'Where were all these programs when I was growing up?' Mentorship for Black, racialized girls takes off

A new peer mentorship program for girls from underserved communities aims to help them recover from pandemic setbacks and on a track to long-term success.

The Look Up! Lift Up! program officially launched Saturday with mentees from ages seven to 17 and mentors meeting for the first time at the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment in Etobicoke. The centre offers free and subsidized initiatives for youth, ranging anywhere from financial literacy courses to STEM-based programs.

Former MP and the centre's founder, Jean Augustine, says the program will help empower young girls, give them leadership skills and encourage them to get involved in their community.

"Where were all these programs when I was growing up?" said Augustine, the first Black woman elected to Canada's House of Commons.

"The falling on your behind, the picking yourself up, the dusting yourself off ... girls don't have to go through [that]."

The centre says the program is geared toward Black and racialized girls — a demographic centre executive director Emma Asiedu-Akrofi says was hit hard with isolation and mental health issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We wanted to respond to that and really ensure that these communities feel supported and have a sense of community," said Asiedu-Akrofi.

The centre will have mentors and mentees meet at least once a week, with field trips and workshops sprinkled throughout the six-month program.

Kyanna Dennis, 14, said she's excited to meet someone she can look up to as a role model to help her deal with life's pressures — anywhere from getting ready to apply for part-time jobs to learning what kind of mistakes to avoid. 

"Someone who I can look up to that way, just help me to answer a lot of the questions that I will be having to face sooner or later in the future," said Dennis. 

Dennis' mom, Topika Simpson, said the program is particularly significant to her as a single mother.

"It's important for me to have positive role models in my daughter's life, just to show her the way forward," said Simpson, who works at the centre as the office administrator.

Dennis' mentor, Melissa McKay, says she's excited about the prospect of giving back to the community.

"It's important to me seeing myself in the girls, and knowing what I needed and wanting to give that back as well," said McKay, an elementary school teacher, research assistant for the Jean Augustine Chair at York University, and a PhD student studying education.

"I hope to just be a positive influence, and it helps me keep myself accountable."

This is the organization's first cohort with 26 young women and girls registered so far. Asiedu-Akrofi says they are looking for other mentors to join their program as the popularity of the initiative continues to grow.

"We do have girls registering every day," said Asiedu-Akrofi.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.