Laurier welcomes elementary students to campus for celebration of Black brilliance

Feb. 21, 2024
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University will welcome local grade 6 to 8 students to its Waterloo campus for the Black Brilliance conference, presented in partnership with the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). 

The event, which takes place Feb. 22, aims to inspire African, Caribbean, and Black identifying students to pursue higher education while connecting them with members of Laurier’s Black community. The program includes a keynote address from former MPP Laura Mae Lindo and breakout sessions on exploring university studies in music, computer science, or business; educational pathways to various career goals; and sessions tailored to Black students who are new to Canada, and Black boys and girls as they approach young adulthood. The conference concludes with a lunch and Africa dance party.  

“I am so grateful that the Black Brilliance Conference is growing and now elementary students from across WRDSB schools will come together for the first time in partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University,” said jeewan chanicka, director of education for the Waterloo Region District School Board. “This is an important part of supporting Black student achievement and well-being. The event offers students the opportunity to celebrate Black joy and Black identity and explore the opportunities that are available to them on their pathway after graduation. It’s one part of our efforts to ensure that all students know that they have the opportunity to follow their dreams and reach their full potential on whatever their chosen post-secondary path may be.”  

“We are honored to welcome students of African descent from Waterloo Region schools to our campus,” said Karen Cyrus, assistant professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Music, director of the Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa, and Laurier’s faculty lead for the conference. “This is also an important event for the students, staff and faculty of African descent at Laurier who have given overwhelming support to this conference and who have participated in this very significant gesture of representation. We hope that WRDSB students of African descent will see Laurier as a place where they belong, where they matter, and where they are valued. The lesson here is that by working together, we can build community at Laurier to support each other and together we can build a framework to support the needs and success of Black students at our university.” 

The Black Brilliance Conference is an invitation-only event that takes place from 9 a.m. to noon in Lazaridis Hall. Members of the media are welcome to attend.