Each year, the Afro Youth Summit highlights the promising projects put forward by its member organizations. In 2023, three projects were named winners of the “Promising Initiatives” competition. These include the Maison d’Haïti’s “Project Gars”, the BCHM Option Protection program, and the Olympes de la Parole Canada school competition.
The “promising initiatives” highlight all projects contributing to the social, cultural, and economic development of young people from black communities, designed and executed by one of the members of the Afro Youth Summit and which are distinguished by their innovative, promising, and inspiring side. It is an initiative likely to propel the organization into the future.
A special mention was given to the “Art for All” project of the Creole Theater Company. This project helps reach low-income families who cannot afford to pay for theater show tickets all year round.
This initiative aims to promote learning about global citizenship by providing a safe space for debate. Secondary school students critically reflect on gender inequalities and their impacts on girls’ empowerment. Supervised by their respective school, participants use research, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Projet Gars de la Maison d’Haïti
Through this project, Maison d’Haïti supports young boys (10-17) years old to (re)define their masculine identity in an intercultural context. Focused on a popular education approach, the program equips them to help them confront the adverse and perverse effects of hypersexualization and toxic masculinity.
Programme Option Protection du BCHM
This initiative consists of organizing cultural mediation in the areas of vulnerability of ethnocultural communities that hinder their social integration. “The Option Protection program was established to support families from the black community of Montreal, whose children are over-represented in the DPJ institutional system” LaPresse.