The Afro Caribbean Mentorship Program (ACMP) hosts annual Black History Month events to humbly celebrate our diverse Afro-Caribbean, Black, Canadian communities. Our intent is to continue to pay homage to the great accomplishments of Afro-Caribbean Black (ACB) people throughout history leading to our present times. The event will involve panel discussions, Black business showcases, Bursaries for Black African Diaspora students, recognition for trailblazers in the Black African Diaspora Winnipeg community and much more

The Afro-Caribbean Black Mentorship Program (ACMP) Inc.’s Barbershop Talk workshop is a culturally rooted initiative that provides safe, trusted spaces for Afro-Caribbean and Black (ACB) men and boys to engage in honest, meaningful conversations about identity, mental health, masculinity, and community. Based on the longstanding tradition of the barbershop as a place for dialogue and connection within Black communities, this program turns familiar spaces into platforms for reflection, learning, and healing across Canada and the Caribbean (Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica). Barbershop Talk responds to the social and structural realities that shape the lives of Black men and boys, including experiences with anti-Black racism, social exclusion, and intergenerational trauma. Through guided discussions and facilitated dialogue, participants explore topics such as emotional well-being, relationships, violence prevention, and pathways to personal and collective growth. The workshop intentionally challenges harmful norms around masculinity while affirming vulnerability, accountability, and care as strengths. A key feature of the program is its intergenerational approach. Participants engage with mentors, community leaders, and professionals who share lived experiences and practical insights, fostering connection, trust, and guidance. These conversations not only support individual development but also strengthen community bonds and shared responsibility. By meeting participants where they are—both physically and culturally—Barbershop Talk creates accessible entry points into conversations that are often stigmatized or avoided. Through this work, ACMP advances mental health awareness, promotes positive identity formation, and supports the development of confident, grounded, and community-oriented young men.

The Afro-Caribbean Black Mentorship Program (ACMP) Inc.’s Salon Talk workshop creates affirming, culturally grounded spaces for Afro-Caribbean and Black (ACB) women and girls to engage in meaningful dialogue around identity, wellness, leadership, and community. Rooted in the tradition of the salon as a site of connection, storytelling, and care within Black communities, this initiative transforms these spaces into environments for reflection, learning, and empowerment across Canada and the Caribbean. Salon Talk addresses the unique intersections of race, gender, and lived experience that influence the lives of ACB women and girls. Through guided conversations and interactive activities, participants examine topics such as self-esteem, mental health, relationships, career development, and navigating systemic barriers. The workshop acknowledges the complexity of Black womanhood while providing space for vulnerability, healing, and collective support. At the heart of Salon Talk is a mentorship model that spans generations, connecting participants with Black women professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. These interactions offer guidance, inspiration, and practical insights, while emphasising the importance of representation and shared experiences. Participants are encouraged to view themselves as leaders and changemakers within their communities. By prioritizing care, connection, and culturally responsive dialogue, Salon Talk enhances confidence, nurtures resilience, and creates supportive networks among ACB women and girls. This workshop aligns with ACMP’s broader commitment to holistic development, gender-responsive programming, and empowering Black communities both locally and transnationally.

Our goal is to address the impact of anti-Black racism and its effects on Black Women while providing Hope through sharing resources, educational support, and guidance from Black women experts within our community. We do this by the facilitation of a safe space for discussions with ACB women where they can critically think about their intersectionality and explore health, self-love, and personal advancement. One of us

While working at Carleton University, Warren Clarke, in collaboration with the Glebe Collegiate Institute, presented a course applying the Theatre of the Oppressed: The stereotypical notions of gender, race, and sexuality among young Canadians. This course encouraged undergraduate students, high school students, and the broader Ottawa community to critically think about the relation of gender, race, social class, age, ability, and sexuality among young Canadians. Recognizing how gender relations in mainstream society is generally perceived, it can be difficult for young people to express themselves while encountering misconceptions about their personhood. As a way to express student learning, and build confidence in young people, both Carleton and Glebe students put together plays, which are in line with “The Theatre of the Oppressed” model, by creator Augusto Boal. These plays highlighted discrimination and social oppression young people face in a Canadian social climate. The arts are a medium for exploring and understanding human and social conditions. As such, they are curriculum areas where students may encounter difficult subject matter. They may also be challenged to consider viewpoints that differ from personal perspectives and/or social norms. This course offered third-year undergraduate students a unique opportunity to work alongside Ottawa-Carleton District SBoard high school students to address social oppressions such as racism and gender issues that impact young Canadians. Carleton students who take this course apply phenomenology - the study of human experience - which encourages students to advocate for better social outcomes through artistic performances. This course involves a social justice project, which will require scripting, as a component for student learning, and for engaging with the broader Ottawa community, and beyond. We address social oppressions in a do no harm approach that helps students to be aware of how the lived experiences of certain Canadians encounter social barriers that negatively impact their livelihood. This course is designed to continue the positive working relationship between Carleton University and the OCSB school board.

Annual Anti-Black Racism event aims to give students and the wider Black community a chance to discuss mental health issues openly and safely. We empower individuals by providing tools and resources that help them understand how to seek and access support. Furthermore, we strive to increase awareness of the broad range of mental health issues impacting Black Canadians while working to minimize the stigmas linked to mental illness. Our most popular event is the “Anti-Black Racism as a Mental Health Concern-Panel Discussion”, This forum situates mental health within broader historical, cultural, and structural contexts, drawing on humanities-informed perspectives alongside community expertise. It offers a space for critical analysis of how anti-Black racism shapes lived experience, narrative formation, and access to care.

A book club curated for and in support of the Black student collective. Our goal is to create a space where we recenter the telling of Black Stories and improve the academic experiences of the Black Student Collective at the University of Manitoba. Too often, Black people's worldviews, self-narratives, historical perspectives, and stories are told by others or not told at all. Changing the Narrative aims to make a change within academia and literature by exploring the diverse scope of story-telling that allows students to engage with politics, economy, sociology, precolonial stories, decolonial stories, Afrofuturism, and more!

Economic Empowerment events offer a hands-on and interactive approach for guests. The ACMP provides annual mentorship such as Financial Literacy Events, More than Networking Events among others. Financial literacy and networking are not just about numbers, it’s about empowerment, equity, and opportunity. By helping students develop strong financial skills, we are preparing them to thrive not only academically but also in their personal and professional lives to build their social capital.