What was the initiative?

BlackAdemia Canada was a community change project aimed at supporting Black students by addressing systemic barriers they face in higher education, specifically in Canada. It had two primary components: resource creation and institutional reform. Through the resource component, the initiative expanded the digital platform for BlackAdemia Canada, providing Black students with comprehensive resources to support their academic journey, such as scholarship information, guidance on discrimination, and tools for navigating university applications. The reform component focused on advocating for systemic change by evaluating university policies on discrimination and harassment, with a longer-term goal of establishing accountability mechanisms to ensure universities uphold Black students’ educational rights.

What was the community connection?

Throughout her studies, Fanta witnessed and experienced the numerous barriers and the detrimental effects of differential treatment towards Black students. These experiences fueled her desire to continue advocating for Black students. The initiative engaged Black student associations in Montreal and Toronto to foster a supportive network and gather insights on students’ experiences. For the policy and advocacy aspect, it expanded to include university staff members in relevant departments, such as human rights offices, along with racialized students who had navigated the institutional complaint processes. This approach ensured that the initiative was both rooted in the community’s lived experiences and responsive to their specific needs.

How was it innovative?

BlackAdemia Canada was innovative in several ways. First, it employed a rights-based approach, advocating for institutions to fulfill their obligations to protect Black students’ rights and educational opportunities. The initiative also had a focus on accountability and structural change, moving to emphasize the need for legislative change and enforceable policies for racial discrimination in post-secondary institutions. Additionally, by conducting an extensive review of discrimination and harassment policies across public universities and CEGEPS in Quebec, the initiative laid the groundwork for legislative advocacy to address a lack of institutional accountability. Finally, by embedding a racial trauma lens into its fabric, the initiative aimed to address the psychological impacts of racial discrimination, providing Black students with not only practical resources, but also the emotional support needed for their well-being and healing.

What is Fanta doing now?

Since completing the Fellowship, Fanta has begun working as a Tax and Legal Analyst. She continues her commitment to the creation of a law on harassment and discrimination in universities, and volunteers for various organizations to support this effort.