professionals shared valuable insights, personal stories and expert advice to empower these young women chart their own unique career paths. Key outcomes included that beyond networking events, a platform was required to keep the conversations and connections going. The event featured 3 keynote speakers including a learning & Development consultant, career strategist and interview coach, provided guided networking prompts to ensure participants were actively utilizing tips and resources shared during they keynotes. Trailblazers and Pathfinders – The trailblazers and pathfinders' event held on the 28th of March 2025 with 33 pathfinders and 19 trailblazers, matched young Black women (pathfinders) with leading women (trailblazers) in their field of interest. The professionals shared valuable insights, personal stories and expert advice to empower these young women chart their own unique career paths. The event featured three keynote speakers, including a learning & Development consultant, career strategist and interview coach who shared knowledge on cultivating connections that empower youth’s path, cultivating growth through mentorship and building authentic networks while leading with purpose. The attendees were provided an opportunity to immediately put into practice learnings from the keynote speakers through guided networking prompts. Key outcomes included that beyond networking events, a platform was required to keep the conversations and connections going.
Our Approach
Mobilizing Community Partners
Partnering with schools, businesses, and organizations to build support networks and create opportunities for Black women.
Advocating for Policy Change
Addressing systemic barriers through policy changes that promote equity for Black girls and women.
Empowering Young Leaders
Supporting the formation of Black-Focused Affinity Groups to foster leadership and support networks within schools and communities.
Why This Matters
20% of Black students in Toronto drop out of high school, nearly double the rate for white students.
Only 32.4% of Black Canadians (aged 25-64) hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.Black women with post-secondary education face a 9.2% unemployment rate, above the national average.
25% of Black women live below the poverty line, compared to 13% of non-racialized women.
Over 46% of Black children in Toronto live in poverty, compared to 17% nationally.
Our Objectives
Enhancing Leadership and Representation
Supporting Black female students to create and lead affinity groups and Black-focused clubs in schools, fostering safe spaces for community-building and advocacy.
Empowering Through Education and Training
Providing workshops on diversity, equity, professional development, and emotional intelligence to help Black girls succeed academically and professionally.
Advancing Systemic Change
Partnering with educational institutions to incorporate Afrocentric perspectives into curricula, creating inclusive experiences for all students.
How You Can Get Involved
High Schools
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Establish Affinity Groups to support Black female students in leadership and community-building.
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Host Workshops on professional development and equity topics.
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Collaborate on Curriculum Development to promote inclusive learning environments.
Organizations & Community Partners
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Provide Resources for events, workshops, and mentorship programs.
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Assist in Policy Development that tackles systemic barriers for Black women in Ontario.
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Offer Sponsorship, Mentorship, and Training in fields such as tech, law, and finance.
Individuals
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Volunteer Your Expertise as a mentor, speaker, or trainer.
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Attend Events and Spread the Word to help raise awareness.
Join Future Black Female in advancing Black women's economic security! We’re seeking partners to support financial literacy, career growth, and entrepreneurship for Black female youth. You can mentor, fund, train, network, advocate, invest, collaborate, educate, employ, and innovate. Together, we can break barriers and drive economic equity. Contact us today!
In Partnership
